Feel the Spirit of Valentine's Day

It's easy to be cynical or disparaging about an event like Valentine's Day, especially if you're single, drifting in a relationship or anti-commercialization. However, the spirit of Valentine's Day is underpinned by love and if there's something the world can always do with more of, it's love. Even if you're not going to buy into the whole Valentine's expectations as marketed, it can't hurt to set aside the negative vibes and participate in sharing a little love around and being good-spirited. Make the day special, for yourself, for your loved one, and for others too.

Steps

  1. Read a little about the historical background of Valentine's Day. Wikipedia provides a neat summary of its origins and the ways in which the romantic love ideal became attached to this day.[1] In part, the historical account shows that the day's origins had at its heart an intention to express care and connection with others through sacrifice, which later developed into romantic love during the Middle Ages when Chaucer was celebrating courtly love ideals. Even if you're not intimately involved with someone, you can still share the spirit of caring for others and being concerned for their happiness.

  2. Decide who you'll send Valentine's cards to. Traditionally these are sent to people you have a crush on or love. But you could cheer someone up by telling them that you admire them, respect them or value their contribution to the world too. There's nothing saying that you can't be magnanimous and spread the love on this auspicious day!
  3. Make your Valentine's cards. Traditionally, cards were always handmade, with the heart of soul of the creator going into the cards. While it may be more convenient to purchase them, there's none of the personalization involved that can be found in making them. You can make as simple or as complex a card as you'd like, bearing in mind that it is the effort that counts.
  4. Write something personal on the card you are sending to that someone special. Think about what you admire or like about the person you're sending the Valentine to. Express it in words that really bring to life that aspect of the person and show how much you care about them.
  5. Purchase or make a gift for your special Valentine. It doesn't have to be anything expensive, just something thoughtful. Something homemade is often ideal, as it shows the care and love you've put into the gift.
    • Remember that not everyone loves chocolate and be thoughtful in the selection of candy or gifts you want to give that day. Find out what your Valentine's favorite candy is and try to make it from scratch!
  6. Spend some time considering what love means to you. How expansive is your notion of love? Think beyond the typical romantic love notions, to find all the kinds of love that it is possible to express towards other human beings. And share the love around––wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day or acknowledge something good each person has done that day.
    • If romantic love makes you feel cynical, explore the reasons why this is. Perhaps you have too many movie notions of love, or perhaps some bad experiences. Yet, does your idea of romantic love have to be that black and white? Leaving your heart open to new experiences will help to make your life more fulfilling.

Tips

  • St. Valentine's Day is in honour of an Early Christian martyr who chose to sacrifice his life, for the sanctity of marriage(the Roman Emperor tried to outlaw marriage, so Valentine married couples in secret, and ended up being executed for it).
  • For fun, dress in red, pink, or white or a combination of all three. These are the colors now traditionally associated with Valentine's Day.

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References

  1. ↑ See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine%27s_Day for the details.
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