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I find Valentine’s Day amusing. What other holiday elicits such a wide range of opinions, a perfect topic for numerous articles and blog posts? (V-Day isn’t the only holiday taking place around this time, but people aren't lamenting or exclaiming nearly as much over President’s Day.)
As for me, I’m ambivalent about it -- and I like it that way. I’ve never had a horribly good or horribly bad Valentine’s Day, so I don't have anything to look back and compare it to. There are no highs or lows; I have no expectations.
I’ve spent a few V-days with girlfriends, but I don’t specifically seek out my friends on this day. I don't send text messages, V-day cards, or even e-card greetings (although I will acknowledge their receipt if one is given to me). My (single, female) roommate and I were hanging out in our apartment yesterday morning and neither one of us thought to say “Happy Valentine’s Day" to the other.
Having said that, I do like reading what women have to say about Valentine’s Day because the viewpoints are always so different. Some of the writers are single, some are not; some women love the holiday, while others despise it. I like that there’s a fresh crop of these posts every year because there's always something new to add.
Even though An OC Girl has been part of a couple for the past four Valentine's Days, she still gets annoyed when she sees certain advertisements that are geared toward single ladies. One example is an AOL ad for a dating website that features a woman sitting beside a cat.
I haven't clicked [on the ad] because I refuse to contribute to the increased traffic to that site. However, what's wrong with having your cat as your Valentine's date? Cats are loving and affectionate. Yeah, they don't buy you flowers, but flowers die any way. A kitty's love is furever! If I were single, I would prefer to stay at home with my cats rather than go on some random blind date from a guy on a website who lied in his profile just so I wouldn't be 'alone' on Valentine's Day. Bad move, anonymous dating website!
However, I also hate the implication that cat people are single. Are crazy dog people assumed to be single? Oh wait. There are no crazy dog people. It's just people who own cats in multiples that are crazy. I'm a crazy cat lady and I have a partner! How's that for debunking stereotypes? Take THAT, anonymous dating website!
As a single woman, Suzanne (writing for a group blog called Boundless Line) says Gotta Love Valentine's Day. She said she's loved it "since I was a little kid putting conversation hearts in tiny envelopes and passing them out to my classmates, so I'm not going to let my single status prevent me from enjoying it!" However, she's noticed a trend when it comes to casual dating around this time of year.
[W]e've entered what is probably the most awkward week for a budding relationship. It's always unnerving when you hit that "I-think-we-may-like-each-other" moment in the days leading up to Valentine's Day. I mean, you don't want the instant pressure of the "love holiday" entering an already delicate equation. I've noticed most guys will kind of get real quiet a little before February 14 and then pick things back up the following week.
In response to a male-authored post called Boycott Valentine’s Day!, Cassy Fiano asks, Is Valentine’s Day an anti-male holiday? Her response to him is: "Wow, what a bitter assclown."
Celebrating Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be some extravagant show of love and romance. But yes, I do believe that couples should celebrate it, in whatever way is most romantic to them. That doesn’t necessarily mean going the 1-800-FLOWERS route of roses and chocolates, but boycotting Valentine’s Day altogether just because you find it unfair is, in my opinion, ridiculous. What Valentine’s Day really boils down to is celebrating the love you have for your significant other. If you find that so bad, then I think the problem is with you, and not the holiday.
Jenni Hammitt thinks that Valentine’s Day is “super lame.”
Maybe I’m the exception to the rule, but I just do not see why we buy into all of this. I think that at its inception, the holiday was a great idea. However, commercial greed took over and now it is
