I wanted to update on my kids: they were fantastic at the store!! I'm extremely pleased with them. I'll probably be very excited to see them tomorrow since I got to leave for Enrichment and not come home until they were asleep.
My incredibly full plate is almost empty now (the proverbial plate). If I can get through Valentine's weekend, then I just have to prepare for a talk that is over a month away. I can do that. But it is unclear whether I'll survive V-Day. I hate it. It's pointless. People without a significant other are just tortured, and people who have one don't need an extra day for presents and crap when they already have anniversaries. So, yeah, I'm a hater.
So why the concern over the holiday? The kids, for one. They think every holiday is supposed to be an extravaganza, and while I'm not willing to go all out to satisfy them, I really do want to make it special. Especially so that it isn't tied exclusively to boys for their whole lives. Making it family-ish gives it some happy non-dating resonance. And I'm not talking a huge deal - just a little Valentine surprise Saturday morning. A sack of candy and a card, that's all.Secondly, Andy. I may eschew romance, but he likes it. So, I gotta be willing to celebrate in some way or another. I'm hoping dinner and/or a movie (although babysitting will be impossible to get, but I'll manage. Actually, acquiring a sitter is an excellent gift!)
So, what do y'all do for Valentine's?
16 comments:
Sam & I don't believe in V-day. We don't do gifts for Anniversaries either, but we do go out to a nice dinner. Well, nice when we can. One year we went out & got hot chocolate & this past year we were in Utah & went & got Cafe Rio real quick before getting back to the babies. We're so not romantic but hey, we love each other so that's all that matters, right? But you're right about making it a little special for the kids. That's a very wise perspective & one that I'll adopt. So thank you for THAT!
I've always felt that unless you are dating someone, Valentine's Day is a stupid holiday. Like you said, if you are not dating someone, then it stinks. And now that I am married, I don't want flowers or a present for Valentine's Day. I want flowers (preferably tulips) on some random day during the year - just because Robert thought of me. I don't want them on my birthday, our anniversary, or Valentine's Day. No forced flowers for me! I do however, require a card. And I get him one. That's it. And if we go out to dinner for Valentine's Day, it will be to a place like Pappas Barbecue or La Cocina. Someplace we won't have to wait to get into.
I love hearing others take on V-Day...or D-Day, however it fits your life. I've never been a huge fan of the day, all because I feel like it is so forced on us. Now that Kayla is older though, we have started some fun things. It has kind of turned into "family day" for us. We take Matt out to lunch during his work day, then usually decorate cookies for the neighbors, mail off V-day cards for her cousins, and then end up with a nice dinner at home (usually take out...that is where the "nice" comes in. Pretty low key, but mostly just a fun day to be all together.
When I recently asked a friend what she was getting her husband for Valentines day she responded, "He gets me!" I looked at her a bit confused. She added, "My body, he gets my body! I will come up with some creative way to make him believe 'my body' is a valentines gift but in the end 'my bod' is all he really wants. Right?"
I had never considered that I didn't actually have to purchase something for my sweetie on V-Day. Tom is thrifty, so I am certain he won't mind that I don't end up buying him some candy, a cheesy v-day bear or boxers with red lips or hearts all over them. As long as he gets 'my bod' at some point on v-day I am sure he will be smiling from ear to ear.
I on the other hand want a gift. I like to be spoiled. I would rather open a present than have Thomas present "his bod" to me in some "creative way" as a "gift" for V-day. SeRiOuSlY!! (sorry if this was TMI!)
My kids will get a valentine from me along with a bag of candy hearts and chocolate. Valentine's Day is the day of love...love my children!
Oh, love my sweetheart Thomas too! He just won't get a bag of candy.
OK, do I dare write this? Y'all are saying you don't care about Valentines Day so maybe it wont be like a sledge hammer smashing the comment list.
I go to the cemetary.
What can I say? Rachael was born on Valentines day.
I didn't know that, Lori. And I'll be thinking of you on Saturday.
OH! And Happy Anniversary Wade and Delana! That is actually the one thing I really really love about Valentine's day!
I actually really enjoy Valentine's day but I can see why people don't enjoy it. I work for Hallmark so I HAVE to like the holiday! Actually, I am more than ready for it to be over. My boss says that v-day is a holiday made by the card company and endorced by the chocolate and flower companies. Too true!
At this very moment, one of the girls at work has a gigantic bouquet of long stem red roses and calla lilies on her desk. It's gorgeous. She's not here yet, so a bunch of us stood in front of them and discussed how much V-Day bites.
I think Valentine's Day is more for couples who are dating than it is for married couples. It's definitely not for single people.
Oh well. I have to work tomorrow anyway. I bet there will be candy in the break room...
sorry, I kinda love it. mostly because one of my favorite memories of college is sitting on our beds in our room making valentines for no one with colored paper and old martha stewart magazines. I still make valentines almost every year, usually by myself in my living room, and end up giving one to Dana and the rest to my girlfriends. Plus, I look good in both pink and red. The romancey stuff is kinda silly, I think, but the holiday itself just gives me good memories. And for you Jen? Here's a high five 'cause you're neat.
its a greeting card holiday. i just got the kids bubbles and a chocolate. just so they don't get to school and be the only kids who didn't know what valentines day was. i like the baking cookies for the neighbors and sending valentines to their cousins. i made cookies for the neighbors but travis said they weren't good enough. so they ended up in the trash. but i'll try again next year. good ideas though. and hooray for finding underwear!
I hated Valentine's Day as a teenager but now I have a special appreciation for one V-day in particular. We found out that our precious long-awaited firstborn would be a girl on V-Day. It was a dream come true. With that in mind, I applaud Lori H for being such a champ and sharing her very personal V-day story--that takes guts. I admire your candor and bravery.
On a lighter note, I do think the cliche stuffed animals are hilarious. In fact, one time a high school boyfriend gave me a stuffed bear for V-day. Frankly, I felt embarrassed, not by the kind gesture, but because anyone, and I mean anyone, who knows me...even remotely...would understand how "not my style" that is. So I felt silly to be going out with a guy that knew me so poorly that he thought I would enjoy a stuffed animal seat-belted into the front seat of the car when I opened the passenger door. Yes, I did have to bite my lip to keep from laughing. And yes, we broke up shortly thereafter.
First off, congrats on the underwear victory.
I actually love valentines day. We don't do anything big but it is nice to have an excuse to get away from the kids and just hang out, even if it means watching a movie in the other room while the kids are watching cartoons. Most years we celebrate it the day before or the day after because it is so impossible to get a babysitter.
We also give the kids each a box of chocolates to let them know we love them.
Leslie,
Trust me, you will love my creativity.
The Train
Hello Jen. I love Valentines Day too. I love all holidays. And I do suppose I "force" Morgan to give me flowers. After our first couple Valentines together, and no flowers, I finally told him I would like flowers EVERY Valentine's Day, anniversary, and birthday. No need to be creative. I just love flowers. They make me happy. So he always gives me flowers and knows I will be happy with what I get. We also exchange cards or love letters and the girls always get something. You know, my mom is a big holiday person and I think that's where I got it. She always gave us boxes of chocolates on Valentines. Back in the day when I didn't have a "Valentine" on Valentine's Day--I enjoyed kvetching bitterly with girlfriends. So either way, it's fun.
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