The Anti-Valentine's Day Movement

It always amuses me when I see Halloween decorations next to Christmas decorations in the stores. Halloween isn’t even over yet and they have already rolled out Christmas. Which is why it should have come as no surprise to me to see Valentine’s Day items in the stores not two days after Christmas!

In my mind, Valentine’s Day has always received a bit of a bum rap. It has been called a “Greeting Card” holiday, and many people (mostly men – sorry guys, but it’s true!) simply say that they don’t need a special day to celebrate their love, that it’s demonstrated in little ways each day. I’ve always viewed this as a bit of a cop-out, since demonstrating love in little ways each day PLUS bringing your wife home flowers on Valentine’s day is an extra bonus, is it not? A get-out-of-dog-house-free card, if you will?

Now, I’m not the type of person to go all out and do something extravagant on the big V-Day. In fact, many times my husband and I have simply exchanged a nod and a kiss in observance of this holiday, and then continued on with our regular daily routine. But sometimes it’s hard not to get caught up in the flurry of Valentine’s Day fun.

Those who know me know I worked many, MANY jobs before I finally settled on being a business owner and plotting murder for a living. One of these jobs was at Hallmark, one doing floral delivery and one working in a flower warehouse. It was hard not to get caught up in the excitement, what with the scent of roses and cinnamon hearts acting like a love drug that even my cynicism toward anything “lovey” could defeat.

But it wasn’t until I started writing murder mystery games that Valentine’s Day became something to REALLY look forward to – not because of the hearts and the lace and the flowers everywhere, but because of the anti-Valentine’s Day sentiment! Every Valentine’s Day there is a movement of people who are like the anti-cupid, celebrating not their relationships but their lack thereof, in a fabulously dark and sometimes ridiculous way! Not surprisingly, a murder mystery game fits right into this fantastic of all anti-holidays.

The Anti-Valentine’s Day revolution is not about ruining those doe-eyed Disney-characteresque people’s celebration of their love. It’s like a paralell holiday, something kitchy and fun that the singletons of the world can look forward to and enjoy, all the while celebrating their independence.

Our Valentine’s events of the past have been an absolute blast, ranging from 8 to 300+ people. The game we have used in the past years, The Single Stab, is going to be launched on the site soon in our new MINI-MYSTERY format in time for Valentine’s day. Invite your friends, single or coupled, to sleuth their way through this fantastic mystery that unites both the pro-Valentine’s and Anti-Valentine’s Day revolution.

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