I Hate Valentine's Day

Chuck — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 01:04:00 -0500

Well, I don’t hate Valentine’s Day. Hate is such a strong word. Let’s just say I’m not a fan of February 14th. If you are truly dreading V-Day, I would pick I Hate Valentine’s Day by Bennett Madison to help guide you through the day.

“Finally there’s no shame in hating Valentine’s Day! Whether we’re single, dating, married, or divorced, the dreaded February 14 arrives each year to ambush our self-esteem. No other twenty-four-hour period convinces otherwise happy folk that they’re in fact social pariahs. But now comes protection from the ritual onslaught of Whitman’s Samplers, saccharine cards, and suffocating expectations.

I Hate Valentine’s Day is a bitingly funny guide to getting through the Big Day painlessly, including tips on: People and places it’s best to avoid Ways to take your mind off being single How to score an emergency date Alternative ways to celebrate the holiday – or obliterate all thinking Crossing the minefield of gift-giving Romance for the unromantic Running into the ex Last-resort measures It’s only one day. Tomorrow it’s just dead flowers, empty calories, and a wicked champagne hangover.”

For a more sarcastic view, check out The Anti-Valentine’s Handbook by J. More…

“The mushy sentiment, the lousy candies, and the pressure of finding a date make February 14th a day that many wish didn’t exist. This pocket-sized companion to Flirtology will help lovelorn readers laugh their way through the most brutal of holidays. Learn which movies are best for a night alone (Love Stinks). Identify signs that a date isn’t going well (“HELP ME” written in his mashed potatoes).

Discover why having a date can be worse than not (four words: better looking ex-girlfriend). Skip the heartache. Make this book your V-Day companion!”

Thankfully, I don’t have any heartbreaking Valentine’s Day experiences to share. Sure there were lonely days in high school when I was a shy and slightly awkward teenager but no tragic events to recount. I’ve been a serial monogamous since my college days, so fortunately I have been rarely alone on Valentine’s Day.

My dislike of V-Day stems from the over-commercialism of the day. I don’t like being pressured by marketers and their ads to express my love and affection for my girlfriend on February 14th. I also hate the fact that flower prices are super inflated on V-Day. I’m a firm believer of expressing your appreciation and love for your significant other every single day instead of just one arbitrary day in February.

I have no problems with going out for a romantic dinner or giving boxes of chocolates and flowers. I actually enjoy doing all of these things but not on V-Day when I feel forced to do so. Thankfully, I have a girlfriend who feels the same way. It’s all about how you express your feelings and affection the other 364 days of the year.

Maybe I’ll make individual molten chocolate cakes next Wednesday for my girlfriend because it’s Wednesday, when we allow ourselves to eat dessert (that’s a story for another post), not because it’s Valentine’s Day.

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I Hate Valentine's Day