Is Today A Holiday? Does Anyone Know?

Is there something special about today? I'm wracking my brain, because I keep getting this nagging feeling that for some reason today is supposed to be special, I just can't put my finger on it...

Ah yes, Valentine's Day. Or "Singles' Awareness Day" as I've heard it called by embittered single-folk. I'm not embittered. Not yet anyway. Sure, I'm 21, and only once in my life have I had someone to call my "Valentine," but really that's fine by me. 

I don't need to be caught up in all the hullaballoo of Valentine's Day to feel loved or complete. I am a single girl, and I'm proud of it! 

Not that I'm completely anti-Valentine's Day either though. I think any reminder to love one another is a good thing. Also, I'm genuinely happy for all my happy couple friends out there. Especially my amazing cousin who just got engaged to an amazing man. I'm even happier that he didn't propose on Valentine's Day. That would just have been way too much cheesiness for me to handle. I understand that Valentine's Day is cheesy, but I prefer chocolate to cheese in this situation.

You should know that sometimes cheese is my choice over chocolate. But if someone were to say "Joanna, would you rather be given cheese or chocolate as a gift for Valentine's Day?" I would choose chocolate. Preferably truffles or caramels. Roses are good too. Red roses are my favorite.

But I digress. Valentine's Day is what it is. Couples are what they are. Singles are what they are. I am what I am. Which...is single. And I'm ok with that. Some people get so caught up in the pink and red madness, that they think they need to have someone to share the day with. Someone to go eat a meal with, get some flowers from, hold hands, share a kiss, a hug, whatever.

Personally, I liked the days of elementary school where everyone gave everyone else a card and maybe even some candy. It was always fun to read the cards and see what character you got on yours. Because without a doubt, you knew a lot about how the giver felt about you based on the character and message on the card.

Nowadays, I don't usually get cards or anything. Mostly because I no longer have a teacher telling all my classmates (and myself) to give one to everybody. My parents always get me something though. This year, I got an iTunes gift card and some truffles. Also, they got my sister and I both some...wait for it...PajamaJeans. Yeah, those PajamaJeans. The ones from the infomercial. I was skeptical, but they actually are super comfortable. Only downside is they're a little too big for me in the butt region, so we'll see what happens after a washing.

In addition, my mom got clever and typed up personalized poem cards for my sister and I. They were adorable. Printed on pink paper and cut into a heart shape. Aww... :) My parents rock.

All of this is really just to say I'm a single girl who can still manage to find some value in Valentine's Day. I love my family, I love my friends; I love that some of my family and friends have spouses/fiances/significant others and are in love. I want that for myself someday. But for now, I'm content being single. I'm content with the fact that my only Valentines are my parents and my sister. (Even if she did give me a Jabba the Hutt card today.) I know I'm loved, and I love others. Isn't that really the point?

Besides, after today, stores will be full of Valentine's chocolates that didn't sell, and they'll probably all be discounted hard core. I might just treat myself to an after-Valentine's Day sale.