Planning Valentine's Day

With only a week to go until Valentine’s Day, it’s time for those of us mostly last-minute people to figure out what we’re going to do. More than likely I’ll be fretting either Sunday night or Monday morning.

When it comes to days to celebrate the loved ones in your life, Valentine’s Day seems to top them all. And yet so many people stress over making everything perfect when, well, let’s face it, it is the imperfections and flaws our partners only show around us that make us love them more than anyone else. I say plan something you both would enjoy doing together, not just something you think the other wants because clearly if you aren’t enjoying yourself, your partner will know and then your “perfect” night will be destined for disaster.

I love to cook, and would prefer to eat at home rather than at a restaurant. Oh sure, you can get all dressed up and fancy and have the candles and the Kenny G. in the background. Okay, so Kenny G. would probably be replaced with Chicago or the extended soundtrack to Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, but still, you get what I’m trying to say, right? A night where you make sure the dog is good and tired from a day at the park and a walk and the cats are locked up in the garage. I’d prefer that over a crowded restaurant surrounded by other people, but then again, it could just be me. Of course, even at-home adventures can be disastrous if, say, you both find out after making a delicious four course meal that your partner has severe allergies to mussels and is soon covered in hives after consumption. I blame Rachel Ray for that one.

Anyway, what I’m trying to get at is that you should start your planning now if you haven’t already, but don’t get so worked up in the whole matter you lose sight of what’s important. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the whole consumerism ploy to get you to spend gobs of money you don’t have for some gaudy charm bracelet that looks as if a four-year-old designed it from [insert famous male first name jewelry store here] because the commercial told you to. Then again, maybe I just don’t get it because I’m gay and think charm bracelets are ugly.

So here it is: Want to go out? Make reservations. Want to stay in? Plan a theme for the night. Want to get away? Make sure the other person doesn’t have prior obligations they’d have to choose between. And if you are single, buy yourself a box of chocolates and a bottle of wine and make a night of it because nothing is more romantic than a twist on an old cliché. That last line was sarcasm, by the way, but can totally be taken literally because there is no reason that being single means you can’t treat yourself to a nice Valentine’s Day.