Being Single on Valentine’s Day

Everywhere you look on February 14th, love seems to be in the air. There are couples confessing their love for each other on park benches or in shopping malls; more couples sitting romantically at cozy tables for two in any restaurant you can find, gazing deeply into each other’s eyes; school children are exchanging roses and chocolates with each other, hoping that their crush just might feel the same way and no matter where you look there just seems to be an abundance of red roses, teddy bears and heart-shaped sweets. This is what Valentine’s day has evolved into – an international ‘holiday’ to shower your significant other in flowers and chocolate while indulging in the sugar overload that is part and parcel of this romantic day.

Now Valentine’s day is a fantastic day of cupcakes and rainbows – if you happen to be in a relationship.  This is because when you’re romantically involved during this time, not only do you have someone to focus your romantic energy on (thinking of the right gift to give, maybe planning some hot date for just the two of you) but you get to be the bearer of all the commercialised gifting that has been up since mid-January. Don’t tell me that you don’t feel special when your partner gives you a kiss on the cheek and hands you a rose or a heart-shaped box of chocolates? Most people adore that feeling, and that’s not a bad thing, but when Valentine’s Day rolls around, the world seems to forget about all the single pringles out there. Well, that’s not happening this year – all of the single people out there, this post is for you because let me tell you that being single on Valentine’s Day isn’t as bad as it may seem.

There are many ways that being single on Valentine’s Day can be a blessing in disguise. Now before you roll your eyes at your screen and think: “Really? What on earth are you talking about? Do you know how lonely it feels when everyone around you is getting showered in love and chocolate, and you are the only one in your friend group not receiving that kind of affection?”, Trust me when I say I have been there and am not talking complete nonsense. Just give me some time to illuminate these reasons, and soon you’ll be thinking that being single is actually better (I doubt that will be true, but at least you won’t feel down about it).

• Being single means that you can be saving money instead of spending it. That’s right – I know you heard me. When you are single on Valentine’s Day, you will inadvertently save money because you won’t be spending money on flowers, chocolates or any other gifts. The average person spends between $70 and $130 on Valentine’s Day (https://www.1800flowers.com/blog/flower-facts/valentines-day-fun-facts-2017/ ) so that’s a lot of money that you won’t be spending. If that’s not an advantage to being single, then I don’t know what is. P.S. Once Valentine’s Day is over, all of that chocolate goes on sale so if you are looking for a way to stock up on your sugar supply without breaking the bank, heading to the stores on February 15th isn’t a bad idea.
• There is no pressure for you to concoct elaborate romantic plans or spend heaps of money to show someone how much you love them. You can relax – spend the day in your pyjamas and eat whatever you want without worrying about dinner plans or getting all dressed up. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with getting dressed up, but when there is so much pressure to be so perfect for one day in the calendar, then the fun goes out of it. So stop stressing about not having someone to spend your day with and take that time to relax and just be you.
• On that last point about not having anyone to hang out with, that isn’t necessarily true. Being single on Valentine’s Day means that you can hang out with your friends. Yes some of them may have plans but why not arrange a movie night or a dinner out? Just because you are single doesn’t mean you have to be alone, and I doubt that most friends will say no to a relaxing night of movies and pizza.

So now that you know that it isn’t so bad to be a party of one on Valentine’s Day, you might be asking me: “Well great now I’ve accepted the fact that it doesn’t completely stink but what am I meant to do? I can’t just sit around all day being thankful I’ve saved $100.” Don’t you worry – I have thought of that too. There are plenty of things to do on Valentine’s Day because, after all, it is just a typical day.

• You can eat all of your favourite foods, and you don’t have to worry about sharing. Think about it – usually if you are in a relationship you would ideally share your food with them. Well, not you. You can decide to eat pizza for breakfast, lunch and dinner and the only person you would have to share it with would be yourself. Call me selfish, but being able to pick my menu for the entire day and not have to share it sounds like absolute heaven.
• You can make it an “all about you” day. Because you are not focusing on pleasing your partner (which is not a bad thing), you can focus all of your attention on loving yourself. Maybe it has been a while since you switched off your phone and had a spa day, or went for a walk with your dog. Whatever it is, do it on Valentine’s Day because you are choosing to love yourself and make yourself happy.

• Another idea is to start a new tradition. Maybe instead of going out with a partner, you and your friends decide to have a traditional Valentine’s Day picnic or party or ice cream night. Perhaps you could have a specific movie that you save and only watch this one night a year with your best friend. Don’t depend on the tradition of spending money on your partner – make your own.
• Maybe you could spend the day indoors and binge-watch romcoms? Movies and books are always a great way to stay entertained, and you can pick whichever genre suits your mood. If you are the kind of person who loves all things ooey-gooey and romantic, then watching a selection of romcoms (either on your own or with others) is just what you need? You could also go the other direction and watch horror movies because who needs more sweetness on this day? The choice is entirely yours, and it will allow you to escape all things Valentine that you may be looking to avoid.

• Lastly, you can share the love with others. There are people in the world we love who aren’t our partners. Maybe take your girlfriends out to remind them how much they mean to you, have a family dinner or get-together or even spend the night cuddling with your pet. We love all of them too don’t we? So why do we forget that we have more people to love than just the traditional romantic ones?

It’s important to remember, above all else, that this ‘holiday’ is about sharing or celebrating love. So while being single may mean that you don’t have a boyfriend/girlfriend/spouse/fiance etc., that doesn’t mean that you have no one to love and no one who loves you. It doesn’t matter if you are in a relationship or free as a bird – there is no reason to be alone on Valentine’s Day. If you are single, however, I really hope you enjoyed this post and hopefully took something positive away from it (if you have no one to love, then know that I love you). I hope that you single pringles out there enjoy your Valentine’s Days, but I send this same hope to everyone reading this who is in a relationship. There is nothing wrong with spending money on your loved one and planning something special (I hope I didn’t make it seem like being in a relationship was a bad thing) and from the bottom of my heart, I hope that every one of you has a fantastic Valentine’s Day. If you have any advice to share about being single over this period, then please share it with me in the comments section (I would love to hear it) and if you enjoyed this post, please like it and share with your friends!

You are all my Valentines

Lots of love

Blondey on a Mission xxx

P.S. EAT LOTS OF CHOCOLATE!