I HATE Valentine's Day

[Pumpkin_Man]

The thing about St. Patrick's Day is not just the green beer and the food. St. Patrick's Day is the day I celebrate my Irish heritage. I do prepare a meal, and I play Irish music, but I also remember all the horror stories that my mom told me about how the Irish people, particularly Irish Catholics were persecuted. (Just so you all know, I do NOT hate or hold any resentments against the British people) But St. patrick's Day is a day of both celebration and remembering.

Again, on Valentines Day, it's the "Peanuts" specials, and there have been a couple of years that I reminiced about old girl friends and lost loves, but all in all, it's about the least important day of the year for me, and this year, February 14th may prove to be a lucrative photo op.

And then some times the History Channel will run a special on the St. Vallentine's Day Massachure, and I'll watch that. I'm originaly from Chicago, so that was allways remembered on Vallentines Day along with the candy hearts and greeting cards.

Mike

[zoltan hound dracula]

I DON"T HATE VALENTINTE"S BUT I DON"T LIKE IT EITHER,VALENTINE"S DAY IS FOR COUPLE"S WHO ARE IN LOVE,USED TO LOVE VALENTINE"S DAY BUT HURT TO MANY TIME"S SO I GUESS I DON"T LIKE VALENTINE"S DAY

[Murfreesboro]

Well, I'm a married female, and for me, Valentine's Day is pretty forgettable. I like to do something like dip strawberries into chocolate (more for my kids than my husband, who doesn't really love strawberries).

I had a friend several years ago who gave her husband the "silent treatment" because he didn't remember to buy her a dozen roses for Valentine's. The poor guy even got the roses after the fact, but his belated gesture wasn't good enough for my friend. Obviously it was a big deal to her. My husband and I were both astonished at her behavior. He has bought me roses occasionally over the years (usually more as a spur-of-the-moment surprise than for any special "day"), but, even though I think it's a nice gesture, I'd really prefer that he spend the money on something more durable, something we actually need.

I think if people love each other, they should show it every day of the year, not just on a certain day set aside for romance.

Valentine's is sort of like Groundhog Day, though, in that it was associated with the beginning of spring for many centuries. I think winter is technically half over on Feb. 2 (hence the importance of checking for signs of spring in agricultural societies). And there was an old superstition that the birds chose their mates on St. Valentine's Day (which is why Chaucer set his satiric poem The Parliament of Fowls on that day). I guess it is part of people's longing for spring as winter drags on. I can understand keeping it alive if it helps to brighten up the late winter for folks.

[zoltan hound dracula]

HI MURPH,YES YOU ARE RIGHT,THEY SHOULD SHOW IT EVERY DAY OFF THE YEAR,AND NOT JUST ON VALENTINE"S DAY,WELL SAID

[Murfreesboro]

Well, as I added above, I think Valentine's is a way to spark up the late winter season, when people are naturally growing impatient for spring. If folks want to make a little mini-holiday to brighten up their mood from the winter doldrums, go for it. But I think it is silly to put pressure on your sweetie to "perform" in one way or another. If people are getting their feelings hurt and getting into arguments about how they did/didn't observe the day, the purpose of it is defeated.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Murf, for some people, Valentines Day is a very serious tradition. I would probably be more enclined to observe it with greater enthusiasm if I were married, or dating. I did date a few years back, and I allways took my gf out to a movie, and a special restaurant, as well as buy her a gift, but never anything too extravigant. I would save that for Christmas and her Birthday. A neighbor of mine, however, really takes Valentines Day seriously. For Christmas he bought his wife a vaccum cleaner, and for Valentines Day be bought her a brand new Cadlack Escelade.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

Yeah, that's amazing. I guess some people really do take it very seriously.

My husband gave me my engagement ring around Valentine's (wasn't quite on the day, IIRC, but close to it). Then the first year we were married, he gave me a gold necklace with a pendant that had a small diamond in it. I teased him and said, "You are going to make me expect gold and diamonds every Valentine's Day!" Of course, I never got anything remotely like that again on that day. But it was fine with me because to me, the day just isn't that big a deal.

OTOH, I can understand that woman's husband doing that if, like us, they had kids and just couldn't afford big gifts for each other around Christmas. There have certainly been years when we gave each other nothing for Christmas because we couldn't afford it after making Christmas for the kids. In those years, it made sense to postpone our own gift-giving to a later time, perhaps around Valentine's. (In our case, my husband can't wait for my birthday, because mine is three days before Christmas. The poor guy!)

My friend who gave her husband the "silent treatment" was born in Cuba. Though she doesn't remember Cuba, she grew up in a Spanish-speaking family. Maybe Valentine's Day is a bigger deal in their culture than in ours.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Christmas really is for kids, so I can understand your decision. Like I said, for me, at this point in my life, Valentines Day is for watching "Peanuts" cartoons and maybe a Valentines Day themed Hostess Snowballs for desert after dinner, but that's about it. I might think differently if I had a 'significant other.' My dad would usualy buy my mom a box of candy for Valentines, and my mom would give him a can of mixed nuts. Then we would all sit down as a family and have dinner, and then a heart shaped cake for desert.

Mike

[MauEvig]

What's interesting is that in Japan, Christmas is actually treated a lot more like Valentine's day, with more of a romantic emphasis.

