For some people, Valentine’s Day can be a rather off-putting holiday. Indeed, having spent many years as a single girl, I have lived through numerous February 14’s feeling blue. Perhaps a decade ago, I decided to redefine the holiday to focus on friends and loved ones, rather than a “boyfriend.” I have made countless Valentine’s Day cards for my girlfriends and sister and baked heart shaped cookies and cupcakes for friends and co-workers, allowing me to enjoy the festivities as a single person. Indeed, I’ve often tried to lavish special attention on girlfriends who may be feeling the sting of loneliness on Valentine’s Day.
This year, I tried a new exercise to regain the youthful exuberance of the holiday (don’t we all have sweet memories of Valentine’s Day parties in elementary school?) My mission was to purposefully strolled through some of my favorite NYC shopping neighborhoods to see how the various merchants marked the occasion in their window displays. As I expected, there were wonderful exhibits all about town—in the expected places (chocolate shops, jewelry stores, and stationers) as well as some unexpected spots (drug stores, shoe shops, and photography studios). The most unusual display belongs to the eclectic Zitomar’s on Madison Avenue. Known for jam packed stores with cosmetics, fragrances, accessories and all manner of bric-a-brac, Zitomar’s proudly displayed a full-sized “Adam and Eve” in their window, surrounded by Valentine’s gifts!
What reminders of Valentine’s day can you find?