Un-Valentine's Day

Once again, my blog posting has slipped so for that I apologise. Yesterday I felt a lot better - I refuse to believe that paracetamol is the cause of that. It is not a wonder drug. Anyway I went to watch a Superleague Netball match last night - it was televised live on Sky Sports if you want to watch it - it was Loughborough Lightning versus Team Bath. After four 15-minute quarters of fast play and some amazing passes and interceptions, Team Bath were victorious with a final score of 56 to 31. It was disappointing for the home crowd at Loughborough but there's always the next match.

As I'm sure you are all aware, today is Valentine's Day. One of the most annoying days of the year - I realise I touched on this briefly last week but I felt the need to remind you. Today is the day when all single-tons post either depressing or overly enthusiastic and obviously fake Facebook status' and tweets (on Twitter for those of you who are not following the craze). Also it is the day when all the couples who have only been together for a short amount of time are all loved-up in public engaged displays of affection you don't see for the rest of the year.

I don't like Valentine's Day much. I think it's nice that there is a day set aside in the year where you can show your partner some affection or post a secret Valentine's to the person you have a crush on but does it really have to be so commercialised? And sure, the Google logos are cute but I'm positive that Valentine's Day actually ruins some relationships as people feel the need to impress their partner and then regret it later. All the cards/balloons/presents/chocolates etc just imposes a threat to people in a relationship and also the people who are not in a relationship. They are everywhere displaying their cheesiness to the world like its the most normal thing in the world - and people actually believe it! People swallow the age old line about how Valentine's Day is the day when you're supposed to show your love for another person. What about the rest of the year?! Eh?

I have a boyfriend, but this year I refused to celebrate it with him or let him buy me a present. I would quite happily meet up with him but I didn't want us to be any different than we were normally purely for the purpose of fitting in with the Valentine's Day facade. In the end we compromised by just getting each other cards and we are meeting up in a bit, just like we would on any other day.

As for all the people who are not in a relationship, Valentine's Day is just a stark reminder that they are alone. Some people, like me, don't mind being alone but most feel that they have to be with someone - come to think of it, that's probably why there's so many people in pubs and bars all day, they're looking for someone they can be with. Which, of course, completely destroys the point of Valentine's Day.

I personally agree with the article Charlie Brooker wrote in 2008 for The Guardian. It may be 4 years old now but it still rings true. Plus, its funny. He describes how millions of people celebrate the "crippling delusion known as love". But he also makes a good point about the perils of celebrating Valentine's Day, it can be quite nerve-wracking deciding what to buy someone. What if you spend more than they do? What if they have clearly thought about it more than I have? What if they hate my present? Should I buy a card as well as a present or is that overwhelming? All these questions race around people's heads on the run-up to Valentine's Day and all the shops don't help much.

As soon as the Christmas decorations are down, up go the Valentine's Day decorations. Red and pink adorns all shop windows and walls. Lots of sickly hearts dangle from the ceiling and there's always that giant teddy bear right at the front of the shop hugging a heart with the word 'I Love You' written across it.. 'Tell your partner you love them this Valentines' says the sign next to the flowers. Flowers don't talk! They can't say it. 'Valentine's Day February 14th 2012' That one particularly annoys me because St Valentine's Day is on the same day every single year. We are celebrating a Saint, its like St George's Day or St Patrick's Day, except a lot more commercialised because businesses can make money because some people expect gifts. Which is just wrong.

Brooker suggests the idea of having a day that readdresses the balance. He named this idea Un-Valentine's Day. A day that "actively celebrates love's festering undercarriage". Basically it's a day where you express your hate for people or that one particular person or try desperately for that one person you've always had feelings for despite the fact you've been rebuked numerous times by said person. No one can pity you if you stand outside their window looking like a sad sap being desperate. He believes that February 15th would be a great day for this. A festival to celebrate the death of existing loves and also the loves that never were.

He also says their should be cards, much like Valentine's Day cards but with bitter messages for ex-partners. Or somebody in a couple desperate to get out could send a card with something like DYING INSIDE to their partner, just so they get the message. All the restaurants can join in too. They could have meals for couples who want to break up or someone departing news such as the fact they've been cheating. It would be civilised of course, no red wine to stain the other person's clothes.

I think all this is a bit over-the-top but Brooker does have a point. Valentine's Day can be unhealthy for people. So if you want to, you can mark Un-Valentine's Day in your diary, on February the 15th. To all the people who are happily in a relationship, please spare a thought for the people who are not. I have and am continuing to because some people have branded it Singles Awareness Day because it is so blindingly obvious who isn't in a relationship today.

Happy Tuesday to everyone! Also I hope I haven't offended anyone - Valentine's Day is a great idea but it is dealt with wrongly. It's a day to celebrate love and make it special. You do NOT need gifts and cards for this.