According to Encyclopedia Britannica, Valentine’s Day has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, which was held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery.
Since then, Valentine’s has transformed into a commercial affair, where boxes of chocolates and bouquets of flowers are exchanged in a fashion that’s seemingly designed to make singles feel bad. But the truth is, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with being single on Valentine’s Day. In fact, it can be kind of awesome.
To prove our point, we’ve partnered with Vancouver’s premier social club, Events & Adventures, which hosts dozens of singles events every month, to show you just how to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a single in Vancouver.
Go on a date with your friends
If Valentine’s Day were really about love it would involve all the people closest to you. Call up your friends, express your love for them and maybe even spend the day together. You could host a dinner, see a movie, or at the very least, recognize that you probably have more love in your life than you previously realized. After all, boyfriends and girlfriends come and go, but best friends are forever.
Spend some time on your New Year’s Resolutions
Remember those? Whether you wanted to get fit or start a new project, Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to give yourself a little attention and care. Dedicate this Valentine's Day with getting reacquainted with your short and long term goals, passion projects, or anything else that will make you proud of the year ahead. Candlelit dinners are nice, but nothing feels as good as accomplishing your goals.
Treat yourself
Spa day. Enough said.
Take a hike
If you can’t deal with all the #valentinesday content, simply unplug and go enjoy beautiful British Columbia! Vancouver is home to hundreds of walking and hiking trails suitable for all activity levels (and weather patterns). Do a little research and find a hike you’ve never done before, or better yet, one that you’ve always wanted to try. Listen, if Valentine’s brings you down, the best medicine is to spend the day doing something you enjoy. Getting outside is the perfect start.
Cleanse
No, not with juice. Spend some time cleaning out your home of unwanted items. Hey the Romans used to sacrifice animals on Valentine’s Day, this is like that, but way cleaner. To feel a little extra love, take your non-joy-sparking items to a charity drop-off centre.
Go to a tarot card reader, psychic or meditation session
Don’t bother asking questions about your love life, instead focus on what else is important to you, maybe your health, career or family.
Join a social club
Events & Adventures hosts dozens of new events every month in Vancouver. Each event is attended by eligible singles, which means you never need to worry about gathering a group or going alone. There’s always something to talk about, always someone new to meet and always new experiences to be had. Best of all there’s no texting, no apps, and no one-on-one dates. At least not to start.
Social clubs like Events & Adventures are a fantastic way to meet new people in Vancouver because they bring like-minded people together to enjoy things they have a genuine shared interest for. This month’s events include Wizard’s Beer Festival, Night Tubing, volunteering at the Greater Vancouver Food Bank and their epic Red, White & Pink Penthouse Party. Perhaps you can meet someone to spend Valentine’s Day with next year!
To learn more about all the events and adventures happening this month in Vancouver, visit eventsandadventures.com
