It’s one of the reasons why my husband married me: I hate Valentine’s Day. Don’t buy me flowers or a stuffed bear or even chocolate. Don’t even bother buying me a card.
My best friend says I’m cold hearted and bah humbug about the so called ‘holiday.’ But I can honestly say I don’t need a Hallmark invented holiday to know that I am loved and appreciated by my husband.
Trying to get into a restaurant on Valentine’s Day is a joke. Instead, we’ll have dinner at home as usual.
We have dinner together every night and I’ll admit, I’m preparing something a little more special tonight and we’ll even have dessert. But spending hundreds of dollars on Valentine’s Day? Give me a break.
Flower prices are marked up so high this time of year I find it ridiculous (or maybe I’m just cheap). A sign outside a local market said a dozen roses were $19.99. When I need flowers for a table centerpiece I can find them at the same store for $6.99 a dozen when it’s not Valentine’s Day. Just give me the money you’re going to spend on Valentine’s Day flowers and I’ll put it away in our “fun fund” for the trip to the beach we’re planning next month.
As I look around the newsroom, I can spot four ladies with flowers on their desks. Two of the women are married and two are dating. I used to have a theory that Valentine’s Day was only for couples who are dating, but I guess that theory is out the window.
In writing this blog, I’ve been forced to really think about it. I guess I find Valentine’s Day very cute in some ways. I think it’s cute seeing men inside stores searching for present for their wife or girlfriend.
When I was 10-years-old, I was in the car with my mom heading home from school. We were stopped at a red light and looked over to see my dad at a roadside stand buying my mom and bouquet of flowers. When he came home and presented the flowers to my mom at the door, my mom and I giggled and made eye contact. But my mom didn’t have the heart to tell him we spotted him. That I think is cute.
I also think it’s cute to see the smile on my coworker’s face when a dozen roses are delivered to her desk from her new boyfriend on Valentine’s Day.
So it’s not really fair to say I hate Valentine’s Day, because I don’t hate it as a whole. I do think it’s cute, but it’s just not for me.
Amy, what I hate -- yes, hate -- about ValDay is how it has become yet another "holiday" where he are supposed to shower our kids with junk food. The school parties, that once upon a time just involved those little sugar candy "Be Mine" hearts, have morphed into full-on high fructose festivals with cupcakes, juice boxes, and enough chocolate to cross your eyes and stop your heart.
Real heart, not the paper one.
No one likes to be a food Nazi, but I just cannot believe what otherwise good and loving parents hand over to their kids in the name of "love" on a day celebrating "love."