Happy UnValentine's Day

I hate Valentine's Day.

It's not because I'm single and bitter that my stupid ex-boyfriend dumped me for his stupid ex-girlfriend. No, seriously. For years now I haven't liked the "holiday." Even when I have boyfriends I tell them not to bother or freak out or worry about about the day. The best V-Day date for me is hanging out with my boyfriend and watching a movie or something. Very simplistic, but that's my ideal date. (I had one boyfriend who was convinced I was lying when I said he didn't need to get me anything for the day. He thought I was tricking him. It was actually very cute. He got me a Valentine card - you know, the kind that you hand out when you're a kid. I still have it. It was the perfect present.)

Anyway, why, you may ask, do I hate the day? It's because it's a fake "holiday" that was designed by the greeting card companies. I know that's a cliched answer, but I believe it. It's designed to make you feel bad. When you're a kid and you don't get any valentines, or you didn't get as many as you thought you would, you feel bad. When you're older and you don't have a date, and the idea that being single is the OMG WORST THING EVER!!!!!! is shoved down your throat, you feel bad. When you do have a date, but it doesn't go well, or you don't get the present you wanted, or you felt like you screwed up because the expectations were so high, you feel bad. Why the hell do we celebrate a "holiday" that makes us feel bad?

I would love Valentine's Day if it were actually about love. If we celebrated everyone we love in our lives - your significant other, if you have one, but also you friends and family and children and pets. Whoever you love in your love, even if it really is your cat, you should celebrate it with them, and celebrate having all types of love in your life. Because that's what matters. Having people who you love and love you back is what matters the most. Having a romantic relationship is really important, I know, but it isn't the be-all, end-all thing of your existence. Family and friends matter too. People tend to forget that this time of the year.

So enjoy the day with whoever you love, whoever that may be! One of my favourite VDay memories is when my group of friends and I, plus my boyfriend at the time, went out for a simple dinner at a pub. Having almost all of my favourite people in one room was really fantastic. If you can do that tonight, do it!! It's more fun that chocolates and roses, trust me.