I happen to be a romantic at heart.  Always have been, always will be.  This ‘condition’ is exacerbated by my love of trashy Historical Romance novels.   Or the occasional ‘Chick Flick’.   In spite of my love of all things romantic, Valentine’s Day is not one of my favorite holidays.  Sure, it’s the ‘official’ day of lovers and candy and flowers; it’s the day when greeting card companies inundate us with sappy sentimental prose, and jewelry store commercials are rampant hawking the next best love-inducing trinket with a  storyline.

Maybe I’ve become jaded over this particular holiday because its become so commercialized.  Or maybe it’s because I’ve always been with guys that are not romantics at all.  Hubby happens to be one of those non-romantic ones.  Opposites do attract after all.  He’s not big on holidays in general, let alone one that tends to initiate excessive pricing all in the name of love.  I do have to agree, though, that it’s ridiculous that you can buy a dozen roses for a reasonable price before or after Valentine’s Day, but the immediate days preceding the actual day?  Highway robbery!

I much prefer to receive flowers randomly, because the sender simply wanted to, not because they felt they had to.  Even better is a bouquet from the grocery store simply because he was thinking of me as he was out running an errand.  The flowers mean a lot more that way – more thoughtful – rather than the giver feeling obligated because some holiday dictates it so.  Would I turn my nose up at gifts or cards or flowers or chocolates?  Of course not!  I’m a romantic at heart, remember?

That’s not to say we won’t celebrate Valentine’s Day – we exchange schmoopy or funny cards, and sometimes hubby will even surprise me with one of those love-inducing trinkets.  But only if I specifically say it’s something I’d like, or remind him of the looming holiday.  Otherwise he’ll forget.  There’s a reason he’s jokingly referred to as the ‘Absent Minded Professor’.  At least getting something for him is very easy, even though every year he tells me not to get him anything.  But when I give him plenty of chocolate he’s a happy boy.  The Absent Minded Professor may not be a romantic, but he’s definitely a chocoholic.

We agreed long ago not to do the whole ‘dinner out’ on Valentine’s Day – even restaurants that don’t normally take reservations will change their policy and only take reservations for that special day…and raise their prices.  Since I actually enjoy cooking – especially for special occasions – I always cook an extra special dinner each year.  Usually a multiple-course meal that’s Valentine’s Day-ish worthy.

Princess Nagger has acquired the romantic gene from me – she’s extra excited for Valentine’s Day, and already mentioned she’d love to have a stuffed dinosaur holding a heart.  I wasn’t able to find one, so she’s said that any stuffed animal holding a heart will be fine, as long as it’s either purple or red – her two favorite colors.  And chocolate.  And gumballs.  And maybe some gummy bears or gummy fish or gummy worms.   That kind of celebrating the ‘day of love’ I can certainly get into.

This Spin Cycle was brought to you in part by Jen, who celebrates Valentine’s Day with flair by saving her hubby’s life and is Sprite’s Keeper.  Head on over and check out the other spinners – see how everyone views Valentine’s Day and what it means to them.  There’s quite an eclectic mix!

26 Comments

  1. Yep, I like to read about others with the same idea that I have. One day a year is not what I am interested in. Yep we can do the card exchange and yes we will fix a nice dinner together. So many other times during the year we can surprise each other with a note or a nice expression like flowers or candy. This post is way up there in the list of posts I like the best.
    .-= Technobabe would like you to read ..Love Is… =-.

  2. it’s great that you are practical and know that an over priced gift just for Valentine’s Day is dumb.

    Hopefully, I’ll remember to pick up some flowers at the grocery store today – thursday. They might even last until sunday.

    thanks for the reminder.
    .-= lisleman would like you to read ..mother nature post or what hell was that =-.

  3. We do EXACTLY the same thing! After years of terrible Valentine’s experiences in restaurants, we started having an opulent dinner at home. Which I really enjoy cooking. And really, we can have an outrageous bottle of champagne, several courses of opulent food (I usually do a surf and turf thing to satisfy each of our love of lobster and steak) and some serious chocolate dessert, and still end up spending about half what we’d spend in a restaurant in LA on Valentine’s Day.
    .-= Gretchen would like you to read ..What’s Wrong With This Picture? =-.

  4. I do like Valentines and I’m hoping that my encouraging my Hubbie to “be” romantic not just at Valentine’s my son’s will learn how important it is to make the person they love feel it. I think you are totally showing PN that when you give your Hubbie the chocolates hs enjoys. 🙂

    I’ve seen an elephant with a heart in his trunk but that was 14yrs ago… 🙂
    .-= kyooty would like you to read ..Random Tuesday Thoughts, Bananas yummy! =-.

  5. Then you’d love my husband. He’s the romantic and sentimentalist. I’m the practical and unromantic. So I guess opposites do attract.

  6. Someday when PN has kids of her own, Valentine’s Day will just be another babysitting day marked permanently onto your calendar.
    .-= diane would like you to read ..My Reality =-.

  7. Hey – Gummie Worms have always meant “love” to me. LOL

    Well, you saw Beloved’s comment on my Spin yesterday – he says he’s days ahead of me on plans for V-Day. Yes, well, like I told 24 at Heart, he’s been out of town for 12 days, so I’m willing to bet I know what those plans consist of. 😉

    He probably has a bag full of Gummie Worms, too.
    .-= Jan would like you to read ..Classic Scalloped Potatoes =-.

  8. Sigh, even you with the bashing Valentine’s day? You were one of my hold out hopes… You have a little girl! Where are my overdone valentine heart pictures? With glitter and ribbons?

    Come on, I know she made some valentines. Post ’em up for me.
    .-= Mama Badger would like you to read ..Happy Birthday, Little Badger! =-.

  9. Oh man, I still don’t have a card for my husband. I hate trying to think of something to do for guys on valentines day. I wish I could just send him flowers and call it good!
    .-= Pooba would like you to read ..Tragedy =-.

  10. I too do not like Valentines Day and totally let my husband off the hook for this “Hallmark” holiday. I did however buy little treats and items for my little dudes and a cute card that refers to bondage for my man. I know how fun this holiday is when you’re young so I thought I’d get my guys going down that path early. For myself personally though, I could care less.
    .-= sabreena would like you to read ..Mommy Fullfillment, The Illusive Beast =-.

  11. Stacy, you should kick the hubs butt and make him realize that he has a good woman! I have found my soul mate in blueviolet and I will never take her for granted! Ever! I only wish that I could be with her this weekend!
    .-= Otin would like you to read ..Where The Fuck did Otie go??? =-.

  12. I really like this post, probably because I’m the same way. I must prefer random flowers or even new wiper blades 🙂 Our wedding anniversary is in March, too, so Valentines Day isn’t a date night for us. Happy Valentines Day!!
    .-= mrs4444 would like you to read ..The Post That Shall Be Named =-.

  13. Oh, that’s sweet! I also like receiving flowers randomly, not because the day requests it to be so. John has learned that I will respond so much better to a heartfelt message than chocolates and flowers. Sounds like PN’s Valentine will be a certain dinosaur?
    You’re linked!

  14. My bf/future husband, is very similar to yours- holidays don’t mean anything to him- his favorite day of the year is the day we have our branding (where we gather all the cattle and brand the babies, so everyone knows they belong to us and the state makes us do it too). otherwise, everyday is a good day to him!
    .-= ~the south dakota cowgirl~ would like you to read ..Snowy Days =-.

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