Girl Talk Thursday - Valentine's Day

I haven't written a GTT in a bit but how can I resist the topic of Valentine's Day? As Maria puts it over at her blog, it's everyone's favorite holiday to hate. It's a sugary sweet commercialization of a holiday that tells us if we're not in a Nicholas Sparks style sappy love-me-until-I-die-tragically relationship, we're doing something wrong. And there's candy EVERYWHERE. Which is wonderful after the first chocolate or two. Get halfway through that box of Godiva in single sitting however... you're not so happy with life.

This is what Valentine's Day is supposed to be. One way or the other, the most romantic night of your life or the worst day of your year. Dramatic. Or so they tell me. Honestly, I've never really cared all that much for Valentine's Day. Sure when I was a kid I loved any holiday that allowed us to receive and eat candy in school. Picking out which Valentine's cards I was going to pass out each year was a high point. Barbie or Ninja Turtles? My Little Pony or He-Man? Sesame Street? AWESOME every time.

It was a tradition I was sad to see go, replaced in later years by the candygram fundraisers and carnations delivered during class. I'm sure I received a few of those, I did have a boyfriend in highschool, but do I remember? Nope, not really. The one Valentine's Day in highschool I do remember clearly is the one freshman year when I decided I was going to hand out candy to my friends even if I was five years too old for it. Screw that! Candy is delicious! I bought a giant bag of those individual boxes of Nerds, the ones that were out special for the holiday. Hearts on boxes, candy died red and pink, crunchy and sweet and just barely sour enough to make your mouth pucker. I handed them out gleefully to any classmate who came within a five foot radius declaring proudly as I shoved candy into their outstreched hands "Nerds from a Nerd!"

It was a surprising success. At least, no one made fun of me to my face and everyone seemed to enjoy the five second sugar high after English class. This was freshman year after all. Most of us hadn't discovered a stronger high yet.

As I've gotten older Valentine's Day has continued to mean much the same thing. I know there have been a few good ones, a few romantic ones. There were flowers and dinners and all of that through college when I again had a boyfriend. As an adult however, I've spent the last several Valentine's Days single. Not that I've really noticed. Three years ago I remember a friend asked if the present he was getting his girlfriend was a good one. Two years ago I assume the holiday happened but I'd be hard-pressed to provide you with the evidence.

Last year however was thoroughly debauched in the best way possible. Yes, I was still single. No, I did not have a date. Instead my roommates and I threw a party. Ostensibly it was a Singles and Cookies mixer. A stupidly cute idea that I'm still proud of. The idea was to come single and mingle or, if you were in a relationship, to bring your date and a single friend. Or a plate of cookies. Bring cookies either way really. It half worked? We had a table full of cookies and cupcakes and candy hearts and it was amazing. I made several different kinds of cookies (I was ambitious) including a version of these from Lauren's blog. Minus the bacon, plus the Irish Whiskey.

So cookies - check. Singles - I was there so check. Rest of the plan - ummmm... A good number of people showed up. Actually, kind of a lot of guys showed up. After a few rounds of tequila (who's idea was that again???) the party morphed from mixer to frat party flashback. Various bits of nonsense happened. The details are amusing but not particularly appropriate for this venue so let's just say everyone had a good time and leave it that. Yes? Good.

I was eating cookies for days after that. Those chocolate ones and these other ginger ones I made that were phenomenal, chocolate chip ones, a couple of cupcakes even. The day was decidedly unromantic but fun and memorable it definitely was. I don't really know how many more of those sorts of parties I have left in me, but really how many of those parties do you need in a lifetime?

I know I won't be repeating it this year. What will I be doing? I don't know. Maybe my roommates and I will have a few friends over for dinner. Maybe we'll do nothing. I haven't really thought much about it to be honest. I don't have a date and that's fine. I don't particularly want one. I feel no need to wallow in front of the TV, bombarded by cheesy Lifetime movies with a pint of ice cream melting in my lap. If anything I'm sad I won't be going to Madeleine Bistro to try out their special day tasting menu as I'm sure Chef Dave will be putting together something truly special. That of course has more to do with the fact I'm broke than the fact I'm single. C'est la vie.

In the end though, Valentine's Day really is just another day in my life. A day made a little bit sweeter by the explosion of sugar going on around me.