Valentine’s Day Ideas That You Can Actually Relate To

When I was single and living in L.A., on Thanksgiving as well as around The Holidays, people always asked if I had somewhere to go. How thoughtful. Soup kitchens gave out free food. People collected toys for tots. People looked out for each other effortlessly. Why is that not the case on Valentine’s Day? The one holiday specifically about love? Single people like pumpkin pie and eggnog! And how about a toy!?

Let’s face it. On Valentine’s Day you’re on your own to interpret it as a display of commercialism, a painful reminder of what – or who – you don’t have (to celebrate with), or as cozy, adorable, hopeful, sexy, romantic, or a combination of all of the above.

You know what Valentine’s Day is a celebration of? Awkwardness!

If you’re single on Valentine’s day do you ignore it or make it mean something? If you’re dating someone, now you have to figure out the status of your relationship, not with an actual conversation but whether you actually spend it together. Cards? Gifts? Dinner? Reservations? Who does what for who? Get it together! This is Valentine’s Day!

Let me be clear, I’ve never been bah-humbug about Valentine’s Day. Just confused. I’m wondering if we should be celebrating love all the time, not just one day a year. Why not? Right now, are all of the other days just a “like”? How about we celebrate quarterly?

Here are some brand new suggestions of how to celebrate Valentine’s Day no matter what your relationship status or plans for the 14th. See if any resonate for you.

1. Valentine’s Day is now like New Year’s Eve. Take this day to make new resolutions about love in your life.

2. Valentine’s Day is now like Christmas. Do something charitable. Have treats. Put up Christmas lights if you want, they look nice.

3. Valentine’s Day is now like Thanksgiving. Care for your fellow people. Volunteer. Connect with a relative. Express gratitude. Eat corn.

4. Valentine’s Day is now like Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur. Extend forgiveness or ask for forgiveness where you need to. Reflect on your year since last February and choose who you want to be moving forward. Start a clean slate.

5. Valentine’s Day is now a day to spend a few minutes relaxing. If you don’t think you have time, relax emotionally on-the-go.

6. Pick one thing you love to do that you keep putting off and give yourself permission to do it.

7. Pick one thing you’ve wanted to finish and take a step to getting it done already.

8. Peruse articles on the website “Thank You For Not Wasting My Time”. That’s this one!

9. Pick a New Year’s resolution that you let slide and restart.

10. Declutter. I just like decluttering.

11. Recovering from a rejection? Thank them, genuinely, for not wasting your time. If not to them, out loud to the air.

The point here, Valentine’s Day-ers, is that this is a great day to reimagine love for ourselves and redefine how we want to connect. And if that doesn’t work, #12. Make it just like St. Patrick’s Day.