All the bitterness surrounding valentines day really really cheeses me off. I don't mind people not doing anything on valentines day, thats fine and personal, its the bitterness about it all that gets to me
A) valentines day is nothing new and f all to do with Hallmark
B) if you don't want to join mass consumerism don't buy cheap tat and cards from Clinton Cards, be a bit more inventive with your gifts
C) of course love and romance is something that shouldn't take place simply on one day of the year but as far as I'm concerned any excuse to grab a nice meal out with my husband is gratefully received or do something extra nice together or for each other is great
D) romantic gestures should of course be year round, but for many people romance IS lacking from their daily life, work, lack of finances, children, lack of child care, tiredness, mundane hundrum of daily life all get in the way for many people, its just a fact. So its nice to be prompted, to be given an occasion to remind you that there is more to life sometimes. You may well be the kind of person enjoying romantic meals regularly throughout the year and exchanging romantic gifts and gestures, and thats fabulous and you're role models for all of us I'm sure, but its not the case for many people for whom real life gets in the way and romance takes a back seat
E) I don't remember ever being bitter about it when I was single, I don't understand why you would be? I was single most of my adult life until I met my husband at 28, if my single mates were about we got together, if they weren't I stayed in, I certainly wasn't sat at home spitting and crying into my ready meal for one.
From my post you might assume I'm someone who goes all out on Valentines Day to make it special. You'd be wrong, I might get my husband a card, and a pair of silk boxers from the tie rack, we might not do anything, we just try to get a nice meal out sometime around valentines day, usually not on the day because I don't like the set menus that all restaurants only seem to offer on Valentines Day.
I just hate the way, year after year, in real life and on the internet, what is a nice day for many people is pounced upon by a billion killjoys all keen to proclaim how deeply romantic they are all year round and insinuating how stupid people are who do like to partake in it because all they are doing is adding to some kind of mass consumerism.
Yet many of the same fuckers don't have a problem with celebrating the relgious holiday of Christmas, buying cards, presents, wrapping paper and the mass consumerism of that occasion.
Phew, rant over!
LOVE. THIS. POST.
ReplyDeleteHave a fab valentines day Lady! xxxxx
I'm not doing anything this year :( xx
ReplyDeleteNice rant! Well said, sister!
ReplyDeleteWhen I was single, I used to find it a bit depressing - I was single for a VERY long time - but I never begrudged anyone else whatever they wanted to do.
And MrLippie has just proved my point about reminders by stating that he "Just wanted an excuse to buy something silly, and some flowers, and dinner". I love him, but he's not good at romance without a little PROD now and again ... ;) And what says romance better than a teapot wearing a balaclava?
(He's reading this over my shoulder, btw)
I try not to rant on my blog because I get quite irate haha Hi Mr Lippie. You sound like a good un. My husband bought a box of chocolates for us to share. haha
ReplyDeleteNice post babe. I dont get why people rant about it either. To me its just another day, dont love it but dont hate it... it certainly doesn't bother me enough to rant and moan about it. Theres a million and one other things I'd rather have a good old moan about, serious things.
ReplyDeletexxx
Umm, I'm not sure how I feel about this post.
ReplyDeleteI'm not single, I don't think Valentine's Day is commercialised, and I'm not romantic all year round (well, not as much as I should be - and nor is Mr Lollipop) but I don't like Valentine's Day.
Yes, certain people need a prod to remind them to show someone how much they appreciate them... but what is romantic about a half-dead bunch of flowers from your local petrol station as a last-minute gift, or paying for an overpriced meal that you probably don't enjoy because it's a) a set menu, or b) not cooked properly because the chef is trying to fill too many orders at once? Why (at aged 26) would I want a stuffed 'I love you' teddy that'll be buried at the bottom of my wardrobe in 2 days time, or at the other end of the scale, why should Mr Lollipop feel obliged to buy me the expensive watch that I've been hankering over for a while, because it is February 14th? I suppose you could say I don't like the cliches of Valentine's Day.
As it happens, Valentine's is our anniversary. Ironic, I agree, and a beautiful bunch of flowers arrived this morning. I'm baking him some of his favourite biscuits tomorrow in return. Though - this is something I do often for him. And I do have flowers from him about 4 times a year.
I'm not Anti-Love, I'm not Anti-Romance, but I am Anti-Valentine's. I love Christmas though, so I guess that makes me a fucker *shrugs*
I think you've missed my point Lollipop. it's mainly against the people who feel its ok to crap all over other people's enjoyment. I also think all those things you mention are crap, I think that you can do valentines without set menus, crap teddys etc and I think I did say this in my post.
ReplyDeleteAnd you're no fucker, the ones who are, are the ones who think its ok to belittle other people's enjoyment, regardless of whether they enjoy clintons crap bears or not...
