Anti-Valentine's Day: A How to Guide

It's that time of year again, ladies and gentlemen, when Neopians foolishly demonstrate their love to the closest people in their lives. Yes, you guessed it, it's Valentines Day. Now, of course, we all know what that means: mushy cards with heartfelt words, candy and flowers shared between friends, and hearts full of warmth and love. However, there is an alternative way to celebrate this predictable holiday. Anti-Valentine's Day has been gaining popularity for years, and it has finally entered mainstream society, more so than people realize. With that said, however, many still don't what this is or how it's celebrated. It is for these people that I write this article, so please continue reading if you'd like to know more!

There are a few things that we need to consider before we can discuss how to celebrate Anti-Valentine's Day. First and foremost, we must decide how we want to spend this peculiar day: with a group of people, alone, or with maybe one close friend. Then and only then can we decide where we want to celebrate, what we are going to wear, and what kind of presents we should wrap.

Setting the Stage

Whether you're having an Anti-Valentine's Day party, spending this day alone, or celebrating with a close friend, the setting is important. Now the difference between the location for a traditional and an untraditional celebration is the color scheme. Of course everyone knows Valentine's Day is synonymous with all things red and pink, but fans of Anti-Valentine's day generally like a darker and a little more muted palette. Because of this my suggestions for the best venue would be the Gothic Party Background, Lost Valentines Garden Background, or Gothic Garden Background.

Gothic Party Background –Just like the name says, this a great place for an Anti-Valentine's Day Party. The color scheme is perfectly suited for this kind of celebration and it's almost fully decorated. All you have to do is invite the guests. Be careful with the coffins, though – Count Von Roo might be waiting patiently inside for his next unsuspecting victim!

Lost Valentines Garden Background – This is the perfect place to spend your anti-holiday alone. It's dark and kind of dreary, which perfectly suits the personality of a lonely Anti-Valentine's Day celebrator. It is also full of ghastly aromas, which are released from the bow and arrow of the menacing looking statue. The alluring fragrance of freshly clipped hedges and the blossoming of ripe flowers is not wanted here.

Gothic Garden Background – This is the perfect setting to spend a quiet Anti-Valentine's Day with a close personal friend. It's quiet and provides plenty of privacy for long chats, while letting you wander and explore the night.

Dressing the Part

Now that you've decided what kind of Anti-Valentine's Day celebration you're going to have and where you're going to celebrate, the next step would be to decide what you're going to wear. Remember this is an Anti-Valentine's Day celebration so you're going to want to keep up with the dark, muted color scheme. For females, I would suggest the Black Lace-up Dress or the Gothic Red and Black Dress. For males, I would suggest the Spiffy Black Leather Jacket and Black Utility Trousers or the Vivacious Black Shirt and Vivacious Black Trousers.

Now that we've gotten the clothing out of the way, we shouldn't forget about the other accessories that make up a successful look. First of all, I feel that the Gothic Make-Up is a wonderful addition to any of the aforementioned outfits, as is the Gothic Vine Face Paint or Jazan's Guyliner. There are also some wonderful props that you can add to these outfits should you choose to do so. For example, the Dark Valentine Sword, Gothic Lily Bouquet, or Gothic Rose Bouquet would enhance any of these stylistic ensembles. Make sure to dress up from head to toe!

Bringing Gifts

Now that you know how you're going to celebrate, where that will be, and what you're going to wear, the only thing left to discuss is what kind of gifts you're going to bring. Now I'm sure you're wondering "Do we still have to buy gifts if we aren't celebrating a traditional Valentine's Day?" The answer to that question is yes! Even though most Valentine's Day traditions are ignored, this one should still be followed because we cannot deny the dastardly yet 'generous' deeds of caring Neopians.

The next question that you are probably going to ask is "What kind of presents does a person give when celebrating Anti-Valentine's Day?" Well, believe it or not, most of the same types of gifts are given on Anti-Valentine's Day as its traditional counterpart, with a small twist of course.

Angry Emoticon Hearts (around 525 Neopoints) - These candies are a deliciously inexpensive gift to purchase for your Anti-Valentine. Instead of the usual endearing messages, not only do these heart shaped candies feature angry faces, but they are quite sour, making them a perfect way to express your displeasure of the traditional romantic Valentine goodies. No sweet flavors allowed.

Black Licorice Hearts (around 900 Neopoints) – Here is another heart shaped candy that is perfect for an Anti-Valentine Day surprise. Replacing the usual festive red and pink colors, these treats are pure black, making them fit in perfectly with our ominous theme. People who don't celebrate or don't understand Anti-Valentine's Day may find these candies to be on the more depressing side, but I assure you that they are a perfectly acceptable gift.

Black Roses (around 300,000 Neopoints) – Even though roses are definitely a traditional Valentine's Day present, these spiked flowers have a bit of edge to them. The black color of these roses is a stark contrast to their traditional Valentine twin, making them the perfect symbol for Anti-Valentine's Day. It is also worth mentioning that everyone including Dr. Sloth enjoys getting flowers on this special day, even if the tactics employed are unconventional.

Now that we've discussed all of the aspects of how to celebrate Anti-Valentine's Day, I hope you have a better understanding of what it's all about. Since you know how you want to celebrate, where you're going to do that, what you're going to wear, and what you're going to bring, there is only one thing left to do. Go out there and enjoy your Anti-Valentine's Day celebration!!