Valentine’s Day Survival Guide

It’s here: Valentine’s Day. The Great American Shakedown. And it’s unstoppable. Office professionals across the country dread this day as both men and woman are stuffed full of manufactured expectations like Thanksgiving (a real holiday) turkeys. But there is no escaping the madness; the best one can hope to do is survive it. Here’s how:

Don’t let others condescend to you. If you don’t like Valentine’s Day that is your prerogative. Don’t allow others to tell you that you’re being cynical, jealous or un-American because you detest Valentine’s Day and all of its corporate manipulation. Others will try to characterize you as someone who lacks love in their life and therefore wants others to be equally unhappy and loveless. This is a trap, and it begins with allowing others to condescend to you. Stop it before it starts. Explain to them that you are not one of the sheep and can think for yourself. You don’t need chocolate and flower companies to teach you how to love your partner.

Smile. When Nancy Burlington receives her dozen roses today and parades them around the office like a boxing ring girl make sure you smile and say how beautiful the flowers are. It is important in life to take joy in other people’s happiness, even if they are happy for ridiculous reasons. Receiving roses on Valentine’s Day isn’t any more a sign of love and commitment than is renting a limousine to go to the airport. It just means someone has $100 to throw around.

Don’t fight. Valentines’ Day is all about flaunting one’s love life in front of others, and this can lead some people to question their own relationships. “Howard Conan in accounting bought his girlfriend a dozen roses and a life-size stuffed black bear. Why can’t you be like that?” Don’t compare your relationship to others. That’s what the chocolate and flower companies want you to do. This is what leads to flower and chocolate inflation. If you love, or even like, the person you are with, stay with them. If not, leave them. But don’t let Valentine’s Day decide for you.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Photo courtesy of paparutzi.