Monday, February 11, 2008

Assault of V-Day

I was at work travelling up an escalator with a colleague I was on nodding terms with, when she asked me why I was dressed in a pink top.

"It's for Valentine's Day and the launch of a new fragrance," I say.

"My boyfriend and I don't 'do' Valentine's Day. He says it just commercialism anyway. You should show your love every day, not just on the day the retailers say," she says.

I've heard this argument quite a few times now and I have a lot of sympathy for it. And truth be known, I've spent far too many Valentine's Days checking an empty post box, in-box, doorstep. There's nothing quite as depressing as seeing the other women you work with getting big, bouquet's of flowers, balloons and cards. They always look so damned smug. It's led to me feeling old, fat and unloved at times. Billy No-Mate - that's me.

But tuth be told, I'm a shallow woman. I love flowers and presents. Someone who has taken the time and effort to shower me in both just because he could, is someone special in my books. One of the presents I hold most dear is a small, cuddly bat. Something silly and probably not very expensive, but it was chosen with care and love and it makes me smile. So please don't think I'm advocating spending a huge amount of dosh just because you can (but not to say I would turn down a romantic weekend break in Budapest).

So I turned around and asked my cynical colleague "Does your partner give you cards, flowers and chocolate at other times of the year then?"

She thought, frowned and finally said "No, he doesn't."

There you go then.

To my mind, even if you don't want to celebrate Valentine's Day, fair enough; but do make sure your loved one gets spoilt, even if because it's just Monday.

8 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:42 am

    S'alright for you. I don't get anything, anytime. Come to think of it, neither does B!!

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  2. dickiebo ~ well no time like the present to change things. Go on spoil B. You'll get a good laugh as she tries to figure out what you've done wrong!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Too much thought in a present can be as bad (in a different way) to Valentine's day being ignored, I think. Ages ago, when I was a teenager, my boyfriend presented me with an exercise book full of poems and songs (he was in a band) he'd written about me over a period of time. I should have probably thought 'aaah, how lovely and personal', but I guess I was going off him by then, as I thought it was a bit scarily obsessive, and I was right about that in the end.

    I also think pink should be for all year round and not just for Valentine's day, but maybe it's my Barbie-deprived childhood showing itself here!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I found that little story very amusing. We don't go over the top with Valentines but we still always do a little something - usually a small gift and make sure we have a nice meal and a bottle of wine in the house that night. I couldn't face going out to a restaurant with hoards of other couples, to pay inflated prices, but equally it seems mean to do nothing at all.

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  5. Can you forward your post to my fella roses... i never get anthing for valantines..lol
    He uses the excuse he shouldnt have to be prompted, but im with you its the little things that mean the most..
    I was son pleased the other day i got an email card ? so excitedly i opened it thinking perhaps im not the billy no mates i thought,but it blew my hard drive up ..
    The only valantines gift i got was my fella posting a picture of me in black latex knickers online... which wasnt really that romantic ..:)
    xxx

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous2:54 am

    it sucks for certain people not to receive a zilch of gifts this Valentine's day.

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  7. claire ~ yeah, that does seem a touch creepy.

    Unfortunately, we can only wear black or white at work. Colours are for special occasions.

    sanddancer ~ you and me both. I think we're going to have a nice night in.

    B*E*G ~ Time to kick him into gear. It's not hard: chocolate, flowers and sparkely things. I really do wonder why some guys can't seem to grasp that. Stubborness perhaps?

    theysaywordscanbleed ~ welcome and nice plug by the way.

    ReplyDelete
  8. That made me smile. Amusing that they didn't actually 'show their love' every other day of the year after all.

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