By Margarita Neplokh

Saint Valentine’s Day is a holiday celebrating love and affection between two people, or as others may say, a Hallmark trademark used to make a profit from unsuspecting couples. Either way, Valentine’s Day is coming up on Friday and the ever-current question arises: what to do?

As Valentine’s Day creeps up on us slowly, we are bombarded with things to think about, trying to please our significant others, or ourselves. Fortunately, living and going to school in Boston gives couples and singles opportunities to do something special for each other or themselves.

Many restaurants around Boston offer a varied range of foods and specialties to delight anyone on a romance-filled evening. Boston House of Pizza offers heart-shaped pizzas to put the Valentine’s feel in the air. Every dollar from a heart-shaped pizza sale goes to the Heart and Stroke Foundation, who would not love that? Pizza not your style? Bob the Chef’s, on 604 Columbus Ave., offers a little kick of jazz with a music and dinner special, featuring Charles Neville, starting at 7:30 p.m.

Along with the many restaurants offering deals for couples, many interesting concerts and movies are playing to entertain your need for a lovely Valentine’s evening. The Brattle Theatre in Cambridge offers many movies to suit your fancy, but bring out a very special deal for the classic movie enthusiast. The theater is showing Casablanca on the eve of Valentine’s Day.

Brian Cox, a freshman and his partner decided to spend Valentines together and stay in.

“Valentine’s for us includes a nice dinner for two at home his favorite chicken casserole followed by chocolate covered strawberries and a nice bubble bath,” Cox said.

If others are like Cox and his partner and love to spend the night at home, American Movie Classics will be showing Roman Holiday on Feb. 14 at 8 p.m. to get everyone in a classy mood, single or taken. While watching that classic film and talking to your significant other, you could surprise them with the great big heart-shaped cookie you ordered from Geoff and Drew’s. This program offers giant heart-shaped cookies as well as beautiful red tins filled with eight cookies. Visit geoffanddrews.com for more information on how to show your love with these great cookies which benefit raising funds for student programs.

Like going places that are out of the ordinary or just plain fun?

Visit the the Franklin Park Zoo and help design a “love nest” for breeding animals. Visit zoonewengland.org for more information.

After your zoo fest, the possibilities are endless for making the evening last. Shimmy your way to an open field and take a look into the sky. The Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Museum of Science in Boston have plotted a new constellation of stars that resemble the shape of a heart.

Also, the “3rd Annual Flirt Fest” holds casting calls at the Big Easy on Friday the 14th starting at 9 p.m. This event will serve Chocolate Martinis and a beer bar sponsored by Boston Event Guide until 10:30 p.m. There will be a live band, DJ and a worst and best pick-up line contest. Cover will be $20 in advance or $25 at the door at 1 Boylston Place.

Whether you like animals, movie theaters or constellations, there is always a place to go to see something special with your significant other. Many concert venues and events correlate with Valentine’s day to make it ever so special also, but what if you do not like Valentine’s day?

There are many places catering to the anti-Valentine’s Day extrodinare. Bukowski Tavern is having an anti-Valentine’s Day night, no love songs or couples just a bunch of Valentine’s hating friends having fun on a special night. For rock enthusiasts who just want to see a good show, Sleater Kinney will be playing in Providence on 14th.

Last but not least, if laziness is your game, click on your radio and tune your dial to WBIX and play their Valentine’s Day trivia contest. First person to call in with the correct answer will win a vacation to the British Virgin Islands for a seven day romantic getaway.

So, whether you are single or hitched, Boston has a wide variety of events to choose from to entertain even the most cynical person.