Many just hate holiday of love
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Valentine's Day is the holiday of love, to be sure. It's also the holiday that many singles -- with ever-increasing zest -- love to hate.
Whether it's organizing bashes for people without sweethearts or even starting an alternative holiday, the unattached are fighting back. In Chicago, for instance, several taverns will be hosting anti-Valentine's Day parties Friday, complete with black balloons.
On the Internet and in stores, anti-Valentine's cards are widely available. "Out of all my wives ... you're the best," says one.
Diatribes against the holiday abound on anti-Valentine's Web sites, with particular scorn heaped on greeting card companies, florists and confectioners.
"The primary motive behind Valentine's is money," writes Xiaoxin Lu, a pro-celibacy activist. "They all do this under the guise of something called Love. They do this while making single people feel sad, degrading them."
Advice for Valentine's Day outsiders is plentiful -- don't feel there is anything wrong with not being in a relationship, do something kind for someone in need, treat yourself to something special during the day, hook up with other single friends for some enjoyable activity.
COPYRIGHT 2003 ASSOCIATED PRESS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN, OR REDISTRIBUTED.