I honestly think you've missed all my main points. Which are in a nutshell, don't be bitter and look down on those who celebrate, and if you don't like the commercial crap that goes with it, don't buy it, thats not a good enough reason if its a stand alone reason, you can buy things that mean something, or make something. And no one is obliged to buy that crap. But if they want to, why do people think its ok to crap all over it? (not you, just the people that do, and there are loads).
And also, I think you've twisted my words, you can be anti valentines, but love christmas, just so long as your sole objection to valentines is the obligation to buy crap, because that is largely what christmas is all about these days. I can't see a difference.
Also Lollipop the first line of my post is "I don't mind people not doing anything on valentines day, thats fine and personal, its the bitterness about it all that gets to me"
ReplyDeleteWell that's fine because I don't buy crap at Christmas neither ;) haha
ReplyDeleteI did say in my post that I suppose you could say I don't like the cliches of Valentine's Day... which is kinda what we're both saying. In a roundabout way.
Different strokes for different folks and all that jazz. But... I am anti-Valentine's, and I'd like to apologise now to anyone I've ever made feel stupid if they do choose to celebrate it. But you shouldn't feel offended by people who don't like it and have bad opinions on it. It's not a reflection on you (I dont mean you as in YOU, I mean you as in people who *do* choose to celebrate it, if that makes sense) but their feelings on the occasion.
That said, I do find your post quite hypocritical, because you are making people who don't celebrate it feel exactly the same way as how they make you feel. That makes sense in my head but reads wrong - basically, if people who don't celebrate make the people that do celebrate feel belittled, this post has done the exact same to the non-celebraters.
Like I said at the beginning of my first post, I don't know how I feel about your post. I'm offended by some of it, yet at the same time I agree with some of it.
Call me fickle lol x
I still think youre missing my point - I don't mind people who don't celebrate it, not one little bit! I'm doing nothing. I've bought hubby a card, no pressie, he got me chocs for us to share, were not going out or having a meal in, nothing! I'm not at all;offended by people who don't do valentines, really I'm not. I am offended by those who like to belittle those who do!
ReplyDeleteI've obviously not been clear and I don't know how to be clearer. But I dont think I am being hypocritical because I'm not ranting at those who dont celebrate, I'm ranting at those who belittler thhose that do... does that make sense because I'm not sure I can clarify any more!
I know who you are ranting at, but this post has done the same thing - ranted at them and belittled them. Obvously I'm the one who is not explaining myself very well.
ReplyDeleteWow some of these comments have really confused me haha.
ReplyDeleteI love Valentines Day, if you're single why not use the day to show your parents, siblings or friends how much you love them instead?
You're not alone. If you like valentines, celebrate it, but if you don't, don't. That's what I got from the post, anyway.
ReplyDeleteBeing sneery about people who do celebrate - and I think Lollipop was, in a roundabout way, with the comments about shitty presents and stuff - isn't nice.
Live and let live, people.
Oh and if your boyfriend does buy you flowers and teddy bears either he doesn't know you very well or you don't know him very well, maybe he's more of a soppy romantic than you realised!
ReplyDeleteMy boyfriend can't tell the difference between petrol station flowers and Interflora flowers, I don't think it's his fault, he's just not that into flowers lol.
@ Get Lippie - Neither is calling people who feel the way that I do 'fuckers' because they celebrate Christmas and not Valentine's.
ReplyDeletePeople can't agree 100% of the time :)
She didn't call YOU a fucker, no court in the land ... etc.
ReplyDeleteSheesh.
Er... I know she didn't. My brain is frazzled now.
ReplyDeleteI apologise if I offended anyone with my 'sneery' comments. If you celebrate, have fun, if you don't, then do whatever it is you do.
Ok enough! Thanks for the intersting discussion but thats enough for one day from us all I think. I'm not feeling the love!!
ReplyDeleteLove this post hun, I totally agree, It always makes me feel down when I hear peoples nasty comments and negativity about V day. Like you I was single for many V days, and I never felt sad, I used it as an exscuse to send a anonymous card to the hot boy down the street! LOL! and although my fiance is generally romantic and kind and thinks of me all year, its just nice to have a special day made for love! whats so wrong with having a day devoted to love?!xxxx
ReplyDeleteI'm for both ways really each to their own but noone has the divine right to belittle what others do personal choice and all that
ReplyDeleteNot that i am saying anyone here is doing that by the way x
ReplyDeleteTotally agree with this post :)
ReplyDeleteI don't go over the top on Valentines Day but I do like showing my boyfriend how much I care about him and he does the same for me...which is the same at Christmas and birthdays.
It's just another nice chance to spoil each other..which is what we like to do.
I don't even buy him a card...I just leave him a post it note or a memo on his phone :)
You are so so right about it all though.
Fee x