Valentine’s blah

This stupid day shouldn’t even exist

“Do I have a date for Valentine’s Day? Yes. February 14.”

That is from a meme called Schrute Facts – a series featuring the character Dwight Schrute from NBC’s The Office with hilarious buzzkill humour – and it expresses exactly how I feel about Feb. 14th.

As Dwight so obviously points out, it’s just another day. However, this “just another” day reminds those of us who are single that we are alone, or those of us who are in a relationship that the amount of money spent is a direct relation to how much our relationship means.

I’m not trying to sound too pessimistic about love, but Valentine’s Day should just not exist. This is for the benefit of everyone. It would be one less day for single people to be disappointed and at the same time giving people in a relationship the choice to ignore it.
Because we all know what happens when your partner forgets (aka: ignores) Valentine’s Day. Cue the Psycho horror music.

But, how can you even forget or avoid such a day? It’s everywhere in February. It’s the unavoidable elephant in the room. A massive, pink, fluffy elephant holding a heart.

I went grocery shopping and what’s right there at the front doors, but stands filled with chocolates, cards, flowers, and teddy bears. You name it – if it’s pink, white, or red, shaped like a heart and made of chocolate or filled with sugar, you can buy it.

But, this torture isn’t just subject to shoppers. It’s all over the internet, too. Pinterest, my beloved Pinterest, I wish you would not exist for the month of February. Although you have taught me how to effectively fishtail braid and that high-waisted, coloured pants are popular, all you have done this month is remind me that I am single. So, thank you, Pinterest, for rubbing it in my face that making those delicious-looking heart shaped red velvet macaroons means I will be eating all of them to myself … alone.

For all of those who think I probably just hate Feb. 14 because I am single, you’re wrong. Hate is an awfully strong word, but over the years I have just come to realize we, as a society, expect too much from one another for such a silly day.

Sure, there is some history behind this day, but Feb. 14 truly has zero association to anything whatsoever. It is just a day to use cheesy Hallmark cards, bouquets of expensive flowers and uncomfortable lingerie to tell someone how much you love them.

But, since this day isn’t going away anytime soon I just have to remember that being alone on Valentine’s Day is no different than any other day of my life. Sigh.

Paige Kreutzwieser
Contributor

Photo courtesy of giantteddy.com