Why I Don’t Picket Valentine’s Day

Sometimes when we overreact to something we mask it as “protesting”. A lot of people protest Valentine’s Day, and that’s stupid.

I get that it’s a “stupid” holiday for a lot of people. Or that it’s painful, or that it’s seen as “couple-centric”, but honestly, I think we’ve been seeing it wrong for years.

Remember when you were a kid, and the week before Valentine’s Day everyone made little “mailboxes” out of construction paper and glue, and you went out and bought Garfield Valentine’s Day cards, or Transformer Valentine’s Day cards and those little candy hearts, and you gave everyone in your class treats and notes saying “You’ve transformed my day” or “You’re the cat’s meow” and everyone gave you cards saying “I like you beary much” or “Superman thinks you’re SUPER”? Wasn’t that a great time?

Don’t let age take away the fun of giving and receiving on a day that celebrates love. Sure, culturally most people take it to mean romantic love. And some purists take it back all the way to St. Valentine’s martyrdom.

But you don’t have to do either of those. Start a NEW tradition. Send those little cards around your office, give people little packs of red and white and pink M&Ms. In short, take this as an opportunity to open your heart, not close it off.

Protesting this holiday makes you look bitter, angry, and pitiable. Don’t give that to people. Give them sugar instead!

And if you really feel the need to wallow on Valentine’s Day, do it in the privacy of your own home by watching a string of really awful romantic comedies (I have a lot of suggestions and have actually done this before. Whilst eating a heart shaped pizza. With friends. Not solo. Never do that solo.). Not by wearing black, which only makes you look sad and makes good-hearted people feel bad because someone is sending them flowers.

Valentine’s Day isn’t a Hallmark holiday, nor is it one designed to make single people feel inferior. So stop feeling inferior, and go out and enjoy a celebration of love the good old-fashioned way: via tiny little pop culture icons making non-sequitur puns about relationships.