10 reasons to smile on Valentine's day

Here are my top ten favourite things about Valentine's day – with or without a date:

10. Movies: There will always be a good selection of chick-flicks on TV. Deep down inside every girl is a girly-girl, no matter how independent and nonchalant they may seem. Embrace the girly person, this Valentines!

9. Chocolates: Chocolates are a big part of Valentine's Day culture around the world. I love chocolates. I love how they taste, I love how they smell, I love how they melt, I love what they look like – I love everything about them except for what they do to me. But Valentine's Day guarantees guilt-free chocolate consumption. And I love it!

8. Sales: So you might get sick of the colour red, but the sales that will happen over this weekend will be pretty darn cool. Discounts, bargains, prizes on the radio, you name it – it's all there for Valentine's. So why not jump right in and have some fun?

7. Dressing up: Boyfriends and girlfriends, husbands and wives, couples in general tend to some times get immune to each other. Men will start to think it doesn't matter that their clothes don't match and women will gradually put less and less effort into how they maintain themselves. But on Valentine's Day there's always reason to spruce up! Buy a new dress. Get that funky hair cut you always wanted. Appreciate your partner. And have a blast while you're at it.

6. Bad music: There was a time in everyone's lives when boy-bands were actually cool. I loved the Backstreet Boys when I was twelve. My favourite was Kevin Richardson because he had nice eyebrows. Later I liked Brian Litteral because he had a nice jaw-line. See, I still remember all of their names! The sad thing, however, is that as I began to grow up, boy/girl bands became more and more nauseatingly lollypop-py and I moved on to the grungier side of music - focussing less on rainbows, more on angst. However, Valentine's Day is a celebration of bad music, and this I like about it. I get to re-live my early teens shamelessly and it gives me quite the thrill. It could have a similar effect on you, if you let it.

5. Opportunity: So it's a bit of a cliché to propose or ask someone out on Valentine's Day, but nevertheless, Valentine's Day poses quite the opportunity to test the waters. It's the only day you'll actually be justified in asking that cute girl/guy if they are with someone and if not are they in the mood for a movie or whatever. Good opportunities must not be passed up (unless you're a prude, like me).

4. Future: For those of us already in a relationship, this is a good time to explore the future. Ooh, that's a scary word for some people, but a nice word for others. The future of your relationship can be exciting and it can take off this Valentine's Day

3. Past: I particularly like Valentine's Day because it helps me to see how much I've grown as a person. I look back at my first Valentine's Day date in February 2002. It was about the most awkward occasion in my romantic life. I wouldn't have a repeat of that, if I can help it, but I do remember my date looked like Elvis, and I had some (immature, childish) fun. There's no harm in a little fun, but I'm glad that's all far away from where I am now!

2. Thankfulness: There are any number of reasons to be thankful this Valentine's Day – either for your spouse or partner, for the Valentine's Day memories you've made in the past, for the chocolates and flowers you might get or have the privilege of giving someone else, or you might even be thankful for a period of singleness you are spending right now. Don't forget to be thankful!

1. Contentment: For the 9 reasons above, I am content, this Valentine's Day. Not sulky, for a change. And deep down, I know that I always have been content - regardless of what disaster-date I was on, or even if my date was just my puppy and we just watched TV all evening, sitting on the couch. There's always a reason to be content, and that's the best place to be this Valentine's Day.