I've never been much of a Valentine's Day person. At least not in a romantic sense.
As a child, I delighted in the cards and the candy, but, as an adult, it screams Hallmark holiday to me. It's a sea of overpriced, prix-fixed, hard-to-get tables, with bad service, worse flowers and cheesy décor. I've always maintained, if you need that one day to be romantic, your relationship is in trouble. Therefore, when with someone significant, I've often opted to cook at home (usually breakfast for dinner in PJs) or order in and watch a movie on the comfort of my own couch.
But when I wasn't? I never had a problem with it. It was everyone else that did.
One particularly notable year, I'd just broken up with my boyfriend of four years, was turning 25 and my life as I knew it was in shambles. I had no idea who I was, what I was doing or once I actually discovered either, how I was gonna get there. Still, Valentine's Day didn't bother me as much as any other day did at that point. But it bothered my boss!
He called me into his office that afternoon and asked what I was doing. I told him I was going out to dinner with my girlfriends to which he replied, "Oh, Natalie" in a deflated and disappointed tone.
Since when is V Day, D Day? Why is choosing to be single a cause for concern?
I've had many a great Valentine's and New Year's night alone. I was completely content to eat what I wanted to eat, watch what I wanted to watch and enjoy my own company on December 31st, February 14th or any other day of the year.
But that year, I wasn't alone. I had some of my best girlfriends with me and we had an amazing time. That is, until we hopped in a taxi driven by a cabbie with a death wish almost making it my last holiday period. Clearly, he wasn't feeling the love. But that's another post for another time.
This year, as a happily married woman, I'm leaving my husband at home with my eight-year-old nephew and going out with my sister and girlfriends to see 50 Shades of Grey. Wonder what the old boss would think of that!
The point? It's what you make of it. If you're single, coupled or somewhere in between, don't let others and their heart-shaped, chocolate-stuffed ideals determine your worth (or your fun!) this February.
You're your own damn fine Valentine! Go out -- or stay in -- and make it memorable!