Dear friends who thought I would stop ranting about Valentine’s Day once I was in a relationship, I’m sorry; you were mistaken.

I know I’m not the only person that rants about V-Day (coupled or otherwise). My new favourite Tumblr account, Occupy Valentine’s Day, proves it. Created by Outdated: Why Dating is Ruining Your Life author (and Executive Editor of Feministing), Samhita Mukhopadhyay, the site is collecting stories of love that are not limited to the commercial definition. The site wants to change the culture of romance. For my contribution I’m going to share some facts you might not have known about V-Day.

• In the United States the cost of the 189 million red roses sold around February 14 adds up to a whopping $1.6 billion.
• California produces more roses than any other state, but Columbia and Ecuador produce 90% of roses sold in the US.
• 1 billion Valentine’s Day cards are sent in the US, which if attached could make a chain wrapping around the world five times over.
• According to National Geographic the holiday originates from a “raucous annual Roman festivals where men stripped naked, grabbed goat- or dog-skin whips, and spanked young maidens in hopes of increasing their fertility.”
• National Geographic also reports this year V Day will generate $17.6 billion in sales. Up from last year, this shows the economy is getting better.
• 8 billion chalky conversation hearts will be produced this year.
• 11% of Americans get engaged on Valentine’s Day.
• Condom sales will increase by 20-30%.

Vaginas.

We all know what they are. We (ladies) all have them. We know what they’re for and why they’re there. But do we know how to keep them healthy? Sure, we know the parts. We know we should bathe. We know wet bathing suits are bad and vaginal infections are worse, and condoms are very, very good.  But do we know how to ward those off? And what we can do to prevent them? I’m not so sure. So I did a little research, and came up with five little known facts about the ways to keep your vajajay healthy. Have a look; you just might learn something.

1. Wear cotton underwear. Tight underwear, especially nylon or lycra, can irritate your vagina and keep the moisture in. But cotton underwear breathes, which allows your vajayjay to breathe, and allows air to circulate. Not only does this help maintain good skin around the area but it also helped to prevent a buildup of sweat and oil which can lead to infections.

2. Never spray it with perfume or body spritzer. These things will irritate your vagina and can lead to an infection. It’s as simple as that. So no scented lotions in or on that area. No perfumes. No body sprays. Not even scented soaps.The best thing you can do to make your vagina smell nice, or rather not smell at all, is clean it with clear, soapless water.

Read More »

So let’s be real, we all cried a little bit when we found out Brad and Jen were splitting, and some of us are still sticking pins in our Angelina Jolie voodoo dolls not over it. In fact, thanks to our obsession with celebrities, faux-lebrities and TV/movies, we often find ourselves more invested in Hollywood/fictional couples than we do in our own relationships.

But who can blame us? It doesn’t take a Patti Stanger to know that our hot-wings-eating, HALO-playing, Edward-40-hands-lovin’ boy toys pale in comparison to the romantic, doting, sexy Prince Charmings we see in our weekly tabloids and primetime TV shows.

What girl wouldn’t yearn for her very own vampire (think True Blood, not Twilight)? Or an Upper East Side romance? The picture perfect couples are everywhere we look, and even if we aren’t half of one, it’s the holiday of looooove (duh, Valentine’s Day, people) so let’s melt, ooze and swoon over some of our favorite duos. Read More »

Happy Valentine’s Day!

With three words I’ve probably caused every single reader to groan in frustration. You’re probably trying to forget this day exists, aren’t you? Trying to pretend this is just a normal Monday.

Well it’s not. Today is Valentine’s Day. And single or coupled, or complicated, Valentine’s Day is a day worth celebrating. (Hello, we spent an entire week trying to get that point across!) You cannot escape the mayhem that surrounds this day. You cannot ignore it. You cannot hide from it. So you might as well embrace it. And here’s why…

10. Those valentines you used to get as a little kid. You know what I’m talking about. You probably have a whole bunch of them saved somewhere. The ones that have your favorite cartoon characters on them. The ones with too much lace and cheesy sayings. The ones you loved then and still love now.

9. Chocolate. Not only is it delicious, but apparently it’s also good for you. And Valentine’s Day is one of very few holidays when you can eat an entire box of chocolate truffles without getting strange looks, whether you bought them for yourself or they’re a gift from your beau. Read More »

What is Valentine’s Day really about?

Romance?  No.
Chocolate?  No again.
Flowers?  Absolutely not.

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day is about spending two weeks trying to find the perfect gift for your boyfriend or girlfriend and often failing miserably. Then spending another two weeks talking about said failure with your friends. It’s exhausting and its not what should be occupying your time.

This year, instead of you and your partner both exerting your energy worrying about getting each other the “perfect gift,” why not focus on gifts you can share together? It takes the stress off of your shoulders and brings the focus back to what this holiday is really about: spending time with the one you luuuurve.

