Valentine's Day

[Veronica]

It's still celebrated 2/14 right?

I had two kids show up with their Valentines today. It distresses me how they all bring candy as their Valentine. It's almost as big as Halloween.

Veronica

[Melalvai]

Did they get confused? Maybe they wanted to get their valentines to school early so that they wouldn't forget on the day.

My daughter is on the school newsletter and she did an article on Singles Awareness Day. It was pretty cute. The opposite page featured the teachers who are couples.

[Crankin]

I love Valentines Day. My dad always came home with a piece of jewelry and candy for both my mom and I. DH and I always celebrate, either at home or at a restaurant.
When I taught 5th grade, I did a "grown up" Valentine's celebration, last period of the day. A couple of moms brought home made treats and we focused the friendship values espoused by the Responsive Classroom. It was a very diverse group and they appreciated that the pressure was off, in terms of cards, etc. It was a success.

[ny biker]

Just another winter day during that part of February when we often get snow storms in the mid-Atlantic and/or northeast, as far as I'm concerned.

[Koronin]

I've never cared for it. Before the economy collapsed my husband did usually get me something for Valentine's Day, but it's never been important to me. So now while we are trying to dig out of debt he does understand that he does not need to get me anything. That I won't get upset or be dissappointed. I'd rather use the money to pay off debt than buy stuff we don't need for a holiday that I see as pointless.

Oh and yes it's 2/14. I have a trailor check I'm doing for the new Die Hard movie that day. I guess because it's Valentine's Day all the movies are opening on Thursday instead of Friday.

[Crankin]

Wow, I am not particularly "romantic," and our gifts have never been more than a delivery of a bunch of chocolate chip cookies or a sweater, I still love the idea of paying a little extra attention to the idea of love. We don't "need" to get each other anything and mostly, in the past years we haven't, because as opposed to when we were younger, we pretty much get stuff whenever we want it. For me, it's more about a special meal and the acknowledgment of our relationship. And, the quest as to which one of us can find the funniest card.

[shootingstar]

For young children, it is nice to turn the day into friendship day with a cake rather than so much emphasis on giving valentine cards. I remember I couldn't but notice how many valentine cards some people got ..compared to me. I got enough but still..

When I was single I never paid attention to Valentine's Day. Some years I literally forgot about the day.

When dearie came into my life, we just treat Valentine's Day modestly, a card, a couple small chocolates...because to us, yes, every day was Valentine's Day. My birthday is a few wks. before, so the gift giving or similar was done... plus before that was Christmas.

[Anelia]

In my country St Valentine's coincides with another holiday: it's the wine and wine makers' day. The tradition is to go to the vineyard to trim the vines and of course to drink wine. Most of the Bulgarians are orthodox and many people disregard St Val. as something "foreign", as something that comes to threaten our traditions. Still, a lot of people celebrate both holidays: we buy wine AND chocolate/love card and celebrate with the beloved ones.
If you are curious about our holiday: here's a video clip (http://vbox7.com/play:09852dfb24) with dances, song and the traditional trimming.

[malkin]

We're not big observers of Valentine's Day.
This year may turn out to be the funniest 'date' ever, though. As part of a technical certification course that he teaches, Brewer takes the clients out to dinner. This week's course has only one student, and he feels too awkward to take her out on Valentine's Day, so I will be joining them.

[shootingstar]

In my country St Valentine's coincides with another holiday: it's the wine and wine makers' day. The tradition is to go to the vineyard to trim the vines and of course to drink wine. Most of the Bulgarians are orthodox and many people disregard St Val. as something "foreign", as something that comes to threaten our traditions. Still, a lot of people celebrate both holidays: we buy wine AND chocolate/love card and celebrate with the beloved ones.
If you are curious about our holiday: here's a video clip (http://vbox7.com/play:09852dfb24) with dances, song and the traditional trimming.

