February is here! That means that the groundhog has emerged to determine our weather conditions and stores are all dolled up in red and pink for, you guessed it, Valentine's Day. Whether you love it or hate it--there are always some feelings about this time. Some people choose to see this time of year as a time to find someone so they won't be alone. But I want to highlight why there is more beyond romance.

I've always loved this time of February (not just Valentine's Day itself) when I was single and a wee lass. But I have my reasons. Similar to how everyone has their reasons to dislike it. I posted a status on Facebook to help me gauge what others think about this day and why they feel that way. I was pleased to find a diverse group of answers and here's how we can learn to look at this time of month from a new perspective:

1. Remember what we did in elementary school

Ah, yes. I loved picking out the theme of Valentines I was going to give my classmates and teacher. We also had fun parties with cookies and activities in class revolved around treats and sweets. Also the class calendar was pink and red which I always thought was a nifty color combo.

Our activities in class didn't focus on romance. Instead they focused on friendship, sweets/chocolate/candy, and (my favorite) ARTS AND CRAFTS! Why not continue this tradition with your friends or family? Maybe even with a random act of kindness to someone who might feel alone. You could make a friend! How you spend your Valentine's Day doesn't have to be negative or about a special someone. That special someone can be YOU!

2. Let it be a day to...TREAT YO' SELF!

If Tom and Donna taught us anything from Parks and Recreation--it's the one true lesson of TREAT YO' SELF! Take the day to watch your favorite movies, get your nails done, eat your favorite dessert, or buy that cute scarf with hedgehogs on it that you've had your eye on (okay that one is specific but I am now a proud owner of a hedgehog scarf). Heck even go out with friends and meet someone if you want. Let it be about romance or not. The choice is YOURS! As long as you're not causing harm to others--take the day to be selfish and do the little things you enjoy! The friends on FB that I polled said they took the time to go out to dinner with their spouse or significant other to get some alone time, while other decided to treat their parents.

3. The discounted candy and pretty foods are a great perk

How are we not tempted to buy large amounts of candy in the shape of hearts? If you have kids--you're looking at some pretty cheap Easter candy. Now isn't that a small victory? Feed your candy craving or share the wealth with others! My FB friends also concurred that this is indeed a perk of the Hallmark marketing scheme of a holiday! Also--have you seen some of those chocolate covered strawberries? Some of those things are works of arts!

4. The Comedy

I LOVE when people have great humor about Valentine's Day. I love the memes, romantic comedy spoofs, and Tweets that share how bizarre this day can be (check out #Hashtags on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon). Whether it's about being single or just mocking those silly jewelry commercial with the cliches about how every woman needs a diamond necklace and a new car to show her you care. Check out Dairy Queen's commercial promoting their cakes. Which you don't have to eat with 2 people. It's totally 1 person portion in my opinion.

BONUS: Did I mention Netflix shares the love with us by bringing us new selections in February? Michael Bolton's Big, Sexy Valentine's Day Special is available now to stream! Santa needs 75,000 babies by Christmas to keep him in business. So it's up to Michael Bolton to hold a telethon and convince the whole world to make love. How will he do it? By using the power of his music, of course! The great minds behind The Lonely Island and Comedy Bang! Bang! are behind this hilarious spoof on Valentine's Day.

5. Love can be anything you want it to be

(http://www.boredpanda.com/funny-puns-arseniic-moni...)

Don't let someone tell you how you celebrate this one time during the year. Because when it comes down to reality: it's just another day! That's whatever you want it to be. I'm not going to tell you that you need to be single, in a relationship, go out and meet someone, or spend Valentine's Day a certain way just because I like it. If you hate this time of year, that's fine too! As long as you are happy that way. Overall, you get to decide what you want to do with friends, family, colleagues, or even just yourself!

I have a super cool nerd boyfriend who I've been dating for 3 years and I've continued to have the same attitude about Valentine's Day when I was single. I didn't magically change how I felt about Valentine's Day because I fell in love. I continued to love the things I enjoy about it most so I could make others happy too. I like to make others feel included and see the fun in things. It might sound cheesy, but I am a girl who loves a good amount of Parmesan on pretty much anything. That's my take on this commercialized holiday, and it's not gospel. So go have some fun whether it has to do with Valentine's Day or not! Happy February!

Bonus:

Google has awesome doodles and games to entertain visitors! Check out the newest pangolin game where these cute critters try to find each other. It's like Pitfall for cute animals. Enjoy! https://www.google.com/