One of the first ever posts I wrote on my blog was about Valentine's Day and my dislike for the occasion. I've never had a significant other to spent Valentine's Day with, hence my less than favourable attitude towards Hallmark holiday.
After my best friend riding to the rescue in previous years and making plans with me, this year I'm batting for the other side. No, I'm not now a lesbian, I am actually on 'Team Valentine's Day'.
I've stood in the card shops umm-ing and aah-ing over which card to buy, I've bought silly little presents and I am actually somewhat excited for the 14th February (mainly because I have a Saturday off work and we are going to see Fifty Shades of Grey!!).
Those foods high in saturated fats and the flowers which will be dead within a week, that I was so against in previous years, are now very much sought after (I've even got a shiny new vase in preparation for any...) I no longer feel a pang of jealously or sickness when I see people getting excited for their Valentine's Day plans - and I'm sure I won't be dreading scrolling through social media on the big day itself.
There are still some aspects of Valentine's Day that I am not too keen on. It shouldn't be an excuse to demonstrate the magnitude of your love for each other - or to everyone else for that matter. It's a lovely opportunity and chance to spend a nice day/night together, but it shouldn't be something saved for just one day a year.
I'm excited for my first proper Valentine's Day with someone but I won't be 'that person' that I disliked so much as a long-term singleton - the one who bombards social media with photos of gifts claiming to be the 'luckiest girl in the world'. The day should be about demonstrating your love to each other, not to your hundreds of Facebook friends and Twitter followers.
What I don't like about V-Day though, as a member of the pro-V-Day camp now, is how awkward it is to buy a present for a man. Do they realise how easy they have it when buying for us? Chocolates, flowers, anything sweet (heart-shaped cupcakes, cookies etc), perfume, bubbly, make-up, underwear, jewellery...the list is endless. But what do you buy for a man? Silky boxers was a suggestion by one of my friends but I think maybe I'll pass on that one!!
What is even more difficult is that it is still relatively soon after Christmas and a January birthday - meaning that they literally have everything they could want.
When walking through Leeds at the weekend I was gazing in the windows thinking how easy it would be if I was to be buying for a girl for Valentine's Day, but didn't say anything aloud just incase it sounded really weird/like I was turning. But, when in Hotel Chocolat, my best friend said it for me and I realised I wasn't alone and that men just are hard to buy for.
Aside from the card exchanging and gift giving, I doubt this will be unlike any other Saturday for us both - I maybe won't nag as much and Tom has given up going to the football. In that respect, I imagine we both wish it were Valentine's Day every weekend!
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