cerridwen Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 I dig it. Spread the love, I say. It doesn't just have to be about a S.O.. I give Valentines to girlfriends and family alike. When I'm dating, they get Valentines too. And when I'm exclusive? Watch out. grrrrrrrrrr.
HeavenOrHell Posted February 7, 2012 Posted February 7, 2012 Part of me thinks it's commercial nonsense, but part of me loved it when my ex gave me a card I won't get one from my current partner, so I'd rather just forget it exists.
skelterhelter Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 (edited) When I was single, Valentine's Day wasn't important. Hell, I was single for so long that I became numb to it. I had fun just getting together with my friends and having a good time without men. But now that I just got out of a relationship that I really wanted to work, I'm just sad and bitter that our end came around this holiday. I don't even wanna think about it Sometimes it's better being single. Edited February 8, 2012 by skelterhelter
Eddie Edirol Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 Why such a dichotomy? If a person treats you like crap the rest of the year, dump him...don't expect hearts and flowers on V-Day from a person like that. What about the couple who treats each other well throughout the year, and wants to do a little something extra special on V-Day and express happiness at being together? Nothing wrong with a couple who both have an understanding about giving a lil something on V-Day. I always make an understanding that as long as I do the sweet lovey-dovey things the rest of the year, V-Day should feel unnecessary, and my ladies have always agreed thus far. I cant be bothered with V-day, and anyone Im dating who still needs extra attention gets the boot.
Cracker Jack Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 Unfortunately I don't have a girlfriend yet, but I always liked Valentines Day. It's nice to see couples out enjoying themselves.
Els Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 Fairly important to me, but I'm able to give it a backseat if needed. eg. last year, bf drew the unlucky straw to be the doc on duty for Val's day. I know he COULD have tried to get someone else to replace him etc, but it really isn't such a huge deal to me that I would want it to impinge on his work. So we just had the romantic dinner (and fun times afterwards!) on another day. We don't do gifts much then - to me, it's all about doing fun and romantic things together, not buying stuff for each other. Presents can wait for xmas or birthdays. OTOH, if he had been free but just didn't bother with anything, yes, I would have been miffed. I do make my expectations clear though instead of just expecting him to read my mind.
chelsea2011 Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 I like Valentines Day. I don't look for anything over the top; just something small and special that shows they care. And I love to reciprocate the same.
oaks Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 For me, the day after Valentine's Day is more important because that is when all the Valentine's chocolates go on sale! I like your style! My gf doesn't really like chocolate, but I might have to stock up for myself on the 15th.
O'Malley Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 It's important to me in that I have fun surprising my bf, my family, and my friends on V-Day. Our anniversary is in March, so we often take a three day weekend to celebrate both somewhere in between Valentine's and then.
zengirl Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 If a guy didn't check in with me to see if it was important, that would bother me, but it's really not important at all to me to celebrate V-Day! I actually have a class (I go to night school for the PhD) on Tues. 2/14, so hubby and I will not be together. We'll get some romance time this weekend though! But we set aside one weekend a month for each other -- no work, nothing else -- to go out and do things and so forth (no sitting around that weekend) every month, and we're newlyweds so we still have plenty of romance in the mundane. I'm getting hubby a gift, but it's something I wanted to get him anyway.
