Valentine’s Day is a holiday meant to express feelings and affection, to share gifts and gratitude with loved ones. For those who are single, in a situationship or anything else in-between, Valentine’s Day can be both confusing and intimidating. This guide provides advice on how to go about Valentine’s Day based on whatever your love-life status may be.
What if you’re single?
For those who find themselves single on Valentine’s Day, the holiday can seem dreadful. However, being single on Feb. 14 actually allows for a lot of good opportunities. By not having to focus on a partner, an opportunity to instead focus more on friends and family arises. Consider getting gifts for the ones who do care about you. Make a plan to spend a night in, or go out on the town with your single friends.
Spending time with yourself this holiday is commonly overlooked but actually is also a healthy way to spend the holiday. Who says that you have to be in a relationship to enjoy a nice meal this Valentine’s day? Cook or order your favorite meal for take-out, buy a nice bottle of wine and turn on some Netflix and enjoy some time to yourself.
What if you’re in a situationship?
Being in a situationship on Valentine’s Day arguably provokes the most worrying thoughts: Should I acknowledge the holiday with them? Should I get them a gift? Should I take them out? These are all thoughts that never seem to have a clear answer.
All situationships are different. In some cases, a situationship may be defined as being in a relationship, just not made official yet. Other cases may be defined as having a partner where it’s more than just casual sex but not nearly as intense as an all-out relationship.
The best way to acknowledge the occasion while not making it super awkward is to simply spend time with your special someone. Consider ordering food in and gathering tons of blankets and treats for a Netflix and chill session. As far as physical gift ideas go, candy, candles and even tequila are never bad bets.
What if you’re in a “friends with benefits” scenario?
Maybe even more awkward than a situationship, navigating Valentine’s Day when in a “friends with benefits” scenario can be quite nerve-racking. Friends with benefits scenarios are truly similar to situationships, so much of the same advice above applies to this type of scenario as well.
Having a friends with benefits situation often times leave room for even more confusion. If both ends are clear about their intentions, Valentine’s Day can really be straightforward. It is vital for both parties to be upfront about what they want, or the entire day, plus the days leading up to the Feb. 14 will be incredibly confusing. Be cool, be humorous and be communicative.
What if you’re in a long-term relationship?
Long-term relationships are what many people seek and in many cases, fail to find for years. Those in long-term relationships often have it lucky, but certainly not without some troubles. Oftentimes, keeping a long-term relationship spicy is a challenge for many. For further information on how to spice up something long-term, check out this story, but as far as what to do for Valentine’s Day, well here’s a few pieces of advice.
Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to try something new as a couple. It can be something as big as taking a trip together to a place never seen before, or something as little as trying a new activity.
Have you always talked about watching a sunrise or sunset together but never followed through? Have you talked about stargazing or visiting a new park together but never got around to it? Use this holiday as an excuse to do something new, something you’ve wanted to do for your partner but never had a right moment to.
What if you’re in a long-distance relationship?
Long-distance relations are far from easy, and come Valentine’s Day, it can feel all the harder and leave you feeling more isolated from the one you love. The thought is really what counts and that can be shown by gifting your partner a Spotify playlist or creating a photo gallery full of photos taken together.
Of course, intimacy while not physically together just isn’t the same as getting sexual in real life, but there are certainly a lot of possibilities available for couples looking to get a little dirty. Look into virtual couples’ sex toys, take an online sex class together, or even watch or stream a sexy movie together.
Check out this story on how to keep sexting safe and fun for more tips on how to be intimate safely in a long-distance relationship.
One last thing to remember…
At the end of the day, Valentine’s Day isn’t just reserved for people who are in relationships. Instead, it is an occasion meant to be shared with all the ones we love. There is at least one person in all of our lives who we can use this holiday to recognize and show our love for. But after all, the occasion only happens one day a year, so if you still find yourself dreading it now, just know it will pass in no time.
BedPost is a relationship column that does not reflect the views of The Post.
