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Oh, Valentine’s Day. It’s not just the single people who hate Valentine’s Day (“the holiday designed to make me feel lonely”) — it’s the people with sweethearts, too (“the holiday designed to force me into contrived expressions of romance”).
Well, I have one thing to say about Valentine’s Day: STOP WHINING AND START CULTURE JAMMING. Valentine’s Day is NOT about buying things and it’s not even about romantic love — it’s about getting out the construction paper, doilies, and glue stick to make embarrassing cards (full of AWFUL PUNS!) for your friends. It is NOT about having a girl/boyfriend or buying chocolate unless you watch too much TV and believe what you’re told.
If you don’t like what the media is telling you to do, then stop listening. Get out the glue, glitter, and red paper and start showing everyone how much you love them. Grumpy old neighbors, the cute girl working your grocery check-out, the mail man, your barista…I’m sure they would all be tickled pink to get some home-made Valentine love.
So stop whining and get to work! Let’s take a look at some inspiration for some totally homemade, slightly subversive papercrafts and other Valentine’s day goodies you can make for all your favorite, non-fucking, platonically awesome people:
For your bff, with a note about getting “felt up”:
For your greasemonkey friends:
For your inspiring lady-friends, courtesy of Heather Champ (read her explanation!)
Leave some matches in there for the stoner buddies. ONLY 9 WEEKS ‘TIL 4/20, DUDES!
Sew some goodies into wax paper for your neighbor or bus driver or barista:
So, who’s ready to celebrate a super-crafty, totally platonic, culturally-subversive Valentine’s day with me? HMM?!
Even though my hubby is deployed on Valentines’ Day, we never really celebrated it, anyway 😛 But I did send him a shit ton of pink and glitter and candy 🙂 And a copy of Tangled to watch togetherrr ^__^
And how often do we get Reese’s shaped like HEARTS? Uhhhh not often. Omnomnom.
YES, thank god.
I know it can sometimes be fun to be a grumpus, but to me, any excuse for PARTY TIMES and theme food = woooooooo hooooo!
Any excuse to be happy I will fucking take. 😀
My partner and I work in the restaurant industry. For us, Valentine’s Day is “LoveYouGottaGoToWorkHaveANiceDay” followed by grueling hours of making disgusting amounts of money (for him at least, I’m salary when I’m working) and then “OMGHowWasYourDayCan’tTalkSleepingZzzzzzzz”
Our Date-iversary is two days before so we just kinda celebrate the whole thing whenever we have days off around then. The nice thing we’ve discovered about dating someone in the industry is that not only do they understand when you have to work on holidays and can’t take days off for anniversaries sometimes is that the other one probably has to work too so it doesn’t matter! Christmas on January 5? Fine. Birthday a week late? Whatevs. That’s life, right?
As a kid it was totally the culture to celebrate our friends for valentine’s day. I’m not sure at what age that became “offbeat” but it certainly has. So sad. This is a nice set of ideas to bring it back 🙂
I LOVE LOVE LOVE Valentines day.
it’s my second favorite holiday. My mom and I has always given each other little trinkets.It started when I was super duper young. Red, pink or white things only. She is the one who has made this holiday so special.
I plan on making my own, and using these as inspiration: http://www.topatoco.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=TO&Product_Code=ASW-VALENTINES&Category_Code=ASW
A Softer World makes such romantic Valentine’s Cards, lol.
“I want to kiss you for science”
“Feelings are the real kissing disease”
“I know it was you, Valentine”
“Let’s burn this world down”
Ariel, you are my hero 🙂
oh JEEZ! *blush*
Be really subversive and attend a V-day event to support vaginas everywhere! V-day is about ending violence against women and girls!! Here is the link to find events in your area (this is global!): http://events.vday.org/
My favorite is usually Vagina Monologues and any treat fashioned to resemble a vag.
Those are great ideas! I especially like the line “If you don’t like what the media is telling you to do, stop listening”. So true.
Can’t wait to spend a fun Valentine’s day with my bf. Like Britt above me commented, haters gonna hate. XD
I always use Valentine’s day to make lasagna from scratch. May be the food equivalent of a valentine’s day card?
yes! this has always been my take on valentine’s day. i once participated in a valentine’s swap where i sent mix cds of cute love songs and this message:
Valentine’s Day is a day for love… but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy it if you’re single! Everyone has love in their lives – from beloved friends and family to your favorite foods, favorite colors, favorite anything! Use this day to truly celebrate everything you love!
5 Fun Things To Do On Valentine’s Day!
1} Wear your favorite outfit – be it a full-length prom dress or comfy pajamas – everywhere you go
2} Write love letters. These can be addressed to significant others, secret crushes, good friends, family members, or even celebrities! Anyone you wanna show a little love.
3} Learn to cook your favorite food. If you already know, cook it for someone else!
4} Sing. Anytime, anywhere, all day. Suggested: sappy love songs, ideally by Air Supply. Serenades get bonus points.
5}Spend some extra time showering love on your pet! Pick up a new toy or some kind of treat – play, snuggle, let them know what day it is!
Awww this is such a great post, thank you!!! I am too late to get this going for this V-day, but next V-day for sure! Even though I’m in a relationship, V-day for me was always about getting little cinnamon hearts from my parents, and giving and receiving those cheesy cards from classmates back in the day. What a great idea to carry that over as an adult towards friends and just people in our life. And I don’t at all dig the anti-valentine day parties, it just makes people seem bitter about being single, when it doesn’t even have to be about having a partner or not! 🙂
I grew up in a family where we celebrated Valentine’s Day as a family holiday, this coupled with my love of all things Victorian starting around age 9 or so has left me puzzled by the negative attitudes around me come V-day.
I love breaking out the doilies and pretty paper and crafty stuff to make Valentines for all the people I love, baking treats to share at work (when I’m employed) AND day after candy sales X)
Recognizing love in all its forms is something we don’t spend enough time doing! And I super love holidays too 8)
I am a preschool teacher and I have been telling people this forever! Say no to whining and yes to arts and crafts!!
YES! This is my Valentine’s Day tradition. Making ridiculous homemade cards from whatever left-over craft supplies I have in the house. I did break down and buy doilies last year. But otherwise, time to get crafty with whatever is on hand. I send them to immediate family and people I know who need a virtual hug in the doldrums of mid-February. Widowed aunt, grandparents, cousins away at college, etc. It’s a long dark stretch from New Years ’till Easter/Spring. Everyone can use some brightly colored construction paper, bad puns, and a reminder that someone loves them.
For the past couple of years I’ve handed out the cheesy kid’s Valentine’s Day cards to everyone in my single’s Toastmasters club. I love walking up to someone with a Sponge Bob Square Pants card (totally not my style) that says something goofy and wish the reciepent a Happy Valentine’s Day!
I’ve also hosted a V-Day dinner for the club at a hopefully-not-too-busy restaurant so that we can have a big table for the group. There is usually a guy or two who will be chocolates or flowers for the women and we have a good dinner (separate checks), good conversation, and a good time. I also encourage others to bring their friends – no one needs to be alone on Valentine’s Day and this group of friends is such that newcomers are welcomed and included without a second thought.
It feels good to do these things for myself and others!