Love & Make-Believe

A note on February: 

Unlike the month of January, I'm cool with February. I enjoy its transience and the fact that it gives way to March (my birthday month and the start of spring). But those may not be the only reasons I'm a bit fond of February. While I somewhat wish I was one to scoff at the whole idea of Valentine's Day, I've always secretly cherished the 14th and the days leading up to it. And this has nothing to do with being with a significant other on the day. Single as can be, I instead find bliss in the wide selection pink and red candy and the sweet cards I receive from friends. Call it pathetic, but I'm pretty content watching rom-coms alone on V-day. 

Therefore, in honor of the commencement of this short and sweet month, I've compiled a list of my favorite couples in movies and on TV.  

The ones who will be keeping me company this Valentine's Day: 

10. Red and Kitty Foreman, "That 70's Show"

[He's the cold to her warm, the stern to her gentle. While she kookily expresses her affection for others, he's always talking about putting his foot somewhere explicit. But after raising two kids (and arguably a whole horde of teenagers), they remain side by side, all the way into the 80's.]

9. Ross and Rachel, "Friends"

[It took a whole ten seasons for these two to finally throw in the towel and just be together already, but the wait was worth it. Fans everywhere undoubtedly rejoiced when she famously announced, "I got off the plane."]

8. Darla and Alfalfa, The Little Rascals

[After many obstacles (opposed friends, a pesky rich kid) Alfalfa proves to Darla that she in fact does not make him "want to vomit." And Darla proves to him she can run with the boys any day, transforming this He-Man Woman Hater into quite the little romantic.]

7. Andy and April, "Parks & Recreation"

[One of the oddest couples of the bunch, A&A are also surprisingly sweetly in love. His charming dullness is countered by her unsmiling sarcasm, a perfect formula for comedic shenanigans. My favorite facet of their bond? He seems to be the only one who can easily crack through her tough exterior.]

6. Mary and George Bailey, It's a Wonderful Life

[Typically distracted by dreams of escaping his little hometown, George is truly only brought back down to earth by the loving and patient Mary. And his offer to "throw a lasso around the moon" for her makes me swoon every time.]

5. Charlie and the Waitress, "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia"

[Okay, so they might not actually be together, but Charlie's undying persistence to woo the Waitress is so dearly pitiful that these two would make a great couple if one half wasn't such a witch. Maybe you'll get her next time, buddy.]

4. Carl and Ellie, Up

[What I love most about these two: they were childhood friends who grew to fall in love, staying together into old age, something you don't normally see in Disney movies. This long courtship makes Carl's loss all the more upsetting and their love all the more believable. And that's saying a lot for two animated characters.]

3. Allie and Noah, The Notebook

[It's the crazy, intense love that girls only dream about. Boy sees girl, boy falls in love with girl, girl eventually reciprocates boy's love. And while the drama of their different-side-of-the-track lives leads to their separation and ultimate reunion, I think it's the longevity of their love that has the fans attached. That and Ryan Gosling.]

2. Jim and Pam, "The Office"

[For a while they were the cutest "will they or won't they"couple on primetime. And just after their wedding when Jim declares that his Plan A was "marrying her a long, long time ago," he shows that marriage and a baby can never take away from the passion of such winsome match.]

1. Marshall and Lily, "How I Met Your Mother"

[Marshmallow and Lilypad (as they so cornily and lovingly call each other) are the prime example of a surviving couple. After a break-up and fights, they still make it together, sharing in the fun, free-spirited, unfeigned love that friend Ted yearns to have himself.]

xo Heidi