i heart Heart day

It's that week again - the store-bought valentines with Disney characters, the pink and red M&Ms. And fortunately for me, the hand-made construction paper cards from school with "I love Mom" on the front and "You rock" on the inside.

I need very little on Valentine's Day to make me happy. To me, Valentine's Day is like permission to write "I love you" on a folded napkin and still have inarguably fulfilled every obligation of the day without having spent a dime.

In college, we used to put out boxes and give each other little Valentines just like in elementary school. My first Valentine's Day with Michael was my first date with him ever. It was just lunch - no gifts, no cards, no candles. But it was the best day ever. I didn't eat much, which his dad told him later was a good sign.

It's too bad people get stressed about this holiday, especially when they're single. Seriously, some red construction paper, a heart cut out of white, and a few happy words. Glue it together with Elmer's or flour-and-water, sign your name, and you're about to make someone's entire week. It's not stressful to celebrate this one, and it doesn't require a gesture the size of a marriage proposal. Just tell somebody - anybody- that you thought of them. I really think this is what Post-It notes were created for.