VALENTINE'S DUPES ON THE 14TH

Melody Wu & James Yi

Valentine's Day is right around the corner, and you might be dreading its arrival. But it’s 2023, and Valentine’s Day is practically becoming irrelevant. To prove it’s true, more than 12 percent of Americans have stopped celebrating the holiday in the past decade. So why continue succumbing to this outdated tradition when there are so many other fun holidays to celebrate on the 14th? Here are a few to keep you occupied.

World Bonobo Day:

Instead of celebrating romantic love, celebrate man’s closest living relatives–bonobos! 98.7 percent of our DNA is shared with bonobos. Their non-violent practices and ability to feel empathy earned them the title of the “Make Love, Not War” apes. You can donate to conservation initiatives or learn more about bonobos online to celebrate this day. 

World Sound Healing Day

The motto of World Sound Healing Day is “We heal ourselves, and we heal the planet.” Bathe yourself in vocal sounds (Ah, Hum, Om, etc.), tones (crystal bowl, Tibetan bell, etc.), instruments (piano, violin, etc.) or any other type of sonic presentation. The purpose of this holiday is to “send a Sonic Valentine” to Earth by producing sounds that bring us feelings of peace and harmony. Visit worldsoundhealingday.org to relish the healing nature of sound. 

National Cream-Filled Chocolate Day

Just because you don’t have a valentine doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to enjoy chocolates. Although plain chocolates may not be everyone’s thing, I encourage you to try chocolates with filling–I can confirm that they are 14 times tastier. Some fillings to try include marshmallow cream, strawberry, coconut and hazelnut creme. As Forrest Gump once said, “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.”

Extraterrestrial Culture Day

Created by the general assembly of New Mexico, this is a day to honor and celebrate extraterrestrial visitors and their contributions, which include tourist sites, movies and technologies. You can celebrate this holiday and help foster intergalactic peace by watching alien movies, touring sites of alien visits and reading conspiracy theories.

Library Lovers’ Day

Just do something book-related. Extra points if it involves a library. This can be cosplaying, recommending books or simply reading–anything goes. If you are in a quandary, check if your library has anything going on for the holiday. In 2018, the John & Allison Kearney Library displayed vintage typewriters, pens and papers for visitors to write love letters to their dear ones or favorite library.