Embrace Valentine's Day (From Surrey Comet)

Embrace Valentine's Day

11:53am Thursday 9th February 2012 in Leisure

All the barrage of red hearts, stuffed bears, chocolates and red roses bursting from our television screens and high streets – it’s like trying to dodge a bullet any time you go out in public as a single, not just on Saint Valentine’s Day itself but in the weeks leading up to that in-your-face celebration of romance.

Nothing makes a single feel more starkly on their tod than a date like February 14. It’s like a giant party with loads of promise of a good time that you’re not invited to.

It’s all right for your average nauseatingly happy couple or those with a penchant for a fluffy heart-shaped cushion. Not so much fun for the unattached.

But rather than lament your singledom, singles should embrace it, says dating expert Avril Mulcahy (www.singlelista.ie).

“Think of all the good words associated with that status: Freedom, fun, independence, adventure.”

“Singlelistas should enjoy every second and celebrate their single status. They never lament about what they don’t have in their life; rather they consider the time as an opportunity to do everything they ever wanted to do,” she says.

So celebrate that amorous saint’s day in your own particular way. Here are some suggestions...

On the town Get your best threads on, gather up your single pals and hit the town. Go dancing. Sing karaoke. Flirt outrageously. But remember, this is not a night to look for the man or woman of your dreams. It’s a night for you to celebrate the infinite possibilities and advantages of being single and free.

Pamper yourself Spend the entire day and as much as you can possibly afford on a day of pampering – hair, nails, massage, facial - until you look so delectable that anyone would be pleased to make you their valentine. Then revert back to the ‘On The Town’ option and flaunt your shiny new self.

Have a party Throw a singles-only party with an anti-Valentine’s Day theme. That means no red decorations, especially of the heart variety. Ban any cupids and their arrows. And absolutely no roses – red or otherwise. While you’re being all stoic about how great it is to be out of love, don’t be surprised if all those anti-love celebrations brings you into contact with a like-minded soul who just ends up wanting to be your valentine. If that’s the case, slope off quietly to a Valentine’s Day bash. Tell no one.

Girls’ night in Invite your gal pals to a sleepover. Think dodgy pyjamas, games, naughty cocktails and bad 1980s videos to dance and sing along to. Who needs a valentine when you have your best girlfriends to hang out with?

Get a date If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Go online and join a dating agency. Get chatting with some potential valentines ahead of the big day and make a date with your favourite for February 14. Or, if you’re feeling brave, send an early anonymous Valentine’s Day card to someone you fancy, asking them to meet you at a certain time and place on February 14. Good story to tell your kids, right?

Wallow in it If you’re feeling sad that no one’s heart is beating for you, then take a night to wallow in your Valentine’s Day blues. Rent Bridget Jones’s Diary, indulge in your favourite tipple, stock up on chocolate, batten down the hatches and have a good old feel-sorry-for-yourself evening. To make it a little less pitiful, get another single mate in on the act.

Avoid the ex Avoid the ex at all costs. This is not a time to move backwards. There’s a reason that person is your ex. Stay strong.

Read it and weep Get a copy of a good love story, arm yourself with your favourite chocolate treat and immerse yourself in the fantasy of someone else’s world. The Bridges Of Madison County, One Day, The Notebook, any of these should do the trick. Oh, and you might want to stock up on a few tissues.

Get a date If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. Go online and join a dating agency. Get chatting with some potential valentines ahead of the big day and make a date with your favourite for February 14. Or, if you’re feeling brave, send an early anonymous Valentine’s Day card to someone you fancy, asking them to meet you at a certain time and place on February 14. Good story to tell your kids, right?

Embrace singledom There are couples everywhere who are longing to be single right now, so as mean spirited as it sounds, be thankful you’re not entrenched in a miserable relationship on a day like February 14. Remember, you’re a heck of a lot better off on your own than tied to someone who is only going to give you a silly teddy bear and a broken chocolate heart.