Why Valentine’s Day Is Not Just a Holiday For Couples

Ever since February rolled around, every social media platform I am on (especially Facebook) has been filled with negativity and complaints about the upcoming holiday- Valentine’s Day. My newsfeed has been flooded with statuses about how much February 14th sucks and how the holiday just serves to remind people of how single they are. 

So first things first, no holiday should be given the power to make you feel “alone forever”! Your identity and worth is not measured by your relationship status. Secondly, I think it is important that we take a step back from all the cheese that can come with this “day of romance” and focus on what the holiday is actually all about- love. And need I remind you, there are forms of love other than the romantic love that comes with a relationship. Love is something you share with your parents, siblings, extended family, and close friends! Valentine's Day is a day for ALL of your relationships, not just any romantic ones.The purpose of Valentine’s Day is to show the important people in your life just how much they mean to you, and that is something that everyone can be a part of. 

In recent years, Valentine’s Day has been swallowed up by all the of the media and commercialization- advertising all the gifts you should buy, places you should go, and money you should spend on this day to make it special- adding pressure to couples to not disappoint and expectations they feel they need to meet. This reality has made it so even many people in a relationship have come to hate the holiday too. But despite what the Jewelry store commercial on TV is telling you, there are a lot of ways you can make this day fun and special without emptying your wallet OR disappointing your significant other. Save cramming a reservation in at a fancy restaurant and make a nice dinner for two at home, for example. To avoid any disappointments, just communicate with your significant other about how much celebrating you’re wanting or expecting. If you’re a couple who likes to go all out and indulge in the cheesier aspects of the holiday- go for it! If you prefer a simple acknowledgement and maybe a card, that’s fine too. Just make sure you’re vocal about it, remember your partner isn’t a mind reader!

And for our singles out there, stop being so pessimistic! Being a complainer on Valentine’s Day is almost as bad as being a flaunter. If you are between relationships or just looking for the right person, your time will come. Valentine’s Day happens every year, so if you aren’t getting roses this year, there is always next year, or the year after that. Not being in a committed relationship of some sort on this one particular day shouldn’t make you feel torturously alone in the world. Contrary to popular belief, Valentine’s Day wasn’t made to hate on the singles! Historically, it has actually been FOR singles, to participate in various traditions to increase their chances of finding love in the near future. So get a bottle of wine, order a pizza, rent some cool movies and call up all your friends. Personally, those are some of the best Valentine’s Days I’ve had. 

By Aidan Metzger

 ONCEKids Publishing is run by literacy advocate and Mompreneur Eileen Wacker.  Click here to find her acclaimed books