Interesting!
Here in the workplace on our floor, tomorrow there's going to be an internal Valentine's bake sale at lunch...raise money for our work social club events but chance to socialize. I work in a business area that is evenly split among men and women across 120 employees (at least) at our location. Some of the men bring in stuff from stores, bakeries or bake cookies, etc. The function of our area is engineering, geospatial e-mapping, project management, etc. People do buy and it's very casual. It's become a minor annual event. But really just an excuse for us to socialize if we want.

[Veronica]

In my class if you are bringing in Valentines you need to bring one for everyone. Home baked treats are not allowed by the district and my school adopted a policy of no treats, unless planned by the teacher this year. We had so much disruption with parents wanting to celebrate their kid's birthday at school. It was definitely getting out of hand. I would say a good third of my class is overweight. I'm not a doctor, but I don't think rolls of fat at your belly is healthy in a ten year old.

Veronica

[OakLeaf]

Saw some of these on FB and thought of this thread:

http://www.collegehumor.com/article/6870031/puritan-valentines-day-cards

[VeganBikeChick]

This is the first Valentines Day ever I'm spending as part of a couple. My boyfriend is totally not romantic; in fact we joked that we're going to break up today & get back together on the 15th so we can avoid the holiday and its consumerism altogether. That being said, I am going to make him some cookies, just a small gesture; and I have to admit it's nice to not be alone on the holiday that every other year has reminded me just how alone I was.

[ny biker]

Wow, I am not particularly "romantic," and our gifts have never been more than a delivery of a bunch of chocolate chip cookies or a sweater, I still love the idea of paying a little extra attention to the idea of love. We don't "need" to get each other anything and mostly, in the past years we haven't, because as opposed to when we were younger, we pretty much get stuff whenever we want it. For me, it's more about a special meal and the acknowledgment of our relationship. And, the quest as to which one of us can find the funniest card.

You need an actual relationship before you can acknowledge it. Without one it's just another winter day.

[carlotta]

We're not big celebrators of v-day, but the BF has the night off so we're going to stay in, make dinner, and just enjoy spending the evening together (he usually works dinner at the restaurant, so he's not home until I'm well asleep). I don't think we've ever done any significant gifts, and this will be our fifth year celebrating-- I use it as an excuse to pull out the markers/construction paper/glitter/etc and make him a sincere, if tacky :), card

[Veronica]

I got a cute gift from one of my boys today. He's going on vacation tomorrow,so he brought his Valentines early. It was a rice krispie treat in the shape of a kiss with foil and a little flag. I do like rice krispies treats!


Veronica

[ny biker]

Now THIS is how to celebrate Valentine's Day. Add an image of Mr. Met holding bunches of roses to any of your photos and send it to your Valentine.

http://newyork.mets.mlb.com/nym/social/virtual_mr_met.jsp?loc=form&partnerId=aw-5324572976679438688-1037

(Pitchers and catchers have started spring training!! Yay!!)

[Crankin]

What you said is true, NY Biker, but I never found the holiday depressing when I was single. I think it's because in my family, we sent cards to *everyone* for Valentine's Day: grandparents, special aunt and uncle, etc. I know it's kind of weird, because I remember a friend in HS, looking at me strangely when we were in the drugstore and I was hurriedly buying cards for all of my extended family to be mailed back to everyone in Boston, when I lived in Miami.
Veronica, I used to be pleasantly surprised by the kind of little gifts you described. I miss that aspect of teaching. I am not supposed to accept gifts, in my new profession, but after discussing it with my clinical supervisor, I told her that I can't refuse a little thing from a kid or his/her family, because it's really just a token of the appreciation they have for my help. The older teens don't give gifts, but they do sometimes say "thanks," and that is the best Valentine of all!

[ny biker]

I don't find it depressing. It's neutral, just another day.

[Possegal]

I will be celebrating National Donor Day tomorrow. :) My sister-in-law has had 2 kidney transplants and my niece will need one eventually as well. So I'd much rather spend tomorrow reminding folks to donate blood or sign a donor card, and being thankful for others that have, because without them, I wouldn't still have my wonderful sister-in-law!

And after this thread, I will also celebrate it with some WINE. :)