Here it comes again, that holiday that most singles dread…..Valentine’s Day. Some just ignore the day while others find it easy to get caught up in being depressed about being alone, which can be really hard when you have an idea in your mind of what the day could be like.
Tired of seeing their couple friends have all the fun on Valentine’s Day, a group of singles took it upon themselves to come up with a creative way to celebrate the day that is usually associated with long-stemmed red roses and romantic dinners for those who are in a romantic relationship.
“Instead of sitting around being depressed about being single, we came up with the idea of a dessert party, but we kind of turned the tables,” said Diane. “We told the guys they had to come up with the recipe and make it with no help and they would be judged on presentation, creativity and taste. Each year the ladies in the group come up with a different theme and awards are given based on the theme. The guys don’t know the theme until the night of the party. Past year’s themes have included the Olympics, Reality Shows and current events news headlines. This will be our seventh year and the theme hasn’t been determined yet.”
Through the years some members of the original group have gotten married, but they still participate in the annual contest.
"We have had some pretty amazing entries like individual volcano cakes, a replica of the Knoxville World’s Fair site complete with a chocolate covered orange wrapped in gold foil for the Sunsphere, jalapeno brownies and Paula Deen’s Krispy Kreme Bread pudding to some real duds like the ice cream cake that was more like a milk shake and the time one guy tried to make something kind of healthy. It was totally gross. It looked more like a chemistry experiment than an award winning dessert. This has turned out to be a really fun way to celebrate Valentine’s Day for all of us."
"Love is not about a particular day, or about cards, flowers, or even being in a relationship,” said Dr. Laura S. Brown, professor of psychology at Argosy University/Seattle “The illusion that coupled people are happy and well-loved can feed feelings of loneliness or isolation for people who aren’t with someone, and wish they were. Seeing the illusory nature of this holiday can be the first step in feeling better about being precisely who and where you are."
Here are some additional tips from singles for celebrating Valentine’s Day:
- One single said she sent Valentine’s cards instead of Christmas cards to her friends family.
- A group of singles got together and made Valentine’s cards and then sent them to people who probably would not receive a Valentine like an elderly neighbor who has no family.
- Another single shared that she made a batch of Valentine cards and sent them to somesingle guy friends without a signature. She thought it was pretty funny when some of the guys were talking about receiving the Valentine’s and another guy in the group said he had received one as well – when she knew she had not sent one to him.
- Invite friends over for dinner instead of going out to eat.
- Offer to babysit for some married friends so they can go on a date.
- Send yourself some flowers.
- Throw a dessert party or come up with your own creative party idea
- Treat yourself to a spa day – you deserve it!
Valentine’s Day is not a day just for romantic couples, it is a celebration of the love we feel for others. So take time out to acknowledge those who have made a difference in your life through their affection and support.
