It Works For Us
Today is February 14th which means it’s Valentine’s Day. People across the U.S. and in cities all around the world will be celebrating by gifting their Valentines cards, flowers, jewelry, teddy bears, heart-shaped everything, and chocolates. I’m not a fan of any day in which other people are supposed to give me chocolate. I have a hard-enough time sticking to my healthy eating plan without people pushing chocolate into my hands.
For as long I can remember, I just wasn’t into the Hallmark holiday of romance. I always found it a bit silly. No, Valentine’s Day has always been for others, not for me. In college, a group of us started a tradition of going out together as a big group to eat sushi, drink too much saké, and sing karaoke. Now they call it Galentine’s Day. Who knew we had started a thing? For us it was a fun, stress-free way of celebrating in our own way. Free of Valentines. Free of expectations. It was also like any other Thursday night in a college town.
Despite my indifference to the holiday, my kiddos seem to care so I make the exception every year and celebrate with them. They reveled in the special breakfast I made them this morning (store bought donuts count as cooking, right?) and will no doubt enjoy the candy and teddy bear gifts I have planned for later.
My hubby is also apathetic to Valentine’s Day. In our 15 years of marriage we’ve never celebrated. Not even once. Neither of us has mentioned wanting to. We don’t even buy each other cards. We just don’t see the need. Tonight, we’re going on a date but only because we happen to have tickets to the Golden Knights game. Go Knights Go! Otherwise, we would be eating at home and watching the game on TV. Super romantic, I know.
But just because we don’t get all mushy and googly-eyed when February 14th comes around, doesn’t mean Pat and I are anti-romance or out of love. We’re very much in love. We just make it a point to show our love and appreciation for one another with symbolic gifts and displays of affection throughout the year. And it works for us.
To everyone who does celebrate, Happy Valentine’s Day!