Sexy Lingerie. While possibly a little bit cliché, this gift will always work (especially when you bust it out again in March, April…you get the point).  You get to look really hot in some expensive Victoria’s Secret get-up and he gets to get hot when he sees you. Then you both get to enjoy what happens next. And again in the morning.

Weekend Getaway. If you’ve been dating for a long time and you want to do something ultra romantic, plan a weekend trip to a bed-and breakfast.  Spend the days wandering in and out of shops in the cozy little town and the nights snuggling in your quaint little room. If that’s too much to plan, booking a nice hotel in your college town for the night is a cheaper and easier alternative. It may not seem like much, but it’s amazing what a clean room without roommates can do. Read More »

Is this too new for chocolates?

As we all know, celebrating Valentine’s Day when in a new relationship can be somewhat awkward.  How should you acknowledge the holiday?  Here are some tips from the gift giving experts at SomeoneSpoilMe.com.

Just Started Dating

If you just started dating someone and decided that you are going to spend Valentine’s Day together, you should definitely give him a gift.  There is no need to give him anything over the top – it should be thoughtful, but not too personal. Here are some great options for him… Read More »

V-Day season is upon us again, and even though I’m in a relationship this year, I still feel like I want to punch people whenever I see little red hearts dotting store windows. I’m not a big proponent of the “show your love for someone by throwing money at him” school of thought. I am, however, all for gifts that are thoughtful, useful, and CHEAP.

Hearing me out? Read on.

- If you want to go traditional, mix up the monotony. Candy and flowers are nice and don’t break the bank, but apparently they are not great for the planet, so why not choose something a bit different this year? A box of fair-trade, organic chocolates won’t run you more than 20 bucks, and they’re made with more care and better-quality ingredients than that Russell Stover collection.

- Does your boo like to spin the tunes? Make him a mix CD. I know, I know—that’s so sixth grade—but really, it’s a very thoughtful gift that can’t come from anyone except you. Go through your playlist and mountains of CDs to pick out songs that remind you of that special someone, burn ‘em off, and make a pretty liner and cover for the CD. Done! Read More »

Do people really love Valentine’s Day, or loathe it. We wanted to find out so we took to the streets.

I’m just going to throw this out there:

I haven’t had a boyfriend on Valentine’s Day since I was fifteen. It was chock-full of adolescent cliches– roses, pearl earrings, homemade cards…all those things that happen on TV and in movies happened to my tiny, naive, unappreciative sophomore self. I’ve had other boyfriends, but they always seem to ironically end or begin almost perfectly in order to stay out of sync with Valentine’s Day. Super.

You mean being showered with love and affection doesn’t happen every year?!

And though one could assume my February 14ths have been downhill from there since I’ve been flying solo, I’m happy to announce that I’ve mastered the art of the sensational Single Girl’s Valentine’s Day. Watch and learn.

1. Stay the heck away from The Notebook. Why do some people insist on adding insult to injury by drowning their lack-of-man-sorrows in a painfully beautiful display of what you might be pining for? Don’t watch something you know will make you sad, and even though it may be tempting, don’t invite two pints of Ben and Jerry to watch with you. Sugar comas will not make you any less lonely.

2. Get your glitter glue out and show some love. Everyone loves nice gestures and Valentine’s Day is just about consumerism anyway. There are no rules about what it’s all about, so I take the opportunity to buy my best (PLATONIC) friends chocolates and cards and show them the love they deserve every day of the year. Remember those little Batman and Barbie Valentines we loved circa 3rd grade? Simple, friendly Valentines are equally appreciated at age 19 as they are at age 8. Read More »

Ok, so your best friend doesn’t have a boyfriend and is in need of some MAJOR hugging and telling her everything will be fine and that the world is not ending just because she’s alone this Valentine’s Day. Why not give her a cute gift along with all those X’s and O’s?

This Valentine’s Day, it’s all about lovin’…

Presents, that is.

For:

The Frugal One – Not only are brownies yummy to eat, they’re cheap and easy to make, too! And if you’ve always saved the crust for last (since, obviously, it’s the best part), now you can make your entire brownie batch edge-y in this super cool pan.

The Sweet One – Nothing says “I Love You” like toilet paper. Really. Nothing.

The Artsy One -  Chances are, her wall is full of paintings but is missing one of these. Fish are so much easier to talk to than guys, anyway.

The Crazy One – Need to get back at an ex? Well, now you can take a stab at him. Violence is definitely the answer in this case. A very cute, useful answer.

The Forever-A-Kid One – Gum isn’t just for chewing anymore, people. It provides hours of entertainment to stop you from thinking about guys and relationships. Who needs a man when you can make art? Read More »