CHENNAI : Valentine’s day. Much like death, it approaches. There are more chocolate boxes, overpriced set menus and stuffed teddy bears than my stomach can handle. Couples holding hands are my dementors. Everything takes the shape of a giant heart and honestly, it’s exhausting! As I flip my pancake in silence this morning, I want you guys to remember my unwed left hand. It deserved more attention than it received.
My dislike for Valentine’s Day is not coming from a place of annoyance after having met a handful of worldly disappointments; and I am certainly not petitioning for it to be called Singles Awareness Day or anything. I love the idea of my boyfriend taking me out on a date or having the door held open for me. I learned a lot from being in love. For starters, since I’ve started dating my boyfriend, I’ve learned 80 new ways to tell him that he is wrong. You see? I love love and everything about it. I watch romantic comedies, compete with artists during in-car love ballad karaoke sessions, dream about kissing in the rain and have an entire wedding planned on Pinterest. I’m the sappiest of sappy hopeless romantics.
I have simply concluded that, Valentine’s Day is a Hallmark holiday to display glorified parades of affection to one another that you should be doing in little ways everyday anyway. Do couples say Happy Valentine’s Day to each other in person or it’s just an Instagram thing? We have fallen for a marketing gimmick, which comes with undeniable pressure and nonsensical expectations that go with the ‘celebration’. For me, “I love you” is sharing my top-secret hummus recipe (whether you asked for it or not) and pretending the tragic excuse you just tried to pass off as a joke is laughable, not heart-shaped boxes and fancy dinners.
Anyway, soft skin and cashmere make me less upset. So, if you are championing for your significant other to pick up a hint (men do not comprehend this concept; neon signs are helpful) for the perfect present, look no further! A candle from Diptyque or Chanel’s L’Huile Rose Body Massage Oil are a good place to start. Don’t worry, there’s still plenty of time to disappoint your valentine. If that’s the goal, anti-wrinkle cream or a battery bank would be a fantastic option. This year, instead of lowering the bar on your expectations around this day, why don’t you simply just bury the bar? This way, you would have met all your goals because now you don’t have any! Just cancel all your plans and become pasta. Live as a bed, cry into a cake. You are the miracle you’re looking for!
saumya R chawla @pixie.secrets