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Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash.
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Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash.
There are many origin stories to Valentine’s day. One tells a tale in the third century of Rome when Emperor Claudius II outlawed marriage for young men because he believed they would be better soldiers. However, a priest, Valentine, saw this as an injustice and defied the emperor by continuing to perform marriages for lovers in secret. That is, until the emperor found out and had him executed.
Another legend continues the tale to before Valentine’s death, while he was in prison, he had fallen in love with a girl during his confinement and allegedly sent and signed the first “valentine.” His words to her were in a letter signed, “From your Valentine,” a phrase some of us use in modern day celebrations of St. Valentine’s Day.
There has been an expansion to the celebration of love now marked on the day February 14. Some of which are taken out of the context of lovers’ romance and refocused on self love and platonic relationships.
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Here are three suggestions for how you can celebrate Valentine’s Day when you’re single:
1. Shopping Spree on Discounted Items
While some partners are scrambling last minute for valentines, there are those who look forward to the day after because once the clock hit’s midnight, it’s just another ordinary day again. This means, there’s no use for valentine-themed anything. There will be overstock from chocolates to DIY kits which can only mean one thing: sales! Take advantage and stock up.
2. A Day Dedicated with Your Best Friends
The show “Parks and Recreations” coined the term Galentine’s Day(separate from Valentine’s Day) which sparked celebration and appreciation among friends. This can be as simple as brunch out to a day filled with activities that highlight the quality bonding time.
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3. Treat Yourself
On one of the most romantic days of the year, being surrounded by couples may not be the worst thing. This day can be a day dedicated to some self-love. Take that class you’ve been meaning to attend, take a spa day, do anything to treat yourself the way you deserve – even if this would entail a night in and endless movie/show marathon.
There are many ways to spend Valentine’s Day and different interpretations to what the day should mean. Some believe it should be spent with the one you love while others believe this is just another commercial holiday for mass consumerism. Regardless of common beliefs, it doesn’t hurt to see life through rose-colored lens, as some of us may know, “La Vie en Rose” – even just for one day.
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