I love Valentine’s Day.

I’m as single as they come and have been for most February 14ths in my life, but I love this holiday.

To me, it’s about spreading love with glitter, chocolate, crafts, and syrupy sweetness.  Sure, it has been ultra-commercialized over the years. My solution: don’t give in to that hype.  Make it the holiday you want to see.  For example, Amy Poehler and the writers at Parks and Recreation invented “Galentine’s Day” through one of their episodes – today, dozens of my friends and thousands of people around the world are celebrating their lady-friends.

My version of this holiday involves spending the weeks leading up to it watching rom-coms and making handmade cards which I send out (despite the rising postage rate) to my loved ones.  I’ve also organized my Mount Holyoke classmates to send cards to the students who have our old mailboxes now (hey hey 1168!).  Friends from college, cousins, colleagues – no one can escape my glitter pen and warm wishes.

And no one should try – because once you back away from comparing what other people are doing on this day, you’ll see that it’s just a nice excuse to tell your pals that you think they’re swell, and offer them a mini-snickers bar or two. Or maybe just love yourself and #treatyoself to a hot chocolate with extra whipped cream.

Here’s hoping you have a lovely Galentine’s AND Valentine’s Day!