As tomorrow is Valentine’s Day, I wanted to share a few thoughts. I personally really love this holiday because it is a great time to celebrate the love in all of your relationships. That being said, because it has been so commercialized, people tend to focus on the gifts portion more than I personally feel is necessary… oh, and on the romantic relationship aspect which is absolutely NOT the only type of love!
Now, I’m not sitting here saying, “I hate celebrating with my husband and getting flowers/gifts,” because truth be told, “gifts” is actually my love language (if you’d like to read more on love languages, click here to view one of my past posts) and I love the relationship my husband and I share… so OBVIOUSLY I’m down to celebrate with him. But, “gifts” can mean a thoughtful note, a handmade card, or yes, even your more traditional big ticket items… and your Valentine does not have to be your boyfriend/girlfriend/husband/wife/life partner/etc.
Instead of worrying about dollars spent (spending money on a gift isn’t a bad thing, it just isn’t the only thing), let’s worry about using the day to share our love by sending a sweet text, leaving a cute note on your co-worker’s desk, writing a poem for your kid’s lunch bag, or maybe even composing a love letter for your partner to find in his or her coat pocket. I did get my husband a Valentine’s Day gift quite some time ago and I am super excited for him to open it, but I’m most excited that we plan to watch a movie cuddled up on the couch together, we will undoubtedly exchange thoughtful cards, and we will probably eat too many sweet treats after a home-cooked meal, simply loving on each other as much as possible that day. It is definitely possible to love gift-giving (especially if gifts are your love language) but to still prioritize making each other feel loved in other — less pricey — ways. Valentine’s Day is a lot like Christmas; it is easy for people to get wrapped up in all of the gifts and material things, and forget the true spirit of the day.
And for anyone who’s feeling kinda bummed to be single, remember, Valentine’s Day should really be about all of the love in our lives. Your mom can be your Valentine — I know mine was for most of my life! — your friends, your pets, your favorite co-worker… so don’t hold yourself back from enjoying the day just because you’re not in a relationship. Plus, being that self-love is one of my goals for the year, maybe I’ll just be my own Valentine (at least until my husband gets home haha) and spend some extra time loving myself through affirmations, a long walk, a hot bath, and anything else that makes me feel LOVED… and you can too!
Happy Valentine’s Day everyone!
xoxoxo
P.S. Maybe one day I won’t think my wedding photos apply to every post I write….
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