Valentine’s Day- a day to celebrate love and affection through sugary treats and cheesy notecards. Most people tend to see Valentine’s Day as a holiday exclusively for couples. Sure, it’s about love in general, but let’s be real; there’s not much for us single people to enjoy on February 14th. If you’re like me, then maybe you’ve never had a significant other to exchange gifts with. Or maybe you’re recently single and dreading the inevitable reminder of loneliness that Valentine’s Day brings. Maybe the last time you looked forward to Valentine’s Day was in elementary school, because you knew you would get a lot of candy from your classmates. Either way, I think it’s necessary for us to be reminded that there are still many ways for us to make the day at least a little more enjoyable. I've put together an in-depth list of things to do this Valentine's Day as a single person; I hope you'll be inspired to find some personal meaning in this holiday!
1. Give Gifts to Friends and Family
It’s easy to feel alone when you’re not in a relationship, but first you need to remember that you are not truly alone. You have your friends, family, and even pets! Even if you don’t, there’s always that familiar face in class who helps make your day just a little brighter.
A popular phrase used to replace Valentine’s Day is “Galentine’s Day,” typically used for friends who celebrate together, rather than with a partner. It may seem corny and cliche, but if you are single, then surrounding yourself with close friends is one of the most fun things you can do on Valentine’s Day.
Gift-giving is my personal love language. To be able to bless the people I love with gifts that show how much I care about them brings me much joy. Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to give thoughtful gifts to your friends and family. Here are some simple(and cheap!) examples:
Make cookies and put them in cute packaging(keep reading for a recipe for Valentine's Day cookies!)
Make personalized cards (here’s a great one that my friend made for me last year)! Think about their interests, inside jokes, or use your favorite cheesy pick-up lines.
Make jewelry! Personally, I love making beaded bracelets for my friends- they are cheap, cute, and easy to make! All it takes is elastic string and an assortment of fun beads. You can also make necklaces, rings, etc. Think about their favorite colors and interests. If you're up for the challenge, try crocheting something! (Bags, flowers, headbands, etc.)
Make or dedicate a playlist for them; to the right, you'll see a playlist I made by assigning one song to each of my closest friends. I used songs that remind me of them, songs that we both like, or songs that I think they would like. This one definitely takes some time and extra effort(as well as a broad knowledge of music), but it's guaranteed to make someone feel extra special! Despite being one of the most thoughtful gifts on this list, it is also one of the cheapest with a price tag of $0.
Giving a gift to someone to show them you care about them is sure to not only brighten their day but also brighten your day. According to J. Dewayne Taylor, Ph.D. (clinical assistant professor at the Texas A&M University College of Medicine), helping and giving to others has been connected to lower levels of depression and anxiety, better health, and reduced stress hormones. Check out this article from Texas A&M Health for more information on this subject.
2. Have a Self-Care Night
If you find yourself sitting at home alone on the 14th because your friends and family are all busy, then I would highly suggest pampering yourself all night long. My ideal self-care night would go a little something like this:
Start with a warm bath; use bath bombs, salts, or bubbles. Light a couple of candles, lay back, and soak it all in.
Skincare; now that your body is clean and relaxed, treat your skin to a soothing face mask!
Entertainment; while the face mask does its job, relax with a movie. As a single person, I find that watching romantic comedies helps to satisfy my cravings for affection(that sounds really sad but I promise that it isn't). Check out this master list of romance movies by Ava Fountain!
Finishing touches; if you still have more time to kill after the face mask, there are still more ways to treat yourself. You can pluck your eyebrows, paint your nails, or style your hair while you finish your movie.
Self-care nights are great if you’re feeling stressed or tired after a long week. By the end of the night, you’ll be feeling refreshed and ready for the next day!
3. Listen to "Anti-Love" Songs
I know I just went on and on about the importance of expressing your love for others, but sometimes you just need to cathartically blast ‘anti-love’ songs(not heartbreak songs!!) and sing along to release some pent-up frustration. My fellow WolfPrints writers have helped me compile a list of songs to remind you that you do not need a significant other. Here are just a few of them:
“Boy’s a Liar” by Pink Pantheress
“You’re so Vain” by Carly Simon
“She’s so Gone” from Lemonade Mouth
“Between Love & Hate” by The Strokes
“Potential Breakup Song” by Aly & AJ
“Criminal” by Fiona Apple
The complete list has been compiled into this playlist on our Spotify- be sure to follow for monthly playlists, as well as more themed playlists!
4. Bake Holiday-Themed Treats
My favorite way to celebrate any holiday is by baking! It’s a great activity to do either alone or with friends. I actually already have plans to bake cookies with my friends on Valentine's Day- here’s the recipe we are planning to use! (Recipe from @sweetssbyiii on TikTok)
Valentine’s Day M&M Cookies (makes about 2 dozen)
Ingredients
2 sticks of unsalted butter
1 ¼ cups of brown sugar
⅓ cup of granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 cups of all purpose flour
¾ teaspoon of baking soda
1 teaspoon of salt
1 cup of chocolate chunks (white, milk, or dark)
1 cup of Valentine’s Day M&M’s
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees (325 for convection oven)
Heat and melt butter in a saucepan over medium.
Combine butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
Gradually combine flour mixture with wet ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
Fold in chocolate chunks and M&M’s.
Scoop cookies onto a prepared cookie sheet, and bake for 10-12 minutes.
Cool and enjoy!
Baking is a fun and simple way to exercise your creative muscles. You also get to reap the benefits of your hard work in the most delicious way! Once you make these cookies, consider gifting some to your friends and family before you enjoy some for yourself.
As humans, we were created with the capacity to love. It’s such a beautiful thing, yet we take it for granted way too often. So this Valentine’s Day, express your love for whoever or whatever you want, rather than wallowing in self-pity. Let's redefine the stereotypes surrounding the holiday- it's about love, not just couples!
great article, love the weezer valentine!😋