It is that day of the year most dreaded for you single ladies, and the day of highest expectations (besides your birthday, Christmas and anniversary) for your significant other. It is a day of highest controversy and hypocrisy: one year you will be saying how love is not real, and the next you will be screaming to the heavens " All you need is love." However you see it, Valentine's Day is that one day a year where you are reminded of your best and/or worst times, relationship-wise.
You may have never been in a relationship which will make you look bitterly at the girls receiving flowers and teddy bears from the boyfriends you know they were just about ready to break up with a week before. This means that there is no reason to feel jealous of people who treat Valentine's day as a way to rub their relationship in other people's faces. For those of you who are happily involved with someone without needing to prove to the world that you are in love, good for you . For those of you who are happily single as proof that you don't need love to be happy, even better for you.
Valentine's Day should be treated as a day of love all around, not a day of competition. Here are some ways to have a great Valentine's Day whether you are single or taken.
1. Single – Date Night Out with your best friend
When I was younger, the idea of having a significant other was a comical. Instead of feeling lonely on Valentine's Day, my best friend and I would always treat the day as a way of celebrating our friendship. We would give each other chocolates and write silly romantic poetry so we can feel as cheesy as all the couples around us.
Even if you are alone this Valentine's Day, you don't have to be alone. Grab your best friend, who is hopefully single as well to a night of Wine Drinking and Cheese Tasting in whichever order. You would be surprised on how much better when you go out and have a nice night out with your bestie.
2. Taken – Date Night In with your significant other
If you are like me, you probably go out to eat all the time with your significant other, so much that you probably have eaten at most of the popular restaurants in town. So why not keep this romantic day to a night in.
Try out your culinary skills on a special menu featuring each other's favorite meals topped with a chocolatey dessert that as your mouth watering or a nice delivery from Insomnia. Nothing feels more heartfelt than a home cooked meal made with love.
3. Single – Girls Night In with your favorite reality TV
The normal thing to do on a GNI on Valentine's Day would be to watch either Romantic Comedies or Horror Movies. But why put yourself through the happy, unrealistic ending of a chick flick or the horrifying, unrealistic ending of a thriller when you can watch real people make fools of themselves on TV. That way you won't feel as if you will never find your Ryan Gosling in your life. You can just watch girls fight over a sleazy, tanned guy and eat your heart out.
4. Taken – Night out on the Town to all your favorite places
If you live in the city, why not take advantage of it. In any city, everyone has their favorite spots, why not make a day out of it. People try to hard to do the typical chocolate, dinner date, and nighttime action on Valentine's Day when they could really have a great holiday appreciating each other's favorite things to do.
5. Single – Stoplight Party at your favorite bar
Green means Go just the same way as a streetlight. So why not, it is one night of fun with other people more or less single as you! Not as a way to sound desperate, but it is the one time where you know that the people wearing green are definitely the people you would want to talk to that night. It is a chance to meet new and interesting people while hopefully getting discounted drinks!
6. Taken – Pic-Nic at the Museum
Whether its the museum of modern art or the natural history, exploring art on Valentine's Day can make the day a more intimate and interactive excursion. Why not bring a picnic along for the ride. Chances are the museum probably won't allow you to eat inside but having private picnic after an art exhibit can cultivate a deeper connection with your significant other. It will give rise to a more intimate conversation and get to explore each other's taste in art over sandwiches and a bottle of Pinot.
7. Single – Singles' BYO
What better way to celebrate Valentine's Day than grabbing all of your single friends to have a BYO dinner at your favorite cheap dinner spot. Valentine's Day is a day to celebrate in the company of others so why not celebrate with all of your favorite people in one place. If one of your friends recently got out of a difficult relationship, it will probably make them feel welcomed back into the pack and truly loved among friends.
8. Single and Taken – Go to a Concert or Dancing the night away
Going out to a concert or dancing is always a good way to spend any night let alone Valentine's Day. As someone who is single, it is a way to forget what this day means in terms of love, and treat Valentine's Day just as any other day of the year.
As for those who are involved, it is a way of also surprising the one you love with their favorite artist or taking to a salsa dancing spot like they always wanted. Although attending a loud concert is not always romantic, the act of finding that concert usually is. And nothing is more romantic of course than tangoing with other couples and dancers on a dimly lit floor.
