Valentine's Day. When I was in school I dreaded this day.
The popular girls always set up this thing where you could send a rose to anyone in the school, either anonymously or with a note. Red was for someone you loved and yellow for friendship. I think there were more options but those are the ones I remember.
On Valentine's Day the popular girls would hand out roses during lessons. I always hoped for a rose but I never got one. I should have known better, because most of the roses were delivered to the in-crowd.
Needless to say, I wasn't one of them. And apart from occasions like Valentine's Day I didn't want to be. But ever since then I am in two minds about the concept of Valentine's Day.
When you're single it's a reminder that you are alone, and when you are dating it just puts a strain on the relationship. Everything has to be so lovey-dovey and perfect.
In upper secondary school (that's gymnasiet to the Swedes) I started buying small chocolate hearts and handing them out to all my friends. That way no one was left out and everybody appriciated it. It made so much more sense to me than the popularity contest of the roses, and was much cheaper.
You try it! Buy some chocolate or make some cookies for your friends. Start a new tradition.
What do you mean you can't? Where do you think traditions come from? Yes, from people like you who decide that they would like to change things. But someone has to get the ball rolling. You can be that someone.
Here's a scene from "Some Like it Hot" one of my favourite movies. Two musicians witness the Valentine's Day massacre of 1929 and have to get out of town. But they are broke and the only way out of town is to dress upp i drag and join an all-girl band.
This is one of the best comedies ever made.
