We are officially just a few short days away from the biggest, most important holiday of the year for romantics: Valentine’s Day. As a non-romantic, I roll my eyes at this day and know I’ll be spending it as always do ― with my friends for brunch or lunch. Then, I'll go home a few hours later and binge-watch something I consider romantic like, say, Breaking Bad, while ordering in wine and pizza. I will not be fighting the happy couples on the streets of New York to get my salvation of wine and pizza, even if I am one of those happy couples.
But, for many, this is an exciting day full of words of love, mentions of cupid, and, I guess, more words of love. Yes, I think that’s what will be going on this Valentine’s Day for thousands of people. But who knows — everyone is different.
Bustle asked some of our readers and editors what their big plans are for the day, and, to be honest, Hallmark might be a wee bit disappointed with the responses we got. There was no mention of chocolates in heart-shaped boxes, Valentine’s Day cards, or the like. (What can we say, we're a creative bunch.)
Here’s what 22 Bustle readers — both single and those in relationships — will be doing this Saturday.
Chelsea, 25
"[I'm] Single. Got my chocolate chilling in the fridge. And a bottle of sangria chilling. And movies. But I will probably nap through it, to be honest."
Julie, 31
"My fiance and I go to our favorite Chinatown hole in the wall for several batches of five-for-a-dollar dumplings and duck-stuffed sesame pancakes. We order at the counter, walk to a nearby park to eat, and then go home and don't even consider having sex because we are too bloated with pork and chives and fried dough."
Marie, 23
"My boyfriend is currently working in England until March, so chances are if we do anything, it'll be a naughty Skype date. Because, you know, we're young, in love, and really missing sex at this point. That being said, we're not really V-Day people, so I'd be just as happy to chill on my own, re-watching Star Trek: Voyager."
Lia, 25
"My boyfriend and I are taking a short trip to Philadelphia for the weekend, but it's totally for my birthday and NOT for Valentine's Day! (I was doomed to a life with a birthday two days after V-Day.) I'm looking forward to a night together eating too much pizza and getting drunk on cheap champagne. Sexy, right?"
Jamie, 30
"I just got surgery, so we're keeping it simple. Were revisiting a French spot that was my first taste of authentic French food, then a movie."
Erin, 23
"This is my third Valentine's Day with my boyfriend, so we're taking it easy — cooking at home and then going to a local bar that serves alcoholic milkshakes (I know, we're geniuses). I just hate dealing with reservations and expensive prix fixe menus, it seems totally pointless to me."
Gaby, 32
"Watching Apocalypse Now and the documentary about the making of Apocalypse Now, Hearts of Darkness, with my boyfriend of four years (because our shared desire to do things like spend a fake romance holiday watching Marlon Brando freak out is why our relationship works so well).
Emily, 25
“Since it’s a Saturday, I’m doing what I do every Saturday: boozy brunch with friends, drunk texting my exes, then after passing out around 3 p.m., waking up later that night with regret.”
Sara, 28
"I just got engaged and plan on taking full advantage of the perks that come with that, so I'm headed to Napa with a bunch of friends to see how many free tastings and cheese I can get. Why not, right?"
Cate, 24
"Sending this song to [my] Boy, buying a lot of discounted conversation hearts, and possibly getting laid ... I don't know."
Diana, 34
"Crying into my pillow. And when I'm done with that, I have no idea. All plans are tentative and subject to the whims of my mercurial personality."
Kai, 24
"Working. Because that’s what I do everyday of my life. Work. I’ll be working Sunday, too. I’m also working right now and will be 10 hours from now."
Alicia, 20
"A romantic dinner, because I believe in love. So there."
Jordan, 25
"My boyfriend is a musician and he'll still be on tour so we'll be celebrating later this week when he's back. He cares more about holidays than I do, so he's a bit bummed — but honestly it's just another day, and spending time with him whenever will be just as great. Especially because it generally involves tacos *praise hands*. On the actual date, I'm hanging out with my best friend, which is even better than tacos.
...And we will also probably have tacos, so BOOM."
Becky, 29
"Not celebrating this year. I'm working, because that's what you do when you work in a dessert shop on Valentine's Day. I'll be avoiding all thoughts of the previous V-Day, and maybe focusing on the other definition. Vagina Monologues, anyone?"
Anna, 23
"I'm going to a wedding, which is actually a relief. I won't be alone and there's plenty of booze."
Danielle, 31
"I'm intrigued by Fifty Shades ... I mean, you just gotta see it, right? But in a theatre with 150 strangers knowing they're all gonna go home and bang? No thanks."
Kara, 25
"It's fashion week, so I'll likely be out shooting street style on Saturday. Then, my boyfriend and I are cooking dinner because the people who emerge from their caves once a year to go out to dinner on Valentine's Day are truly horrific (and not just because they leave crappy tips)."
Maggie, 30
"Going to see a Smiths tribute band with my friend."
Autumn, 26
"My bathtub and I have a date. I'm inviting a bubble bomb from Lush. This bath will be squeezed in between classes I'm teaching."
Steph, 23
"I just got cable. I also have Netflix. And my boyfriend lives in Seattle. So, you do the math."
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