I know: it sounds weird coming from someone in the matchmaking business to hate Valentine's Day. Feb. 14 is one of those days to celebrate love and renew commitments and flowers, cupids, chocolate, blah blah blah.
Its artificial. The greeting card industry pumps the importance of V-Day into our heads in order to sell a lot of sentimental junk. As a consequence, it makes those of us who aren't in a relationship feel AWFUL. How many people have gone on terrible dates just so they wouldn't have to stay alone on Valentine's Day? How much cash has been wasted buying a 4-ft.-tall stuffed bear for someone you started dating 3 weeks prior who you really aren't crazy about but who you don't have the heart to dump right before Valentine's?
Here's what we suggest: get together with you single friends and have a night out on the town. Better yet, throw a party and invite all your friends (single or otherwise). Feb. 14 is always one of the busiest restaurant nights of the year. Save the cash, buy some terrific appetizers, and donate the money you would have spent to something more beneficial to the world than, say, Hallmark.
Or, gather all of your single co-workers for a game of "Obnoxiousness Bingo." Make a form on Excel and fill in the cells with some of the following:
- kissy noises into the phone
- singing telegrams
- neckties with hearts on them
- over-the-top flower arrangements
- crying person in bathroom stall, upset over no special deliveries.
I hope you're beginning to see where we are coming from. Valentine's Day is just ridiculous. Why not make every day an opportunity to share your affection for someone. Surprise that somebody special with flowers for no reason. Treat yourselves to a great dinner out on a random Tuesday when you'd normally be eating Hamburger Helper while wathcing "American Idol." And for our singles, forget the pressure of V-day. Its an arbitrary date on the calendar, no more, no less.
