Avoid The Valentine’s Day Traps
While Valentine’s Day may not be on the radar for some people (like me), it’s important to others. No, I’m not a bitter person; I’ve celebrated the “holiday” before, I just think it’s silly. But for those who enjoy this day, I have some tips on how to avoid the mundane trappings of Valentine’s Day.
So, you have a special lady in your life and want to celebrate this day with her, and I get that. But please, for 2010 don’t:
Give her chocolates, roses or even a teddy bear.
While these may be nice (ahem boring), these gifts are overdone for this “holiday.” When you walk into a Duane Reade or any other store, you’re bombarded with the Valentine’s Day section that’s overflowing with candies, chocolates and teddy bears. When you’re walking down the street, almost every other block bombards you with the mound of roses for sale. Sometimes the chocolates are stale or bitter. Sometimes roses shrivel within a day or two. And sometimes the teddy bear goes into the pile of other teddy bears and is soon forgotten. 
Instead, give her something that’s from your heart and not from the commercialized products they’ve been breathing down our necks since the New Year. I suggest instead of a card, give her a handwritten letter. Yes it seems lame, but it’s actually pretty sweet and thoughtful. It doesn’t matter how long it is, just write down your feelings for her. This is a gift she will definitely keep.
Give her a gift she wouldn’t suspect. For instance, I’m sure in past conversations she’s mentioned something that she wish could happen─“I wish I had the time to clean my place”─and she probably thought you weren’t listening. But you were. Surprise her by paying for a trip to the salon or to a spa, so that when she returns, her place is clean. She won’t stop showing her love for you for weeks.
Go to a stuffy restaurant for a romantic dinner.
Yes, you’ve made sure on January 2nd that you booked your reservation to that over-hyped, romantic restaurant for your girl, but this is also cliché. Not to mention, it’s also not intimate because the place will be packed with a slew of other couples.
Cooking at home it very intimate, but if you do that enough already, I’m sure there are wine and food tasting events to go to. This is a great alternative because it’ll be a lot of fun to try different things. Why not make a bet over who will be the first to get tipsy from all the wine tasting?
Be so anti-Valentine’s Day if she’s pro-Valentine’s Day.
So you don’t care for the commercialized “holiday,” but if she’s really into it, give in just a little bit. Even though she knows you’re dead set against it, she’s secretly hoping you’ll somehow show you care. So do something goofy like showing up to her door as a singing telegram. Sure you may butcher her favorite love song, but she doesn’t care because you put in some (okay, maybe a lot of) effort. You’re not serious about the day, but you’re serious about her. You two can laugh about it and move on.
Stop buying the usual Valentine’s Day gifts and stop doing the usual Valentine’s Day activities. Originality and creativity will melt a girl’s heart every time.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Tiana Bragg
