Today is the day where couples get to show off that they are in a relationship, and also the day where single people look at themselves and think how unloveable they are because, if they weren't unloveable, someone would love them and be with them today.  These people hate the sight of people who are happy and in love today, and are very bitter towards those in love because they are single today.

Now, I love Valentine's Day.  When I was in a relationship, it was the perfect excuse to do something more extravagant than I would normally do.  The typical "I saw this and thought of you" exercises of expressing affection weren't enough.  Now, I had to something extra special, sometimes more expensive, and I could get away with it because "Today is Valentine's Day".  When I was single, I still loved the idea of people doing something for the person they love.  In some relationships, the concept of "I saw this and thought of you" is stupid, and Valentine's Day is the chance for their partner to actually receive some love.  That being said, some men feel there is an unfair expectation from some women to have a gift that has a certain monetary value.  To those guys, I say if you treated her like a princess every other day of the year, it's likely she wouldn't expect the princess price tag on Valentine's Day.  And you don't need to spend a lot of money on something that shows you love someone.  How about buying a medium sized glass jar (I think you can get them from craft stores for under $20) and writing every reason why you love your partner on a single piece of paper, one inch tall by three or four inches wide, folding them up and putting them into the jar.  Tie it with a ribbon, decorate it with a few paper hearts et voila.  For under $25 and a bit of effort, you will have created something that your partner will place much more value in than a $500 three course dinner and a bunch of red roses.  Actually, want an idea for the roses?  Go to a florist and buy 11 real red roses.  The correct amount to buy in a bunch like this is 12, but buy 11.  Why?  Well, you then also buy one single fake red rose.  And on the message, you write "I will love you until the last rose dies".  'But wait, that fake rose won't die!' I don't hear you ask.  That's the point.  The fake rose wont die.  It will last forever.  So ... you know ... so should your love.  Small gestures made on days other than Valentine's Day are worth more than a huge gesture on one internationally recognised day.

So what about those who don't have someone to love?  What about the singletons?  Well, to those that are bitter about not having someone to love today, let me say this (and I don't like that I'm saying it because I usually don't say anything like this, but I want to put it into perspective):

Seriously.  There are people who don't have parents to celebrate with on their respective day.  This year, for some people, Mother's Day and / or Father's Day will be extra traumatic for them because their mother and / or father would have died on the day it falls on.  They would spend the day mourning their parent on the day when you're telling yours how much you love them.

But you're single.  And you're single kind of by choice.  Not entirely by choice, but there is an element of choice involved.  It's not the fault of society, it's not entirely the fault of other people (obviously, a relationship has two willing partners, which is why it's not entirely their fault), and it's not entirely your fault.  But the way you are, by almost demanding that you have a date today, there is a stench of desperation around you to not be single, and some people don't like it.  Some people run from that.  And I have a theory as to why you have that: you don't feel you are worthy of love until someone loves you.  I'd even go so far to add that when someone does show they love you, even then you wonder if you really deserve that.  And that's wrong.  You are worthy of love, you do deserve love, even if you've been a terrible person in the past.

And for people who know me, don't you dare tell me how much of a hypocrite I am for saying that and yet not allowing myself to believe that I deserve someone to love me, ok?  Let me have my self pity >_<

But you do deserve to be loved.  Your negative past, your negative emotions, they are just one small part of you.  You have so much good in you as well, and you are capable of so much love.  But there is one person that should love you that you're not letting love you.  And that's yourself.

So, dear single people, make today (and every other day, but today most of all) the day where you shower yourself with love and affection.  Pamper yourself.  Take yourself to the cinema, or watch a movie at home.  Buy popcorn, chocolates, everything you would normally but for a lover and yourself, but just for you.  If you cook, make yourself something special to eat.  Write down in a really fancy way all of the things that make you absolutely fantastic.  Because there are so many reasons, even if you don't see them.  If you think about them, they will show themselves, I promise.

For those that are dead set on being bitter about not having someone to love today and want to give the Ebeneezer Scrooge treatment to Valentine's Day (the "Bah Humbug" attitude some give to Christmas) then fear not.  15th February is St Skeletor's Day.  That's the anti-Valentine's day.

Enjoy.