Stung Posted February 8, 2012 Posted February 8, 2012 (edited) I have some mixed feelings about Valentines Day. I think it's over-commercialized, it's exploited as a marketing strategy, I understand that it's origins are suspect. And yet I am also a symbolic thinker, and a person who enjoys a little ritual, a little tradition, a little celebration, and a little bright magic in my life, and so if I'm with someone I care about I like a little something special around Valentine's Day. I agree with this to a point - you should absolutely show your love and affection all the other days, too. However, I disagree that it is pointless. I don't think birthday celebrations are pointless, even though you are alive all the other days of the year, and I don't think taking an evening to say how happy you are to be with someone is pointless even if you show it the rest of the year. This. My boyfriend is sweet and thoughtful all year round. I would rather have a partner who is kind and caring every day than one who is a prick 364 days out of the year then gets me 4 dozen red roses and a diamond necklace on valentine's day. Actually we had a conversation about this yesterday. He mentioned he had looked into sending roses to my workplace but that it was pretty pricey for flowers, and would I rather go out to dinner or receive a gift instead? I told him all of the above were completely unnecessary; we go out to dinner a lot and he always picks up the tab. He takes me to concerts, sporting events, and on trips...if anything, I want to spoil him on valentine's day. The poster who mentioned making chocolate covered strawberries for her boyfriend...great idea! I'm stealing. It's awesome that you are planning to spoil your bf. I have always believed Valentine's Day should, if anything, be an exchange between lovers, not an ode to one half. However, like Norajane mentioned elsewhere, I'm confused by the false dichotomy you mention in your opening paragraph, and which others have brought up (not to single you out). Obviously I would rather have somebody who treated me well all year than somebody who treated me like crap and then bought me a diamond necklace once a year--but thankfully those are not the only options life provides. I think that people get busy in their everyday lives and Valentines Day can be a reminder to take a step back and recognize those you love in your life. It's not that you don't love them every other day, or that you have to do anything extravagant or expensive. It's just another opportunity to be sweet to your sweetie! . I think this is particularly true of people who have been together for many years, and perhaps find themselves immersed in their roles as parents or in their careers. When you're at work all day, changing diapers all night, it can be a good thing to get a little extra push towards romance. Why such a dichotomy? If a person treats you like crap the rest of the year, dump him...don't expect hearts and flowers on V-Day from a person like that. What about the couple who treats each other well throughout the year, and wants to do a little something extra special on V-Day and express happiness at being together? +1 I dig it. Spread the love, I say. It doesn't just have to be about a S.O.. I give Valentines to girlfriends and family alike. When I'm dating, they get Valentines too. And when I'm exclusive? Watch out. grrrrrrrrrr. Petal, I like the cut of your giblets. I always make an understanding that as long as I do the sweet lovey-dovey things the rest of the year, V-Day should feel unnecessary, and my ladies have always agreed thus far. I cant be bothered with V-day, and anyone Im dating who still needs extra attention gets the boot. If you would dump someone just for wanting a little extra ritual for Valentine's Day, that suggests that the sweet lovey-dovey things you do the rest of the year are calculated and insincere, rather than reflective of genuine caring feelings. Why bother to do any of them at all, to create a veneer of an emotional relationship? As for myself, I've always liked a little nod to VDay, and I grew up that way, with my parents getting each other and me small gifts, flowers or candies, and usually having a nice dinner. I'm married now, with kids, and in many ways VDay is about them. We're going to a traditional party at my MIL's this weekend, a card-making party. Glue and glitter everywhere as the kids make cards for the whole family. The adults make cards for their SO's and kids, too. Last year my husband made me a surprisingly beautiful card, all cut-out silhouettes, waterfowl against a full moon--the waterfowl were because so many species of them mate for life. I LOVE that card, I will keep it forever. We'll also get them store-bought cards or balloons and bake some cookies with them to bring to school. Ritual. I bought some forget-me-not seeds and will help the kids plant them over the weekend as well, in their patch of the garden. We just bought the house, landscaping is our next big project, and I like having pieces of the garden that mean a little something extra that way...Valentine's forget-me-nots. For our recent anniversary I bought my husband a tree that we planted together and will hopefully watch grow for the next 50 years. In the past we've done everything from taking weekend trips for VDay to just staying in bed all day getting it on over and over again (that was before the kid, sigh). I'm not sure what we'll do for each other this year, nothing too big, but we'll make a point of spending the evening. Probably we'll all go out to dinner but nothing especially fancy as we'll have the kids, and hopefully we'll get the little guy to go to bed early, exchange little tokens, maybe take a bath together. Edited February 8, 2012 by Stung
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