Valentine’s Day: How Much ($$) Do You Love Me?

Valentine’s Day.  I love it and I abhor it.  The idea of setting a day aside to celebrate and honor love makes sense to me.  But for crying out loud, it has gotten way out of hand.  It’s become, like another certain holiday I can think of, all about buying things.  On top of this, we’ve bought into it.  Hook.  Line. Sinker.  We expect things to be bought for us.  Bigger and better each year as the advertisers convince us that this is the truest way to exhibit/prove/show our love.

Get this, I searched “valentine” at Target’s website and the results:  832 product matches!  Unbe-flippin-lievable (or “Holy Crap” as my 17 year-old put it). Listed here are just a few of the items you can get at Target to… ahhh…. “honor” (?) and celebrate your love.Understandable.VD cards, cookies, gift sets, jewelry, chocolate, candles, pajamas, bras, panties…..Really?VD pants for a baby girl, VD gift boxes, VD t-shirts for men, women, teens & kids, girl’s heart leggings, heart shaped flower wreath…..What?VD Centerpieces (it is very ugly), VD print tablecloth (I suppose if you have a party it could make sense, but come on – use red paper for crying out loud), heart/flower garlands (More than one style!  Is it for the hair or to hang around the house?  I can’t figure it out)……What the Hell?VD purses and wallets, VD cropped pants, VD area rugs, VD mobile, heart yoyo’s (I know I think of love whenever I see a yoyo….well, on second thought, maybe a yoyo is perfect for some relationships), tableware set (you know, if you make a romantic gourmet meal for your lover, the best way to serve it up is on plastic plates with red and pink hearts…the steak will look…ahhh....bloodier?)Are they insane?VD Border roll (ok, so you put it up for a day and then get out the steamer?), VD ceiling (?) decoration (I have no idea), a six foot “standee” metal cutout of a kissing couple (oh yes, perfect for the living room (!?) – perhaps off to the side of the hearth – it’s so adorable, the girl has a silhouetted pony tail.  Ugh.)O.K.  Enough!  I can’t go on after that and I’m only on page 7 of 42.  And this is just ONE STORE (a megastore, yes, but still).  It’s so so so crazy.And tell the truth: how often have your consumer inspired expectations been met by your partner on Valentine’s Day?  I bet not very often, right?  And then your special day turns into a let down, or feelings of not being loved enough, or even a fight about who loves how much and in what way.  It’s so so so so crazy.(Economy) Aside:  I admit, this might be a good year to buy into the consumer pressure.  Maybe Valentine’s Day spending could keep us from “recessing”.Anyway, I have a plan.  I’m going to turn my back (it is a struggle) on the likes of the superstores and just make a card or write a love poem.  Steve and I will make plans to share a great meal, snuggle up and explore some mad and passionate lovin’.  Sounds sane.Sounds perfect.This concludes another view from my married life.