Why Valentine's Day Isn't Just For Couples.

Valentine's Day is just around the corner and whether you love it or hate it, there really is no escaping it. Consumer driven, Valentines, sickly cards, big pink hearts and shed load of balloons and bears are in the forefront of every shop on the high street and you can't walk through a supermarket for your cheese and loo roll without being tempted by all that chocolate. It can all be a bit overwhelming, especially if you aren't feeling the love this year but fear not friend! Valentine's can be for everyone after all!

My boyfriend and I have been together 6 years in May and we have always celebrated Valentine's in the very loosest of terms. We more or less consider it an extra day a year to spend a tenner on something we want and buy a funny card. It's not a big deal, we don't do anything special...in fact last year we celebrated by watching Frozen and having a fry up in bed and that was considered more extravagant than every other year only because we were still at uni and we hadn't seen each other in a little while.

We are all too quick to dismiss Valentine's Day as another ridiculous day created by the card and gift corporations and why do we need an excuse to tell someone you love them? Shouldn't we be doing that all year round? That is all very well and good if you DO spread the love all 365 days of the year, but let's be honest here, we are all a bit complacent when it comes to romance most of the time. ESPECIALLY if you're in a long term relationship when yes my other half might come home with flowers every now and then and I might get him some Rolo yoghurts as a treat in the shops but most of the time we're just happy if he does the dishes and I do his clothes washing. 

I think it is perfectly ok to use Valentine's and all other consumer driven days of the year to say "I'm sorry for not appreciating you day in day out but I do actually love you". It's ok to admit you haven't been the best other half and here's a little something to show you I do care, I do listen and I have remembered that book you said you wanted 3 weeks ago. If you need the date on your calendar to remind you to be more appreciative and more loving, that's ok. 

Even if you're not in a relationship this year, or you are and you're not a fan of the romance or you're in a weird are we aren't we faze...Valentine's should just be a day to spread some love.

This year, why not just use to excuse to send someone you love a little something. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy, heck, it need not be a gift at all. Send a card to someone you've been meaning to catch up with for ages, treat your mum and dad to a meal out, babysit your nieces and nephews to give your family a break, give your neighbour a bunch of flowers...whatever you decide to do, do it with love.

Make sure those you love know how much you appreciate them this Valentine's.