5 Things to Do if you Hate Valentine's Day

I have never liked Valentine's Day. OK, that's not quite true. I did like it when I was in elementary school and we got to decorate lunch bags with heart-shaped paper doilies and give out little Valentine cards to all of our classmates, but once I got into Junior High the appeal quickly wore off. The whole thing always seemed to be nothing more than an artificial, commercial farce. In the 23 years I have been married, my husband and I have never celebrated Valentine's Day by exchanging cards or gifts. Valentine's Day can be especially depressing for singles who are already feeling lonely and left out. It is hard to ignore when everywhere you go, you are hit in the face with pink and red hearts and ads for Valentine's candy, flowers, jewelry, and lingerie.

An anti-valentine's day movement has sprung up in recent years, but the bitter, spiteful attitude often associated with it doesn't appeal to me any more than buying someone a useless gift because Hallmark told me to. People may see anti-valentine's day as a way to express their righteous indignation at being dumped or getting revenge on their ex, but I wouldn't give it the negative energy. I'm not against love. Love should be celebrated 365 days a year! I would prefer to simply pay no attention to the annoying holiday and do something positive. Here are some suggestions for meaningful things to do if you hate Valentine's Day. Spread your love around to people and places who will really appreciate it!