Top Ten Anti-Valentine’s Day Ideas

“Roses should be black, I’m feeling blue, and Valentine’s Day makes me want to spew!” If these are your exact feelings about Valentine’s Day, the day for lovers, then you qualify for the anti-Valentine’s Day brigade, the mass of people who protest “Singles Awareness Day,” the horde of followers who shrink with contempt over the national holiday. Are you tired of all the teddy bears? Annoyed with all the artsy hearts everywhere? Do you associate the color red with blood rather than love? Then you definitely qualify.

So what’s an anti to do on this day, typically reserved for those starry-eyed couples celebrating the big L-word?

Plenty!

Here are ten anti-Valentine’s Day ideas to get you started:

1. Wear black. The color most socially accepted to be associated with grieving and doom and gloom, it’s the farthest you can get from red and pink. Don’t hesitate to dress head to toe in the daunting color, and don’t hesitate to tell people why you’ve dressed head to toe in it either.

2. Make a CD of the most “un-sappy” music that you can find. This will probably have to include at least some type of heavy metal, punk, SKA, rap or non-traditional type of tunes. (When’s the last time you heard a heavy metal song about falling in love?) Play your CD all day long at work (only if you have earphones as the office hands might not appreciate your dissent) and when you get home.

3. Watch movies or TV shows that scorn or make fun of love. Or watch dark films. Or better yet, watch chick-flicks (if you can stomach it) that celebrate women, and/or don’t have happy endings, i.e. “Steel Magnolias,” “Terms of Endearment,” “Thelma and Louise,” “Braveheart.”

4. Send anti-Valentine’s Day ecards to all your single friends and family members. Anti-Valentine’s Day ecards will certainly make your feelings clear for all to hear!

5. Show ‘em you’re the independent type by doing something usually reserved for pairs all by yourself, a la bungee jumping (or if you don’t want to get too crazy, just dine out alone at lunchtime).

6. Or if you’re totally against doing something alone, then get a massive group of friends together and go out dancing. For once, don’t worry about how good you look (and don’t focus on how bad you think you look), don’t worry about fussing with makeup and hair, and don’t worry about eyeing possible significant others at the bar.

7. Don’t feel like dancing? Then grab your best buds and go to an informal dinner at your most favorite restaurant. If your most favorite restaurant is that expensive Italian one, then get all dressed up and join the ranks of budding lovers who will

undoubtedly be there. As long as you go with friends and splurge on all the best foods and drinks, you’ll have a great time.

8. Don’t feel like going out at all? Then throw a rockin’ singles anti-Valentine’s Day party at home! Play that CD you made earlier (or just play some dance music to liven up the atmosphere), cook up some appetizers and finger foods, mix up some Sangria or martinis, and you’re good to go!

9. Play darts. At this fabulous party you’ll have (or all alone, whatever suits you best), play a game of darts (with your single friends), but think of something creative like putting pictures of ex-boyfriends or home wreckers in the middle of the dart board. Also, take turns at the computer getting back at Cupid by playing the Strike Back ecard game.

10. Spoil yourself . This is the most important anti-Valentine’s Day idea of them all because, before all others, you should love yourself. So go ahead and spoil yourself a little. Whether you buy something that expensive purse you’ve been eyeing for awhile, take a trip to the spa with some friends or alone, or treat yourself to a plane ticket to go visit a far-off friend or relative, indulge. It’s okay.