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Holidays

Sick of Valentine’s? Here Are Alternate Holidays To Celebrate on February 14

New (and unexpected) reasons to love this day of love.

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Every day is a gift; that’s why they call it the present. But if you’re not a fan of Valentine’s Day, you might wish the “gift” that is February 14 came with a receipt. And look, we get it — not liking Valentine’s Day doesn’t make you a bitter curmudgeon. Regardless of your relationship status, you may be turned off by the excessive commercialism of the holiday or the cheesy sentimentality. Maybe you’re creeped out by winged babies or hate the color red. Whatever your reasons, you don’t have to go into hiding on the 14th just to have a good day. Check out these very real, alternate holidays that just so happen to occur the same date as Valentine’s — and get ready to celebrate. 

Extraterrestrial Culture Day

Occurring the second Tuesday of every February, Extraterrestrial Culture Day is officially recognized in Roswell, New Mexico — a city known for its UFO incident — via passage of a bill by the former State Representative, Daniel Foley. National Today reports that Extraterrestrial Culture Day is meant to “celebrate and honor all past, present, and future extraterrestrial visitors in ways to enhance relationships among all citizens of the cosmos, known and unknown,” according to the bill. In lieu of chocolate and champagne, dive into some popcorn, watch E.T., and turn a telescope to the night sky in appreciation of our Intergalactic brethren. Who knows? You might just see another unidentified flying object.

National Ferris Wheel Day

Attending the fair on a romantic Valentine’s date might sound ideal — but it turns out you have another reason to enjoy the amusement park on February 14th: honoring George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr., the creator of the Ferris Wheel. According to NationalDayCalendar.com, in 1893, fair director Daniel H. Burnham challenged Chicagoans to create something impressive enough to rival the Eiffel Tower at the upcoming World’s Columbian Exposition. A talented engineer, Ferris sketched his idea for a giant, moving, rideable wheel on some restaurant napkins; and though Burnham found it ridiculous, Ferris used his own money and found investors to create a 250-foot diameter wheel ride anyway. It brought in major profits for the fair, and we (obviously) still enjoy Ferris Wheels to this day. So while other riders are distracted by staring into each other’s eyes at the peak of the wheel, look out on the horizon and appreciate the tenacity, ingenuity, and creativity of Mr. Ferris. Valentine’s Day, who?

National Christine Day

Crissie, Cris, Cristy, Tina. Whatever your nickname, you can all agree on one thing — you’re a Christine, and what a wonderful thing that is. In fact, people around the globe celebrate the legacy of the name Christine every February 14. With origins in Christian history, Christine is now one of the more popular names in Europe and the US, and with good reason: Christines are selfless people with balanced personalities, creativity, and strong wills, according to National Today. So, give your favorite Christine a call — she’ll say “Happy Valentine’s Day!” and you can say “No, happy you day.”

Jell-O Week, February 12-18

Valentine’s falls squarely inside of Jello-Week, says DaysOfTheYear.com — a time honoring the impact of the jiggly, gelatinous treat. Originating from Middle Eastern cuisine in the 1400s, gelatin-based items were seen as food for the wealthy in the States, due to the complexity of their preparation. Then, in the 1900s, Pearle Bixby Wait trademarked an accessible, powdered form of the stuff, and Jell-O became a household staple nationwide. Make a bowl of your favorite flavor or whip up a Jell-O Poke Cake, like this one from food blog Lil’ Luna. A treat sweeter than Cupid himself. 

Pickle Time Week, February 12-18

Valentine’s Day focuses on the boring, traditionally romantic foods, like cloyingly sweet chocolate and expensive champagne. Luckily for you, the Valentine’s-averse, February 14th also falls during Pickle Time Week, which celebrates the greener, bumpier, brinier side of life. Started by the Pickle Packers Association in 1949, Pickle Time Week honors the beauty of the pickled cucumber. They were introduced to Americans in the late 1800s by Eastern Europeans, and have been a staple ever since. Celebrate the day by pickling your own cukes, or simply enjoying some from the store. Straight from the jar, even. We don’t judge.

Celebrate In Style

This list is just the beginning of alternate things you can celebrate on Valentine’s Day; but if you love the holiday already, you can simply count these as more reasons to rejoice. Have the Ultimate Day by riding a ferris wheel, eating pickles, hanging out with a beloved Christine… or even engaging in National Week of Chastity, which also, ironically enough, falls during this time. However you celebrate (or don’t), remember that you never need an excuse to treat yourself like the lovable human being that you are. Have a great Tuesday!

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