"I love Valentine's Day. Who's with me?"

*Tumbleweeds…..*

When I say “I love Valentine’s Day” people look at me like I just cocked my leg and did a loud fart. Noses screw up, eyes go wide and looks shift from disbelief to shock.

But I do.

I love that my fiance always gives me roses.  They make me smile and feel loved.  I even like thinking about him calling the florist and dictating the message, knowing that for those few minutes he was just thinking about how much he loves me.

I love that Cheshire cat look he gets on his face, so proud that he remembered and did something just to make me happy.

I’m in love and I love love.

But oh boy, am I on my Pat Malone. Most women I know slam Valentine’s Day. Some are treat me like I’m celebrating Satan Day when I say how much I enjoy it.

“God it’s so commercial,” one rolls her eyes.

Yep.  And so is every other event in our calendars.  You can’t tell me Christmas is all about Jesus, I’m still not sure how chocolate eggs even came to symbolise Easter and look at how many Aussie flag beer coasters are sold on Australia Day.

Read more: 7 things I seriously miss about being in love in the 1990s.

“It is just rubbing it in the faces of single girls,” sneered another.

No. Here’s the thing I’ve come to realise; it’s not about female competition.

I’m honestly not trying to make single gals feel bad by celebrating love. I can promise you I’m not thinking about you on Valentine’s Day – I’m thinking about the man I love and I’m feeling happy.

I love seeing other women walking home from work clutching bunches of flowers.

It makes me smile and I’m not judging those who don’t have flowers.

Hating on Valentine’s Day is like political correctness gone mad.  I don’t think I should I dim my light just in case it makes you feel bad?  Why shouldn’t you dim your hate and feel happy for me?  It’s a two way street.  Let’s meet in the middle.

“I’d rather host an Anti-Valentine’s Day party,” laughed a friend.

Great fun!

I remember holding anti-Valentine’s Day parties when I was in my twenties.  The invites would read “No hearts, no roses, no stupid fat cupids” and my girlfriends would come around and we’d drink excessively while declaring our only true loves were each other.

Anything celebrating female friendship is fantastic and if this gives you a date to do that I will raise a glass to you.

Want more? 36 less morbid, more fun questions to fall in love to.

Sure, and we do.

We do nice things for each other all the time. But if we bought flowers for each other every day we will never save for a house deposit. And if it happened every day it would lose it’s impact and meaning.

“You’re just conforming to what society says is romance and love,” spat one.

I don’t think it’s conforming to stereotypes I think it’s following traditions.  To me you don’t give red roses to an associate.  If you get red roses it means the person loves you.

I also wear a diamond ring on my finger to symbolise that I’m engaged, I drink champagne show I’m celebrating and blow out candles on a cake for my birthday.  If that’s conforming? I’m cool with that.

Read more: Read the rock star love letter that’s the “greatest of all time”.

“It’s so much pressure on the men,” one girlfriend sighed.

It’s true.  But I think you and your partner set the boundaries and expectations.

I’m beaming over 12 roses, not stamping my foot and demanding limos rides and baby kittens with diamond collars.

I once bought my partner flowers because really both parties need to celebrate each other, he just looked confused.  I’ll probably make sure there is Guiness in the fridge and that will prompt a content smile.

“What if your partner’s taste in flowers is, um… questionable? Then the office delivery is not so great,” grimaced another.

I disagree.  It’s truly the thought that counts.  Growing up my Dad never missed Valentine’s Day.  He would come home clutching red carnations from the local service station.  Instead of scoffing, my Mum would swoon and they would kiss happily.

Sigh. I love love.

What will you be doing this Valentines Day? Let us know in the comments.