Happy (Anti) Valentine's Day

Don't let my title confuse you.  I HEART Valentine's Day!  It's a day all decked out with pink, flowers, and kisses.  All things that make me smile.  Plus, I always get a handful of phone calls from my favorite people calling just to tell me they love me.  If that doesn't make a person's day I don't know what does. 

And this year, Stonewall and I are going to the Melting Pot!  Fondue yummy-yums!

I thought I would re-post one of my all-time favorite posts that I wrote back in oh-eight.  Enjoy! And Happy Valentine's Day!

I don't understand the whole anti-Valentine's Day sentiment. I'm aware that some people don't like Valentine's Day, just like some don't like other holidays such as Christmas, St. Patty's Day, even their own birthdays. These people don't like these holidays because they are usually associated with a memory that is particuarly painful at that time of year. I completely understand that. I, for example, was dumped on Valentine's Day one year. I hated Valentine's Day that year, but it had nothing to do with chocolates and flowers.

What I don't understand is the people who hate Valentine's Day because, according to them, it is a "consumer-oriented with the sole porpose of making all unattached persons feel bad about themselves and their lives" holiday. Umm....sure.

Let's tear that definition apart, shall we? Valentine's Day is "consumer-oriented." Well...DUH!! If it wasn't consumer-oriented it wouldn't be called a holiday, it would simply be a day. Should we stop celebrating the birth of Christ because the local Toys R Us will rake in the dough? Or maybe St. Patty's Day is a bad idea because the bars certainly make out well. Better yet, how about no more birthdays because Hallmark is the work of the devil.

Every holiday is consumer-oriented. People get excited about celebrating holidays and when they're excited that want to share that excitement with their loved ones. Most times that means going out and buying cards, presents, and lots of good food. What I find immensely funny is that anti-Valentine persons are now creating their own products, like these found here, to be sold to...you got it: consumers. Now we're not only selling to the Happy Valentine's Day consumers, but the Anti-Valentine's Day consumers. Anti-V Day people: I believe that is called hypocrisy.

Now, what is this about Valentine's Day's sole purpose is to make unattached persons feel bad about about themselves and their lives? If a naked baby with wings and heart shaped arrows is enough to make you feel miserable about your life, I'd say you have bigger problems than V-Day.

The purpose of V-Day is to be able to express your love for others in a way you might not normally express yourself. As a celebrator of V-Day and love, in general, I'm not signaling the unattached out. I think V-Day is a day for anyone and everyone, whether you're single or part of a duo, to show the ones you love that you appreciate them. The only ones who are intentionally trying to make the unattached feel bad about themselves are those who have jumped on the Anti-V-Day bandwagon and are pointing out that, "You are alone and therefore V-Day is not for you, so buy my Anti-Love shirt."

Should you celebrate love everyday? Yes, absolutely. Every single day you should say, "I love you," at least once to your husband, your boyfriend, your sister, your mom, or your best friend. Valentine's Day, is a day though, when you can go out of your way and say, "In case I don't say it enough, I just wanted you to know that I love you and I appreciate you and thank you for being in my life." Show your appreciation in a way that isn't normal for you. Buy flowers for your wife, take your mom or dad out for a date, send your best friend a funny valentine to make her laugh, or cook your favorite dinner and put in your favorite movie and tell yourself that you love you.

Don't hate Valentine's Day because you don't have a significant other. That's like hating Veteran's Day because you're not a vet. Just because you aren't a part of the quintessential V-Day "couple", doesn't mean you can't celebrate in other ways and with someone you truly enjoy being with. For our first V-Day together, Stonewall was deployed. So for that V-Day my mom made lasagna for my sister, my dad and me. She decorated the table with candles and we had wine with dinner. We certainly weren't the typical Valentine's Day scene, but the dinner was awesome and we were able to be with the ones that we loved and we celebrated the holiday of love together.

That is what Valebtine's Day is about. That is it's sole purpose.