If you think back to your years in public school and high school you may remember having exchanges of Valentine’s Day cards on February 14th. Sometimes the cards and candy grams would be anonymous and sometimes signed by friends. However, whether you were part of a couple or single everyone would get at least one card or candy gram. It was really a great thing because it meant that no one felt left out.
Yet as we all got older, Valentine’s Day seemed to become the exclusive property of those who were part of a couple and those who were single seemed to be treated as if the day was not for them. Instead the message on Valentine’s Day for singles became if you’re not part of a couple you’re somehow flawed or lesser. It just seems kind of cruel doesn’t it? I’ve always found myself questioning whether it has to be that way.
In all honesty I think Valentine’s Day should represent a day when you know that the people in your life care about you and you care about them. So in the spirit of that here are a couple of suggestions for any single friend or family member you may have in your life and how you can maybe make them feel a little less alone.
Probably the most obvious thing you can do is send them a Valentine’s Day card of some sort. Pick one that’s amusing or silly, especially if you want to ensure that the other person doesn’t think you mean something romantic by it. The important thing here is just the small gesture to let the person know you care about them. Often it’s the small things that you remember someone has done for you that you remember and on a day like February 14th it’ll be definitely appreciated.
Another thing you could do is throw a party on February 14th and invite all your friends to it. Just being with a group of people and having fun on February 14th can help your single friends take their minds off things. Keep the mood of the party light and maybe show some comedy films, karaoke, or come up with another activity that gets people interacting. The key is just making sure that no one feels excluded or left out.
An additional thing you can do for your single friends is for February 14th is signing them up for a singles event that a dating company is holding on Valentine’s Day. There usually is some company holding an event on Valentine’s Day and even if they don’t meet a romantic partner they might make a new friend they can spend time with. Most dating companies try to make sure these events are fun and get people talking to each other, so it’s infinitely better for your single friends rather than sitting at home pining the night away.
Lastly, on Valentine’s Day you can do something as miniscule as meeting your single friend for a coffee and making sure that you bring a smile to their face. Let them know that you’re thinking about them, they’re important to you and just because they’re single doesn’t mean they’re alone. All too often we define ourselves by who we’re romantically involved with when in fact who we are is more defined by all our life experiences and all the people who are a part of our life. It’s vital to remind your single friend of that fact on Valentine’s Day especially if perhaps they’re feeling a little bit lonely. If you do it’s something they’ll always remember and appreciate.
