Why Valentine's Day Doesn't Matter

*Originally published on 1/28/09


Every year come mid January everyone starts going on about how much it sucks to be single on Valentine's Day. People always talk about how it's a fake holiday invented by the card and flower companies to make money.

The truth is that it's not worth getting all worked up over. If you're in a relationship and want to celebrate Valentine's Day by going out for a nice meal or something, that's fine. For us single folk, it's no big deal. At the end of the day, that's really all it is, just a day. It's not like Christmas or New Years where there is an element of excitement.

You get up, go to work and do the same thing you do every other day of the week. You end up looking back thinking "why was I getting so worked up?" It's not like couples are going to come over to your house and rub the fact that you're single in your face. They have their own plans. You can kick back with a video game or a good book and let the day pass as it eventually will.

It's gotten to the point where even people in relationships don't make a big deal out of it. People are busy and trying to make ends meet. They can't go out and buy another diamond or bouquet of roses. The idea behind Valentine's day is to show the person you care about just how much you care. If you do that throughout the year, the point behind the holiday is rendered moot.

Stores try to capitalize on it, putting out displays on January 3 reminding you that V-Day is coming. All you need to do there is just look the other way. Seeing big teddy bears and hearts everywhere is no reason to get all stressed out. It's the same as any other holiday display. You can walk away with no trouble whatsoever.

Not having a date on Valentine's day is inconsequential in the grand scheme of things. People have bigger problems to deal with. If you're happy being single than go on being happy. If you're not, well keep looking but don't let some random holiday freak you out; that's not why it's there. You being single on Feb 14th is no different than being single on Feb 13th or November 16th or June 9th.

I used to be like the worriers. "Aw man, another Valentine's Day without a date, this is going to suck" the secret to surviving is to stop caring. If you don't care whether or not you're single on Valentine's Day it's not going to bother you that you don't have a date on the holiday for lovers. It doesn't even need to be a conscious decision on your part. If you just go through your daily routine, your Feb 14th is going to be just as mundane as any other day. This approach is going to save you a lot of hassle, worry, and stress.