Valentine’s Day: Crass commercialism or special day?

My family has waffled back and forth for years regarding the importance of Valentine’s Day. My husband actually forgot our first Valentine’s together and we ended up going to McDonald’s for dinner that night. He called it ‘Chez Ron’ but I wasn’t fooled. I still married him, but to this day I’ve never let him live it down. 😉

When our daughters were young, Valentine’s became a big deal, with pink and red hearts decorating windows and walls, and hours spent punching out little cardboard declarations of love and friendship. Their enthusiasm took a severe nosedive when they hit their teens, however, and had no special ‘someone’ in their lives. At that point they declared the day ‘stupid’ and ‘commercial’ and refused to acknowledge it. The day then became an on-again-off-again proposition as relationships came and went. Two of three girls are in stable relationships now, but I’ve no idea where they or their boyfriends stand on the issue. After years of meltdowns over the topic, I’m wary of asking. 😀

I’ve never let their opinions deter me from at least acknowledging the day, however. I’ve always given them a little something for the day — a card and some chocolate, a pair of earrings, a small bouquet. Is giving them a gift necessary? No, but it’s nice — for them and for me, because it never hurts to be reminded that we love and are loved.

So Happy Valentine’s Day to everyone!