I love Valentine’s Day.
I know, I know. It’s a disappointing, over-commercialized, over-hyped “holiday.”
It’s also just a fun day that doesn’t have to be so serious. I mean, someone get me a construction paper covered shoe box with some stickers and start stuffing the cards in. We can still enjoy the day with a child-like feel to it.
I mean, check these out!
My mom still had these saved with some old school stuff from when I was in third or fourth grade. They are in perfect condition and I love them. I could give them out, but they are kinda vintage now, right? So, I’m keeping them.
Or maybe I let my future kid give them out at school one day.
Would it impress his/her classmates? No.
But could it gain me friendships with the other kid’s parents? Maybe.
It’s all coming together now.
Alas, gone are the days filled with Lizzie McGuire Valentine’s cards (unless you wanna buy them on eBay) and classroom parties.
Now most of us are grown up and sad on Valentine’s Day.
I have had my fair share of lonely Valentine’s days.
For a while, it felt like I got cast in a bad movie where I stand in a room and couples just walked past me every ten minutes.
No, I wouldn’t watch that either, even if I do love a crappy Rom-Com.
I want all the cliché tropes, please.
I remember at some point in high school, my dad actually approached me and told me he was “concerned” about how many Hallmark movies I was watching. That I was setting myself up for disappointment and false expectations with boys/men.
What can I say, I was a huge Lacey Chabert fan, and for a time, she was the Hallmark It Girl.
Also, a fun fact is that she was also the voice actress for Eliza Thornberry, shout-out to my fellow 90’s kids.
He was right though. I remember the exact moment that all my hopeless romantic idealizations took a real beating.
In the Hallmark movie I was watching, this couple was having a big fight.
He’s mad. She’s sad.
They are going to make up, obviously.
We always get a happy ending.
Just then, she stormed out of the room - and you know what happened next?
He went after her.
WRONG.
He didn’t go after her. I actually said out loud during the scene “What are you doing? Go after her, dummy!” and then it hit me. I had gone too far into the make believe world of meet-cutes and bizarre incidents that still land you the incredibly handsome chef.
That’s the thing though, it’s not real life.
In real life, for Valentine’s Day, you may end up at Taco Bell instead of a nice restaurant.
You may not get a heart shaped box of chocolates. He may forget to buy you flowers. Heck, he might even forget that it’s Valentine’s Day.
It’s okay. He still loves you. He still cares about you. (Probably, right?)
What I’ve come to realize though, I wouldn’t trade that trip to Taco Bell six years ago with my then-boyfriend, now-husband for a nice restaurant. I’d rather stay home and watch a sitcom that makes us laugh out loud together than be in a crowded place with a bunch of other people.
I love my quality time with him, no matter how I get it.
I feel really blessed with my relationship/marriage. I know it doesn’t always go so smoothly for others. I’ve seen the ups and downs of what marriages can go through.
Life is hard enough already without putting pressure on your partner to live up to the expectations Hallmark and Disney planted in our brains as little girls.
So, while I know Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be any more special than the day before or the day after (“National discounted chocolate day”), I still love the idea of love and celebrating a day of it.
Remember, you don’t have to be in a relationship to enjoy the day either.
Buy yourself your favorite flowers or some chocolate!
Hang out with a friend and grab a meal.
Write yourself a card about all the things you admire about yourself or a letter to your future self.
Just remember that it’s just a day. It’ll be over soon.
But, for now, I’ll still be a hopeless romantic.
Happy (early) Valentine’s Day from me to you!
Well said!
“Get a guy that looks at you like mine looks at his burrito.” Hahahaha.