Desperation Day, celebrated on February 13 every year, was created by the T.V. character Barney Stinson, as a day on which singles desperately try to find a Valentine’s Day date. ‘Desperation Day’ is the 16th episode of season six of the American sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.” Close to Valentine’s eve, the character Lily mentions that she is lonely because her partner, Marshall, is away living with his mother. She talks about how especially lonely she is, seeing as Valentine’s Day is approaching. Eventually, Lily travels down to convince her partner to return for Valentine’s Day. Concurrently, two other characters, Ted and Zoey, are happily dating though they have agreed to take things slow. Zoey invites Ted to help bake cookies one night; and when he describes the situation to the rest of the pack as weird, they tell him he’s being asked to spend the night. Ted is eventually sent home by his girlfriend for being presumptuous. On February 13, the day before Valentine’s Day, Zoey apologizes and tells Ted she is ready to get serious. Ted, however, withdraws due to anxiety and pressure. He soon joins Marshall as a way of avoiding committing to a relationship with Zoey. Later in the episode, Barney claims that single women will find themselves desperate on Desperation Day, the eve of Valentine’s Day, and this is how the day came into being.
History of Desperation Day
Desperation Day, despite its fictitious nature, highlights a current problem in society today. This problem is that of loneliness, neediness, and the desperation that comes with it, especially when one reaches a certain age. Loneliness is an unpleasant emotional response to perceived isolation. There are various causes of loneliness, some of which include a lack of meaningful relationships, a significant loss, and the like. Research has shown that loneliness is a common feature of society. Most humans have or will experience loneliness at one point or another in their lives. Loneliness has been a literary theme for a very long time, even though actual research into the concept is a relatively recent development.
Romantic loneliness, which is the focus today, can be experienced by adolescents from as early as the age of 15, and adults from their late teens who are not closely bonded with a romantic partner. It has been asserted by psychologists that the formation of a committed romantic relationship is a critical development task for young adults, but is also a development task that a lot of individuals have chosen to delay into their late 20s or beyond. Individuals in romantic relationships tend to experience less loneliness than those who are not, as long as their relationship provides them with emotional intimacy. People in unstable or emotionally cold romantic partnerships are still very much susceptible to the feeling of romantic loneliness.
It is this loneliness that can be attributed as the root cause of desperation and the struggle for people with no romantic bond to become seemingly obsessed with finding and settling down with a romantic partner. Valentine’s Day usually comprises a display of the beauty of love in all its forms, and it could be such a drag for people who are uninvolved in romantic relationships to bear with such displays of affection between other people while having no one to share such moments with themselves.
Desperation Day timeline
William Shakespeare’s classic “Hamlet” is released in 1603 and introduces the lonely character Ophelia.
The American sitcom “How I Met Your Mother” from which the Desperation Day is derived, premiers on 19 September.
On February 14, the “How I Met Your Mother” episode titled ‘Desperation Day’ is aired, thus popularizing the fictitious holiday.
On March 2, Megan Nolan debuted with her first novel titled “Acts Of Desperation.”
Desperation Day FAQs
When is Desperation Day?
Desperation day is on February 13, every year — a day before Valentine’s Day.
Is Desperation Day real?
Desperation Day is only as real as unicorns; it exists fictitiously.
Can one find a date on Desperation Day?
We sure hope so! Even though it isn’t an actual holiday, February 13 may very well likely be a day when people are out looking for a suitable date for Valentine’s Day, and anyone can get lucky.
Desperation Day Activities
Go date-hunting
You already know Desperation Day is for a last-ditch effort at getting a date for Valentine’s Day. So don’t be a slouch, get to hunting!
Post Desperation Day memes on social media
We live in a world where almost anything and everything has been made into a meme, including scenes from the iconic ‘Desperation Day’ episode of “How I Met Your Mother.” So you should definitely find some of these memes and post them.
Binge-watch H.I.M.Y.M. episodes
If you’re not date-hunting or posting memes, you should at least try binge-watching episodes of “How I Met Your Mother”. We recommend you start first with the ‘Desperation Day’ episode (for obvious reasons).
5 Interesting Facts About Desperation Day
Desperation Day isn’t an actual holiday
Sorry to disappoint you, but Desperation Day isn’t an actual holiday.
Desperation Day precedes Valentine’s Day
Desperation Day is just a day before Valentine’s Day.
It was first mentioned in H.I.M.Y.M.
The first mention of Desperation Day is on the sitcom “How I Met Your Mother”.
It is quite popular
Despite being a fictitious holiday, Desperation Day is quite popular.
It was featured in H.I.M.Y.M.’s 128th episode
The episode of “How I Met Your Mother” entitled ‘Desperation Day’ is the 128th episode of the show.
Why We Love Desperation Day
It is precursory to Valentine’s Day
We love Desperation Day because it is on the eve of Valentine’s Day, which is the favorite holiday for most lovers.
It is a good way to socialize
For people who actually take it upon themselves to find a lover by all means before Valentine’s Day, it is a pretty cool way to socialize and meet new people (hopefully someone to go on a date with).
It provides comic relief
The fact that Desperation Day was born out of an idea mentioned in a sitcom provides people with very good comic relief.
Desperation Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | February 13 | Thursday |
| 2026 | February 13 | Friday |
| 2027 | February 13 | Saturday |
| 2028 | February 13 | Sunday |
| 2029 | February 13 | Tuesday |
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