I LOVE Valentine's Day — Glitter for Breakfast

Since February began, I feel like I’ve been surrounded by Valentine’s Day-themed articles, memes, posts, etc. and none of them make me happy. It can be summed up like this: date ideas or pity parties for single girls (I guess no one cares about single boys – gender stereotyping much?). Apparently as a singleton I’m supposed to hang out with my girl friends and use all of my will power to refrain from downing a pint of Ben & Jerry’s. Being single is, I’m told, awesome and I need to embrace it. Here’s the thing, not once in my 29 years of life has Valentine’s Day ever made me feel insecure about my marital status. In fact, it’s always been one of my favorite holidays and it’s not because my favorite color is pink and I love hearts.

In my house, Valentine’s Day was about arts and crafts, showing people you care, and eagerly anticipating how my parents were going to incorporate the holiday into whatever meal we would be having together (i.e. if a weekend usually lunch, if a weekday then dinner). What’s not to love? I remember the excitement of watching my mom bring out the Valentine’s Day art supply box which was filled with heart stickers in all shapes and sizes, doilies, ribbons, heart hole punchers, stamps, glitter pens, and stacks of red and pink construction paper. I would be chomping at the bits to get started on that year’s Valentine’s, carefully planning out what types of cards I would make.

This isn’t to say that there weren’t years in elementary and middle school where I would read way too much into which Conversation Hearts were in my candy bag and what the pre-made superhero/cartoon card from my current crush said, but

1) I quickly realized that the likelihood that my object of affection had played any role in my Valentine was slim to none and this had all been done by his mother

AND

2) Who cares? No matter what, I was going to get a bag of cards and heart shaped candies and, as I mentioned, be dining at a festively decorated table with as much heart-shaped food and food-coloring dyed comestibles as possible and be getting a present, or two (my parents go big on Valentine’s Day, and April Fool’s Day).

I credit my parents for making February 14th a day that I always look forward to; a day for having fun and telling people you care about that you love them (and of course wearing pink, red, or both)! Valentine’s Day is about ALL love, not just romantic love. I don’t know what my Valentine’s Day will hold yet, but you better believe I’ll be rocking holiday-appropriate colors and giving out as many smiles and hugs as I can. I hope you’ll do the same!

How do you feel about Valentine's Day? Do you have any Valentine's Day traditions?