Single this Valentine’s Day?
Even if you think that Valentine’s Day is an evil excuse to make single people feel depressed and unloved, or a capitalist-orientated pseudo-holiday maliciously created by confectioners and card sellers, you can’t ignore that love is a big theme right now. Around the February time (and in some places this comes days after Christmas, or even the whole winter period) the concept of love is quite forcibly propelled at us in all of its ‘red roses-heart chocolates-giant teddies’ glory. As soon as Christmas is over and we have become bored of the January sales, jewellery adverts begin to appear more frequently, whilst supermarkets promote deals on chocolates and extravagant bouquets. Sickening? Just a little bit.
However, as St. Valentine was the patron Saint of love, it seems logical to spend the ‘holiday’ with those who you love, and who love you, most consistently and continuously – your friends and family. Therefore rather than cloud Valentine’s Day with negativity, Ben and Jerry’s, and sobbing, get your friends together to celebrate the best, and often most loyal, relationships of your lives.
Celebrate being your fabulous selves, whether this means a night out on the town, baking ridiculously indulgent treats, or wine and Sex and the City until the early hours of the morning. Whatever it is, do something that will make you feel good and before you know it will be February 15th and you will already be looking forward to next year.
Here are my top ideas for celebrating GAL-entine’s Day this February 14th
Stay in. The possibilities are endless when planning a girl’s night in this Valentine’s Day, and I am not necessarily suggesting a ‘boyfriend bonfire’ à la Friends (unless it is really essential). Instead, get hold of a box-set – I recommend Sex and the City, Gossip Girl, or New Girl – a bottle of wine or five, and always accompany with snacks. If you are feeling creative, find a recipe and cook your friends dinner, or come up with exotic cocktail recipes to test-run on each other. I cannot praise enough the Elderflower Cosmopolitan, a definite Her Campus favourite:
60ml/ 2 oz Belvedere Citrus
30ml/ 1 oz Cranberry juice
15ml/ 1/2 oz Lemon juice
10ml/ 1/4 oz St Germain Elderflower Liquor
Shake and strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with an orange twist.
Pamper yourself. This can be included in your girl’s night in, and can involve anything from mani-pedis to face masks, fake tanning to deep conditioning. There’s nothing better than beauty treatments to make you feel absolutely luxurious, and everything you need is generally found relatively cheaply and easily in your local supermarket or pharmacy.
If you are really treating yourself take things up a notch and find a spa package to get away for a long weekend. You will be so relaxed that you won’t even consider what day it is, and it is a great way to spend uninterrupted quality time with your friends.
If you don’t like the idea of sitting in a spa all day, try a more active approach; take a class like yoga, aerobics, or try a new sport you have been too scared to try before. The endorphins released will give you a massive boost making you feel like you could actually be Beyoncé. What’s more, doing activities with your friends is a great way to spend time together whilst taking the chore out of working out.
Go shopping. From personal experience, retail therapy is a tried and tested way to instantly make you feel good. This is especially true when you find that perfect outfit that makes you feel as though you could slot right in as one of Charlie’s Angels.
Go out. If you have followed my advice bought yourself a fabulous dress, why not show it off? Considering Valentine’s Day 2015 is a Saturday, there is no excuse not to get the girls together for a night out on the town. Just make sure you don’t accidentally run in to one of those hideous ‘singles events’ – let the night be about enjoying being with your girlfriends and not about finding a man.