Pamper Yourself Day aka Valentine's Day for Singles, Part 1

It’s not Valentine’s Day–it’s PAMPER YOURSELF DAY!

I didn’t get my first boyfriend (who is also my current beau) until I nearly 19 (and this will actually be the first Valentine’s Day we’ll spend together in person!). So trust me when I say I’ve endured many Valentine’s Day as a single gal, who also suffered from incredibly low self-esteem and self-worth. Talk about the trifecta to make you feel your lowest on a day devoted to the lovey-dovey. To be perfectly honest, my misery was slightly offset, because I had the most thoughtful Daddy a girl could ask for; when I lived at home, he always gave me a bouquet of mixed flowers with a card, and even when I moved away to college, he sent me a care package with treats and a card.

Make It More Than Romance

With that sentiment, I have to say that sometimes you can make Valentine’s Day about showing the people you love your appreciation–not just your significant other. I’ve spent several of mine with my best friend, and we would go out to dinner and gorge ourselves on 24oz. steaks and ice cream sundaes (hello, Claimjumper’s for V-Day ’03?). We’d head home completely full and dying from it to watch cheesy movies and laugh together. When you think about it, is it really such a bad way to spend the holiday?

Don’t Commiserate On Your Own

If you have a hunch that you’ll feel like sobbing come the 14th, get some of your single friends together for a nice holiday bash. Indulge yourselves in some manicures/pedicures, or bake cookies and play board games. Even down Screwdrivers, but doing things with others makes you less likely to succumb to your own personal thoughts that you know will only make you feel lonely. Go out with your favorite pals to the club and dance until they shut the place down (exercise produces endorphins, which should keep your mood higher rather than lower).

Give In — Pamper Yourself

I’m a firm believer that every once in awhile, you really do need to treat yourself and appreciate everything you are and may be in the future. This is why I think if you’re single, Valentine’s Day is really Pamper Yourself Day. It is a reminder that you are an amazing person, which means it is time to pat yourself on the back and do things that make you smile. Watch your favorite movies, go to your favorite restaurant or get some ultra yummy takeout and cozy up on the couch.

If you’re staying home…Mix up your own do-it-yourself face mask or buy a pre-made one (Prescriptives’ Instant Gratification, anyone?). If you live near a LUSH store, they have some fantastic tubs of masks that will feel like a dream. Take a hot shower before you settle in for the night, because this way you can apply a deliciously scented body butter from head to toe, really taking your time to massage the lotion into your skin to make it look amazing. Give yourself an at-home manicure/pedicure while watching your favorite movie. Light a few candles to help turn the night into one of relaxation. (By the way, one thing I often did while single was create to-do lists and really get things done; being productive was a great way to spend the night, plus I was too busy to concentrate on being alone.)

If you’re going out… have fun, but don’t forget that it’s only one day out of the year, so don’t do anything you’ll regret! (Wink!) Go to the bar, club, or just a fancy schmancy restaurant where you can feel more like a queen than you normally do. You can even go to the gym to work out your frustration and aggression (punching bags are a good target!), and you never know who you might meet that’s single and totally available at the gym that night! Head to the mall for some retail therapy if that’s your bag, and don’t forget to stop off at the MAC store for a pick-me-up lipstick (I had to work beauty into it, right?). Oh, while we’re on that topic, go ahead and spend an hour primping before going out. You deserve to look your absolute best tonight!

Some things I’ve done to get me through Valentine’s Day…

• Hang out with my best friend watching movies and snacking, plus an expensive dinner out
• Do my makeup in experimental ways–I’m not going anywhere, why not have fun? I always found it quite amusing!
• Organize your beauty stash; lay it all out on the floor/table and admire all the goodies you have and figure out how to manage it all
• Went out for a manicure/pedicure, then got some Italian take out (and Starbucks!)
• Watch Disney movies and pretend that I’m five years old without any cares in the world
• Long, drawn out bubble baths with a good book
• Bought myself flowers (you read right, I don’t need nobody to buy me something pretty, I can do it all on my own!)

Remember: You’re FABULOUS, and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise!

If you have advice for surviving Valentine’s Day, please share your thoughts in the comments!