I'm not a fan of Valentine's Day ...

… what with all the cheesy red and pink decorations, fluffy animals, shiny hearts and over-priced roses. I’m in the “It’s too commercial for a real emotion” camp.

That said, I can find a few redeeming factors about the day of love …

So (gulp) here are a few of my favourite things about Valentine’s Day:

It forces men who are otherwise lazy slobs to put on their romantic faces. Even if the romance is not particularly original — a red rose and dinner in a nice restaurant (not, say, a sunset picnic in a sugarcane field and a room full of balloons) — romantic faces are always nice to see.

It gives people courage to say how they feel about someone else. Somehow it’s not so overwhelming to confess your feelings on Valentine’s Day. The risk seems somewhat reduced. I like that.

There’s usually chocolate involved.

I happen to like the heart shape, so having it plastered all over everything doesn’t offend me too gravely.

There’s just the merest hint in the air that something magical might happen …

Anyone else?