When Valentine’s Day comes on February 14, so many people yawn and say, ‘So what? rather than looking for ways to celebrate. Many face the day anticipating loneliness. How sad!
Others see it as a way to show caring by celebrating love however it may come. I’m fortunate to be in a long-term love relationship but I’m aware that not all readers are in this situation. Please read on as I believe that everyone can celebrate some type of love.
How to Celebrate Love on Valentine’s Day
Once every year all of us have an opportunity to celebrate love in our lives.
For those who have a partner, spouse, lover, celebrations are opportunities to affirm the love we feel for each other. Sometimes we choose a Hallmark moment like schmaltzy cards, flowers, or chocolates. Sometimes, it’s breakfast in bed or a special dinner.
For readers who aren’t in couple relationships, it’s still possible to celebrate love. There is love that can be shared with family members — children, grandchildren, siblings, cousins, etc. Don’t forget mom and dad on Valentine’s Day — parents want their children to remember them on this day. Small gestures bring big rewards in terms of family bonds.
Love can also be celebrated with friends. I know a group of single women who gather every February 14 for a potluck dinner with decadent desserts and many glasses of wine. It’s an excuse for a party!
I hear of others who schedule a spa afternoon for pampering. Or they meet someone for coffee or lunch or a movie instead of staying home alone. Valentine’s Day does not have to be a day of resentment.
For those who are lonely…
Loneliness can deliver a wallop on Valentine’s Day. People grieving the loss of a partner or a long-term love relationship understandably feel pain rather than joy on Valentine’s Day.
Most of us know people who live alone. For some of these people, the isolation brought on by pandemic restrictions has been acute and demoralizing. A phone call or an email on Valentine’s Day can show that you think of them and care about their well-being. Such outreach can have an immeasurable positive effect bringing happiness and a sense of belonging.
Self-care
Celebrating Valentine’s Day can also mean taking time for self-care. It’s never selfish to love oneself. Most of us need to take time to listen to what’s deep in our hearts to understand that we’re okay just as we are. We don’t need to succeed at everything we do. Mediocrity is okay. We don’t need to exhaust ourselves trying for excellence.
This can also be a day to forgive yourself for past mistakes. Nobody is perfect and we’ve all made mistakes. Accept responsibility if you have done harm but forgive yourself to move on and learn from the experience.
Self-care can also mean leaving behind admonitions for productivity. Relentless expectations to ‘do’ can be abandoned in favour of a day when it’s okay to ‘be’.
Celebrating Valentine’s Day doesn’t mean you need to be in a romantic relationship. There are many ways to show love. We can start by celebrating ourselves and being kind, first to ourselves and then to others.
Finally, when I think about what love means, I know that it’s about much more than romance. It’s about caring about oneself and caring for others.
I hope that every reader finds love in some form on Valentine’s Day. More than that, I hope that every reader finds a way to spread love and make a difference in our hurting world. After all, it’s Valentine’s Day — so celebrate in whatever way that makes you love and feel loved in return.
Those are excellent suggestions! When I was young, the best part of valentine’s day was coming home from school and seeing the nice dinner, chocolates and strawberry desserts that my father had prepared for the whole family. So I grew up not really thinking of valentine’s day as a romantic holiday, but rather as a family one. It just goes to prove your point that the main thing is to share the love and care with others.
As we grow older, we have the luxury of many Valentine’s Day celebrations — family events, homemade cards, romantic dinners, chocolates at the office, etc. etc. Sharing the holiday with people who are important in our lives makes the day special!
Thanks Jeanette for reminding us that love comes in so many forms and all can be celebrated. Even though these occasions can feel smaltzy, it reminds us to tell the people in our lives that we love them. Sometimes we are too busy to take the time, I know I need that reminder.
Sometimes we take those we love for granted — spouses, family members, and friends! We need them in our lives so it’s appropriate to let them know how much they mean to us.
What a lovely post! We usually don’t make a huge deal out of Valentine’s Day, but we do exchange cards and have a nice dinner. This year, we’ll be having the dinner at home. I also mailed a box to my daughter for Valentine’s Day. In it, I put a bunch of Dollar Tree items – spa face mask, seeds for her garden, bath salts, some marshmallow peeps with a coffee flavor, and other stuff. There was a little wooden cat with “Have a pawsitive day” on it. (I wrote $25 on the back sticker for fun.) I send such boxes now and then to ones I love. It’s fun to pick out all the junk – I mean valuable treasures – and mostly, I hope it brings them a smile and the feeling that they are loved. As your post suggests, it is important to take care of ourselves, too. To truly love others, we have to love ourselves first. I hope you have a wonderful Valentine’s Day. And next year, I think I’ll make a bit more of an effort to celebrate it even a bit more. Your post inspires me to celebrate love!!
I’m sure your daughter appreciated the box of Valentine’s Day treats! Celebrating the day is important to me as both because it sometimes feels that we take people we love for granted and forget to let them know how much they add to our lives. I’ve started sending the occasional letter or card to my granddaughter. She loves receiving mail now that she can read. I’m thrilled when I get a hand-printed letter full of spelling mistakes in return! Nonetheless, each note from her ends with an expression of her love. Precious! I’ve saved every one of these!