Saturday, February 13, 2010

Valentine's Day

Wasn't this supposed to be a Saint's day? I know it's just a Wiki article, but here's a little info on that. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Valentine

So when exactly did we get this commercialized Valentine's Day that we have now? History.com has a detailed article on what they believe is the history of Valentine's Day. http://www.history.com/content/valentine/history-of-valentine-s-day

So now for my opinion. This holiday has gotten out of control. Sure, when you're little it's fun to decorate a box and make little cards for all your classmates, even if you don't really want to give valentines to all of them. But for adults? Seriously?

Someone ages ago must have had their little light bulb flash and realize they could make a buck off this holiday. It's snowballed from there to an outrageous holiday that seems to have lost the point. It's all about getting gifts that "show your love" for your significant other, or being depressed that you aren't in a relationship.

First off, let me say that I am very madly in love with my husband and have been since we started dating. He has never had to buy me anything to show that he loves me. He does that in other ways. I don't buy him gifts either. We take care of each other, we cook and clean for each other, we do things together, we include each other in our lives. I can honestly say that my husband is my best friend.

Neither of us have ever cared much for Valentine's Day. If we do any gifts, it's usually something for both of us that we have been wanting for a while. V-Day is just an excuse to go out and buy it. We might do a nice dinner together. This year we are staying home and cooking my favorite pasta dish - Pasta Alla Carbonara. We're making it special by using real Pancetta instead of bacon bits. No flowers, no cards, maybe some chocolate (because I'm a chocoholic).

Really, gifts do not show love. I have bought gifts for people I don't really care about before, but I was obligated to give a gift. Now, a gift can be an expression of love, but I don't really think it counts if you feel obligated to get the gift. I never feel obligated to get my husband his birthday or X-mas gifts. I see it as an excuse to spoil him. If you feel obligated to get your SO something for V-day, then maybe you need to really stop and think about it. Maybe there is another way to show that you love them, like doing all their chores for them.

Perfect example. I didn't know what to get my friend for her birthday last year, but wanted to do something. So I just spend the whole day with her, running her errands. When she needed to run inside, I would sit in the car with her kids, making that errand so much easier on her. She said it was one of the best birthday gifts.

Ok. I will stop rambling now. Just do me a favor and think about it a little. Do you really need to buy them something to show that you care? If all they want is stuff from you, maybe you need to analyze your relationship. Then again, maybe you are both just material people. After all, we are living in a material world.

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