So I’m just…apathetic about Valentine’s Day. I’m in a very happy relationship (married 23 years), but I have no real desire to do anything celebratory for the day. I don’t expect anything from the spouse and I didn’t get him anything either. He’s cool with this too, and said he pretty much feels the same way. We don’t need a particular day full of fake sentiment to convince each other of our love. Neither of us is conventionally “romantic.” If I want to get him a gift I do it. If he wants to get me one he does it, day notwithstanding. That, and although it’s fun to open silly cards, what do you do with them after? I’m not really a “save cards” kind of person, but I feel wrong about throwing them away, so I do save them.
I feel like that Linus quote to Charlie Brown in the Christmas Special: “Charlie Brown, you’re the only one I know who can take a wonderful season like Christmas and turn it into a problem.”
Not really a problem, I guess. I just don’t feel anything particularly special about the day and I feel vaguely guilty about that, like I’m doin’ it wrong.
My wife and I go out for supper either shortly before or after Valentine’s Day. That’s about it.
Sometimes she has the vague feeling that she should be getting flowers – not because she actually wants flowers, but because that’s what you’re supposed to do.
I like getting flowers…not necessarily for V-Day but it serves as a convenient excuse. It’s February and it’s miserable winter here, so it’s nice to have flowers in Feb.
I got flowers, which were nice but unnecessary. We also exchanged small gifts and are going out for dinner, but nothing fancy. Just a little excuse to go out, really. (Which we don’t need lately since we’re redoing the kitchen and are in week 2 of No Sink - there goes our diet.)
You are so, so bad! You should be ashamed of yourself!
Okay, just kidding.
Most years I’ll do something silly romantic, like 30 grade school valentines hidden in places she’ll go to all around the house. Last night my wife mentioned she hadn’t gotten me a card, and as it turns out I hadn’t gotten her anything yet, so we decided we’d just let it go. We aren’t super-romantic either, but like you we occasionally make romantic gestures for no particular reason (just the general reason that we love each other). It’s a holiday I don’t mind participating in, but also don’t mind ignoring.
I would like flowers, but I generally like flowers. As anaa says, it’s nice to have some flowers in the house in February.
I think our romantic Valentine’s Day today is going to be going to get my car from where I left it yesterday. Then my husband is going curling. Yeah, I know, hopeless romantics.
I don’t like flowers and he knows it (I like them fine when they’re growing, but I just don’t see the point in spending a lot of money on a bouquet of flowers that’s going to die in a few days–sorry, yeah, that’s me being romantic! :D). We went out to Benihana on Sunday night, and kind of called that our “Valentine’s Day dinner.” Neither of us likes to go out on V-Day itself, because the restaurants are packed and they always abbreviate their menus.
I don’t like cut flowers for the same reason as Infovore – I find them thoroughly depressing. I just simply don’t care about Valentine’s day, any more than I care about NASCAR. I tend to automatically reject any scenario when someone tells me what I “should” feel. Like I “should” feel neglected unless husband does X, Y, Z things – things I care nothing about! F that! Husband does P, D, and Q things I really do care about without having a day designated for them by a greeting card company.
That said I enjoy chocolates in a heart-shaped box for the awesome kitsch value. But I like them even better 50% off, ie, tomorrow.
Saint Valentine’s Day is BS holiday anyway. The church stopped celebrating the saint in 1969 since whatever miracles associated with him were lost with history. The romantic association with the day allegedly started with a Chaucer poem centuries after Saint(s) V lived. The modern bastardization and recognition of V-day is a gimmick perpetuated by marketing and pop culture.
Romance should be celebrated everyday when possible. Feb 14 is just another day.
I don’t understand this mindset. These aren’t mutually exclusive. You can celebrate your love every day and then on Valentine’s Day, do a little something special.
I don’t care what other people do, but I love holidays. I’ll take any excuse to celebrate.
I think of it an excuse to eat expensive chocolate. My husband thinks of it an excuse to make a gourmet meal. He likes to cook and I like to eat. We’re both happy that way.
I always get a little something for the Celtling. I want to make sure she knows that love is precious, and worth celebrating; and I want her to expect to be treated well on days like this and her birthday. I like V-day a lot better than most other holidays, as I think it celebrates probably the most important thing about being a human.
I don’t really think about it as celebrating only romantic love though - I think of it as love in general, so that could be the difference.
We’re kind of in the middle here at this point in our lives. No longer treating Valentine’s as a big deal, but still liking to give it a token nod on top of what we do for each other throughout the year.
For example, I also like flowers, but due to our financial situation, that’s not an option. So a couple of days ago, I suggested we both do a Valentine’s gift look-see when we went grocery shopping. Ten dollar limit with a card. Sounded fun.
Anyway, we haven’t traded presents yet. I’ve still got to make him some sugar cookies with hearts in the middle and watch something appropriately sappy, but this approach works for us. I don’t mind being a mini slave to the Hallmark industry for less than 24 hours if it makes us both smile.
