This is a reprint from a post two years ago. Still relevant.
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Let's Be Honest...
Non-Tri post here folks...Valentines Day is a BS holiday. And not just Valentines Day but Mother's Day, Father's Day, Arbor Day, Halloween theres more; I am an equal opportunity despiser.
I don't think some corporation needs to tell me that regardless of all the good deeds, love letters, flowers and unforgetable moments I give my wife, aka Mistress, during the year; that if I neglect to buy one of their cards or buy some of their candy or overpriced roses and give them to her on February 14th, I am a bad person.
I am not a bad person. I buy Mistress flowers every week, why go out of my way to buy the same bunch for twice the cost during the week of Valentines Day? So I can show society I care about my wife or that I care about the institution of Valentine's Day?
I buy my mom books and candy and speciality things and give her gift certificates all year long to show how much I love and appreciate her. She knows I love her, why do I need to bend to social conformity on Mom's Day? I don't.
Just so you don't think I am some unfeeling robot, let me give you a vision of the personalized side of me. Remember Christmas, just a few months ago really? Remember what people gave you? Maybe one, maybe two gifts. Did you send thank you cards? Come on be honest? To everyone? I do. And when I use their gift for the first time, such as a gift certificate or flashlight or whatever, I send another letter or call them to let them know how their gift was used. This might take all year to use a dinner card.
Just like at Christmas when I wish everyone a un-PC, "Merry Christmas" regardless if they celebrate or not, I will graciously accept all the "Happy Valentines Day" wishes I recieve today. I will even respond will a good heart.
Thats how much I care about people. I love people. I appreicate the gift of giving but don't appreciate the corporate crap that has been heaped on top holidays.
Mistress knows all this. In fact I had a conversation with her because I am conflicted. Yes people I am conflicted. See I will not bow to the Hallmark-Hersey-Industrial-Complex, but I felt that maybe she expected something from the Mighty Mo. Seeing as he is not quite 3 years old that means I would have to buy the card and the gift and sign his name to it. I told her that I would really just like to raise my boy to not have to partake in this holiday and she told me that she only wants something from him when he understands the meaning of the day. She's a good woman. Update 2008: I just mentioned in a post this week that I did take Mo to the mall and he picked out a gift for Mistress for Valentines day. He gave her a yellow girl power ranger so they can play together. Totally appropriate for his age.
She obviously has the more traditional "I've bought in" mentality so she thinks I am being just wierd. I told her that if she wants a card and a gift and flowers then I could do all that AND tell her I love her and then be completely unobligated to do any of that or tell her I love her until next February 14th. She laughed and said, "Ah, No." See guys you will never win with Valentines Day. Your expected to dish out all year long but dish out much more on Valentines Day.
So Flame On folks. I expect many of you who have bought expensive jewerly or two dozen roses or going to an expensive dinner tonight to stand up and defend yourself and your expense. As for me, its business as usual, day as usual.
I thought it would be nice to have you see some of the comments from 2006 and last year as well.
11 comments:
My hubby and I have never done much on Valentine's Day, but we were at Walt Disney World without the kids and went out to a fancy dinner and said, "This is our Valentine's Dinner." He got me a game for the Wii and I got him two travel size games we like. Neither of us paid much and we love playing games together, so it was just right. I agree with you. I am a lot like you in this regards. Take care and happy un-valentine's day. :-)
Yah...it's one of those BS days. If you need someone to tell you you have a certain day to be romantic, that's pretty sad..oh well..love your tatt!!
Yah...it's one of those BS days. If you need someone to tell you you have a certain day to be romantic, that's pretty sad..oh well..love your tatt!!
Love the M-dot!
I think Valentine's can be really hard on a lot of people: single folks, people without families, or people with rifts in their relationships. So I make it a day not of romantic love, but a day in which I hand out (or now email out) home made cards (and sometimes goodies) to friends, neighbours and family.
Mo did surprise Mistress this morning with a card he made at school. Neither of us knew about it, which means he knows how to keep a secret....maybe i should check his room for drugs? Nah, with as many as he is prescribed and takes daily he certainly won't be hoarding any upstairs.
I think of you every Valentine's Day- all because of the first post!
Good for Mo!!! I'll bet Mistress was tickled!
Evil Holiday That Must Not Be Named.
Nonetheless, hope yours is a good one.
It's business as usual here too. I tell J.T. to not even think about sending any roses or buying a card just because Hallmark says he should. Although I did throw in that if he just insisted on buying something he could get me a gift card to the bike shop. He said he didn't insist!! Oh well.
It's all BS. Except Halloween...I do like Halloween.
We don't do much cos Valentines day falls between my birthday and our wedding anniversary. Last night we were going to amke it a bit romantic and watch a fred & ginger movie - then our 4yo decided she wanted to sleep in her tent in the back yard, and who are we to deny a spirit of adventure? So we sat on the back verandah together until she decided it was a bit dark, & then it was too late to start a movie! But it was nice anyway
Us single people don't get to bash V-Day because everyone just thinks we're bitter so thanks for that. Spot on.
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