"And where's the flatware for going on vacation...alone?"

Valentine's Day.


According to Twitter, "Valentine's Day is celebrated Feb. 14 by showing some love for your significant other."

And those without a "significant other" - in other words - those of us who are single? What about us?

I begrudgingly acknowledge that Carrie Bradshaw is not a real person...though if she were she would totally be my idol. Nothing tells the story of being single, fabulous (definitely not broke) and thirysomething better than Sex and the City.

In my all-time favorite episode, "A Woman's Right to Shoes" my would-be idol Carrie hit the nail on the head when she pointed out that after a certain age, if you are single, there is not one occasion where people celebrate you (since we all have birthdays she says it doesn't count - go to the last minute of the clip to hear what she said).

She's absolutely right. So, where does that leave us single people on these Hallmark holidays like Valentine's Day and Sweetest Day (isn't one holiday enough - do relationship people really need two?)?

Traditionally, I spend Valentine's Day with my single girlfriends - we go out to dinner, drink some wine, gossip and just have a good time. In fact, a couple of years ago we were out to dinner on V Day and a nearby table was full of elderly ladies doing the same thing we were. It was pretty cool.

Alas, this year, my usual "dates" have real dates (Bitches! Ha, ha - just kidding. Or am I?) or are out of town to avoid the holiday all together (you people suck too, ok?).

One as accustomed to not having a "valentine" as myself is not phased by any of this, really.

I look at this as a day to celebrate my freedom and my independence. This will sound bitchy (shocking, I know) but there are plenty of married moms my age out there who would kill to trade places with me. I come and go as I please, do what I want when I want and I don't have to answer to anyone. If I want to fly out of town for the weekend, the only "sitter" I have to find is for my dog! And you know, I would not trade my existence with one of those married moms my age for a million dollars. OK, maybe for a million dollars because then I would be debt free and could buy a new car and all the Kate Spade bags I want but....wait no, because kids are REALLY expensive and I suppose I would have to feed and clothe them...so it would really have to be more like ten or 20 million....

The sad thing is, when us single people celebrate (or try to celebrate) our singlehood, we're often judged or ridiculed by our friends in relationships. Why is that? No, I don't have a husband or children but yes, I do have a real life, a great one in fact! So please don't judge me when I want to celebrate it (seriously, I had an "I don't have a mortgage, I don't have a husband and I don't have a baby" party a few years back to mostly make fun of myself because of an issue with nearly buying a condo and it hurt feelings and ruined friendships - that was NOT the intention)!

On this Valentine's Day...

Celebrate love - love for your husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend, love for your friends, love for your sibilings, love for your parents, love for your pets.....love for yourself.

Single ladies, what I am saying is Valentine's Day isn't just for those in relationships. So go out there and celebrate YOU - celebrate your freedom, your independence, your love for where you are in your life right now - and tell those who may judge you (whether they are in a relationship or single) to screw off!

In the immortal words of Carrie Bradshaw (overkill, I know, but I can't help it)  in the last episode of SATC, "...the most exciting, challenging and significant relationship of all is the one you have with yourself. And if you can find someone to love the you you love, well, that's just fabulous."