What's also interesting is that in Japan, women are actually the ones expected to give men valintines and such. The special day that women are expected to receive stuff from their male significant others is on "white day" which is March 14th.

So it could be that there are differences in other cultures, and how much a holiday is taken seriously. Even a holiday like Christmas, which is observed by everyone in the western world, can be celebrated differently, or not even observed at all in another country.

[ancient whitelighter]

That truly is interesting I've never heard of White Day! Do you know what the significance of that is?

[mirzaa]

If you haven't already got a card, you should get a singing one(5.99 @ walmart). If you have already got one, you should put on lipstick and kiss the card. If you know how to bake, you could make him cookies shaped like little hearts! That'd be so sweet. If not, you could buy some at walmart. Also on candies, the V-Day special MnM's. They're rasperry flavored or something. If you have a picture of the two of you, you could copy it, and put it in a heart-covered frame. If you don't have a oicture of both of you, you could get one of just you. I'm sure he'd love your worst picture. If he has email, you could send him an e-card. Those are kinda fun to get. It seems like I'm forgetting something. Maybe I'll edit later. Anyway... I hope you got something out of this. Happy Valentine's Day!

[Kolchak]

I hate Valentine's Day too.

The hundreds of women that chase me all over the place is ridiculous. I have to take my life into my own hands every February. The things women do to get me is just sad.

Jennifer Anniston tried to mail herself to me.

Kate Winslet hid in the back of my pick up and jumped on me when I got out.

Neve Campbell curved herself around my leg and it took 4 strong guys to get her to turn lose of my leg.

Kate Beckinsale bought the house next door to mine and tried to tunnel underground into my basement.

Anna Paquin and the entire female cast of True Blood chased me four blocks down the street last year. Anna tried to shoot me with a tranquilizer gun.

The entire female cast of Game of Thrones has hired a bounty hunter to kidnap and take me to them, so they can all take turns with me.

What is a poor guy to do?

Every single year, the same thing. It's a curse you know? A curse to have all the women wanting, begging, chasing and fighting over me.

You have NO idea.....

[MauEvig]

I almost forgot about this thread, then again I tend to jump to different holiday threads as we get closer to specific holidays. I guess that's just the way I am, and how my Mom is too.
Her philosophy is pretty much..."Well that takes care of that holiday now onto the next one!" and I find myself adopting that same way of thinking. I think it keeps things interesting.

I actually can't remember much about White day, I just looked it up for information on how Japan celebrates it, because I remember a friend mentioned once that Christmas was celebrated differently in Japan and that it was more like Valentine's day is here. For an interesting idea of what it's like giving a cultural media perspective, there's a Sailor Moon movie based on it. And like most animes they are based off that specific kind of culture, which may be why some people have a hard time "getting" anime. I never really got that much into Sailor Moon or understood it myself. I did however, like the little talking cats on it and this particular one sort of stared one of the talking cats who got a crush on a human, when in reality the other talking cat loved her the way she was and she didn't have to change. Romance seems to be a popular motif in a lot of animes. (Except for Dragon Ball Z, that one is all about fighting monsters that threaten Earth and becoming a stronger fighter using Ki and other energy techniques and using the Dragon Balls to make wishes.)

In Vietnam, where my cousin lives and teaches English to young Vietnamese kids, he says Christmas is more like a big party to them, perhaps more like how we celebrate New Years or 4th of July. I have no idea how they celebrate Valentine's day though.

I just think it's interesting how culture can influence one's tastes and ways of thinking. Chocolate in Japan seems to be more popular with men, while in the United States, it's women who prefer to eat chocolate while a lot of guys aren't that interested in chocolate. This is especially the case I think with Pocky, which is a Japanese candy treat that I have grown fond of. They have a specific kind called "Men's Pocky" which is Dark Chocolate flavored. I love dark chocolate. But it seem's to be associated more with men than women in Japan. I didn't care though, I got a package and loved it. They say Dark Chocolate is better for you than Milk Chocolate. It's not for everyone though.

[Murfreesboro]

Kolchak, !

I enjoy all the holidays, too, Mau, although I really go all out only for Halloween & Christmas. Easter & 4th of July rank second on my list, I guess. Of course, Easter is actually the most important holiday, theologically--more important that Christmas. But so much of it is spent at church for us that there isn't so much to do at home. I do still dye eggs, though.

I never understood Sailor Moon at all. It was just weird to me. Maybe the problem was that I didn't understand the cultural references.

[MauEvig]

Even back in the day when I used to be a Christian, I never understood why Easter always took a back seat to Christmas. What Christians believe happened at Easter is at the very core of their beliefs: The Resurrection. Some people have tried to change the name to "Resurrection day" due to Easter's affiliation with Pagan holidays. I don't think that would fly too well with some people.

I agree with you that Halloween and Christmas are the Major holidays for me, but I try to make all the holidays have a little something to celebrate. I actually picked up a couple Valentine's decorations at the Dollar Store. I have a small assortment of Valentine's Plush animals and somewhere I think I still have some Valentine's window clings, although last year the winds knocked them down. It can be quite windy here! I also finally figured out how to make those paper heart chains. So I taped up a few of those too. I even got myself some of those conversation hearts. They were only a dollar for I think it was 5 little boxes anyway.