Friday, February 13, 2009

Happy Valentine's Day

and all that hooey. Valentine's Day has never been a big deal to me. Heck, you get a card, maybe some chocolates you don't need, occasionally some flowers which are nice. And that's about it. I'm not one of those people who ever counted Valentine's Days when I was single - I really didn't care. Of course, I've been married most of my adult life, but still. It's more a pain in the ass than a holiday.

Where exactly did this feeling come from? Maybe years and years of scrambling around to buy those boxes of Valentine's cards at the grocery store so my kids - who were all born in different decades - could take them to school. Argh, I hated that.

Or maybe it's from being in a marriage which can best be described as 'bedrock.' Not bubbly, not zesty. Bedrock. And that's how I like it. Much more solid and dependable than wind beneath my wings - this is my foundation and it's good and strong and stable. Candy and flowers seem superfluous. (Especially since I tend to buy flowers whenever I want some, and I really, really don't need any more chocolate in this house.)

Or maybe it's a leftover from being a kid in a school where there was no rule about having to bring enough to go around. The teachers would set up decorated boxes, and kids would drop their cards in, and before we went home the box would be opened and everybody's Valentines would be presented right then and there. And there'd be kids who didn't get any. Not one. It would make me feel bad not just because I'd feel sorry for whoever it was, but because I'd also realize that I hadn't given that kid a card, either.

Kinda left a bad taste in my mouth.

But have a happy one anyway. I'm fixing dinner for the family and I bought cupcakes to thrill my granddaughter. My husband said, Why are we buying these cupcakes? And I said, for Valentine's Day. And he said, Oh. I see.

3 comments:

~Sia McKye~ said...

Valentines Day never meant much to me either. We didn't really celebrate it at home when I was a kid. Dad brought Mama flowers through out the year. We did bring those silly little ones to school. My teachers made sure she gave one to all and we put extra in for everyone.

Me? I hate being given something just because you're suppose to. That goes for any holiday, except my anniversary--wich is a bit different, lolol! Flowers? Rather get a beautiful silk arrangement. Cost less and last much longer. A single flower from my child or my husband just because means so much more than receiving them on Valentines Day.

:-)

Dave said...

grand-daughter loved the cupcakes. as you saw, of course, but still.

for the record, your middle kid and daughter-in-law didn't scramble around the grocery store to buy valentines. we're not into that kind of thing. thankfully, grand-daughter isn't either.

McMama said...

Sia, I agree with the silk flowers. They're nice, and instead of worrying about water and dropping petals, you just have to dust them now and then. My kinda thing.

Dave, I'm so pleased to know that my unsentimenality has been passed along to not one but two! generations...