Hearts may be broken now that Anti-Valentine bash is canceled

SALEM — Teens who planned on protesting all things chocolate and mushy at an Anti-Valentine’s Day Party will have to find another outlet for their angst.

The event, originally slated for Saturday, was canceled Monday due to what interim library director LeeAnn Briese said was a misunderstanding about the spirit and intent of the program, planned for ages 12-18 who don’t get excited about the holiday.

Information on the library Web site billed the event as a way to “protest the mushy love-fest” by catapulting heart candies across the room, seeing who can write the meanest break-up letter, and making anti-valentine cards. Guests were “encouraged to wear black and look unhappy.”

“We had children sign up for it,” Briese said. “It wasn’t meant to be harmful or malicious.”

However, publicity of the event resulted in several telephone calls, Briese said, adding the description could have been better written. Briese said she felt there was not enough time to properly “re-publicize” the event, so the management decided to cancel it.

Briese said the cancellation had nothing to do with the planned events, and the library may try hosting the program again next year.

“Many libraries do it,” Briese said. “This isn’t a made-up program. It is something that has been done over and over again in other places.”

The Crowell Public Library in San Gabriel Valley, Calif., is one of several libraries throughout the nation having an Anti-Valentine’s Day Party this week for teens. Activities at that party will include “making hilarious anti-valentines and writing break-up story Mad Libs.” Treats will include broken-heart cookies.

Suzanne Kirk, of the Henry County Public Library in Eminence, Ky., recommends the program because teens enjoy the “dark” side of the idea. According to Kirk, these parties attract more teens than libraries typically get for its programs.

“We made black roses out of duct tape, tore apart some (dime store) teddy bears ... and had a sour Skittle-eating contest, which was my favorite,” Kirk wrote in a library programming blog.

Other libraries are using the Anti-Valentine’s Day Party idea to protest commercialism or promote individualism by decorating T-shirts.

The anti-Valentine’s Day movement is nothing new, however, and has led to its own commercialism. The sale of anti-Valentine’s Day cards has been on the rise since 2007 when American Greetings Corp. added 10 anti-Valentine’s Day cards to the host of 2,500 it produces for the holiday.