Five Reasons to Love Valentine's Day.

By Meredith Fineman

 I know it's on your mind already, and has been since it turned February/Groundhog Day/Homigod it's almost Valentine's day.

 Let's be real here. So, guys mostly dislike Valentine's Day, am I right? (Amirite?) I think that they probably think it's a silly, made up holiday like Reindeer Day and Dress Up My Intern In a Clown Outfit And Make Her Walk Through Bloomingdales Day. (My personal favorite holiday!) It's not.

Gentlebutts, girls care about it, and so should you. Blame it on marketing, or the chocolate industry, or Hallmark, or Cupid. We all want to feel loved and cared for and needed. That's it. That's the reason, and as stupid as you might think it is, every woman, regardless of her level of independence and shunning of gender norms, wants. it. If you'redating someone, this doesn't mean a dumptruck full of chocolate roses and sprinkles and surprises, but just do something little for your lady. It doesn't have to be expensive, or over the top, or like popping out of a limo with a rose in your teeth (I'm worried about your gums). Just do it.


I love Valentine's Day.


And as ridiculously cheesy as this sounds, I see it as a fun, celebratory, kitchy day to celebrate all of the love in your life, not just in your dating life. I know, you're reading this at your desk or on the toilet and you are like, "this girl, really, is annoying. who the hell loves Valentine's Day?" ME. And I've always been single for it. For 100% of my life. (This is the first year, ever, I've had a real, live, breathing Valentine.)


Below are a few reasons I love this holiday, and ways you can celebrate no matter if you're single or not.

Candy.

Let's be real here. The displays went out in like December. Candy hearts, Dora the Explorer Valentine's (that in my opinion, know no age limit), what have you. It's a fun holiday to give your friends, family, boyfriend/girlfriend small tokens of affection, homemade or not. One year I made "Bee Mine" cards with bumble bees on them. I clearly have a full social life and definitely NOT sixteen pairs of specialty scissors with different shapes.

I also love sugar. It's also close to my birthday (February 16, AHEM), which means that I get all of the 75% off candy and heart socks on the 16th from the 15th. All in the name of savings. (Go to CVS on February 15. Or after any major holiday. Send your dentistry bill to Constance.)

Dressing Up.

Every year, on Valentine's Day, I am that toolbag in red and pink. I love me a good excuse for a theme party, too bad CEO's and Office Hoe's isn't a holiday! Get in the spirit, you Grinch.

Celebrating Other Kinds of Love in Your Life.

I think that's potentially the cheesiest (lactose-free) sentence I've ever written. But really, every year, for 23 years, I've been single on Valentine's Day. And I either go out with my single friends, or I hang out with other people I care about. It's not really about the whole dating aspect of things, although 90% of promotional material will tell you otherwise. Get together a gaggle of girlfriends and oggle and giggle at Gosling. Find anyone you love, and love them harder on Valentine's Day.

GO OUT IF YOU ARE SINGLE.

Do you understand how good your odds are? 99.9% of people at a bar or restaurant not in a couple are single. The .01% are in a text message fight or on a business trip. It's like a perpetual, set-up-for-you, red light green light party WHERE EVERYONE IS WEARING GREEN (pink/red). You'll be a kid in a candy store. 

Couples Instructions.

Make out. It's my first year with a Valentine, so that's all I've got. 

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