Books: It's that time of the year where Singles Awareness Day is upon us. Let it rain love arrows and pink rose petals.
For those of you single, I am sure that you are dreading the day when couples spend the entire day as if cupid had hit both of them with a love arrow, showering each other with overly long, sloppy kisses and cheap Godiva chocolates. It's enough to make anyone gag who is in range of seeing it.
The worst part of this holiday is the awful ways people choose to show their affection. I could go on and on about the candy hearts with the pitiful, disgusting sayings. I often look at the "marry me" heart, wondering if any man has ever proposed using it. I then silently hope not, because let's face it, if you're proposing with a candy heart, any woman should immediately decline based on principle.
The most annoying display of affection is the teddy bear holding a heart and usually adorned with a heart balloon tied to its wrist. Let's face it ladies, giving your man a teddy bear on Valentine's Day not only makes him wonder why he started dating you in the first place but also emasculates him simultaneously.
Despite all of these atrocities, the aspect of Valentine's Day that is most confounding is the idea that the human race has picked one day a year to show love to their significant other. I think the bigger question is, if you're only showing affection to your lover one day a year, shouldn't you re-evaluate your relationship?
The worst kinds of relationships are the ones that emphasize Valentine's Day as the one day a year that you need to care about your significant other. So many times I have watched my friends endlessly plan for the love holiday, unaware that they easily could spread out these little surprises throughout the whole year. As a boyfriend or girlfriend, wouldn't it be more amazing to randomly get a gift during the year as opposed to a day that your significant other feels obligated to give it?
Aside from the delicious calories this holiday provides, let's face it, there really isn't much point to it. You can provide love and affection any day of the week, and you can do it on a day where most of the single people out there won't take much notice and won't feel the need to throw up rainbows and hearts at the sight of your love fest. Oh, and do yourself a favor, save the chocolates for a day when they are actually needed. Your hips and thighs (not to mention your significant other) will thank you later!
---
Conway: Creating excitement and making new memories that will last forever is what Valentine's Day is all about.
I'm not afraid to say that it's a pretty awesome holiday. Nothing is better than throwing a Super Bowl bash one week then going on a nice date with your girl the next week. Valentine's Day can be very easy and doesn't have to be stressful, and you definitely don't need to exchange huge gifts. I like to keep it old fashioned by sending out roses, chocolate and eating good food at a nice restaurant. You don't even have to go to a restaurant. You can try to cook up your favorite dish for the evening instead.
Try doing something together like learning to make some sushi or a pizza. It's about spending quality moments and enjoying one another's company, and that is all you need. Valentine's Day is supposed to bring you together and be relaxing, and there are plenty of activities you can do like going to a couple's massage, a concert, a sports event or you can make it something easy and have a simple movie night. Try to make it fun and rent the worst horror films on the planet. The whole time you'll be laughing at remembering these moments.
You can also make it unique by using your own creative abilities and making a handcrafted item. Make your own Valentine's card with your own quotes or make a picture frame with an old picture in it. For myself, I don't need an extravaganza where you go on the most expensive outing around town and buy expensive jewelry or gadgets. There's no sense in buying an iPod for your significant other when Christmas was just a couple months ago. I'm not rich by any means, so that would be a fail.
But isn't it just enough to be by your significant other? Valentine's Day is strictly about love, to your partner, your family and friends. Also, it's a day on which individuals should express their love they have for one and to others. You don't have to be in a relationship to celebrate it, and I think that's what most people think of every time this holiday passes through. Valentine's Day is all about love, that's it. People should embrace it, show the love and send it out to each other. I think surprising one another with something unique is the way to go for Valentine's Day.
Remember, just use your creative mind and make it simple, but make it special. If you want to do something off the wall then do it, and if you want to throw a few petals on the floor to make it extra special then do it.
