I don’t get Valentine’s Day. This is the first year Chris and I are going to be together at Valentine’s Day. We will be doing nothing celebratory. Doing something on Valentine’s Day would involve fighting to find a baby sitter, fighting the crowds where ever we went, and probably end in us bickering over the stress of the evening.

We also aren’t getting each other anything, and we’re cool with that. We can do nice things for each other and celebrate our relationship without Hallmark’s permission, and on unapproved days. It’s more fun that way. And it means more. Most traditional Valentine’s Day gifts I think are frivolous and result in clutter. No roses and overstuffed bears for me. I’m a potted plant kind of girl, and stuffed animals are for kids. Of course chocolate is always an acceptable gift, especially when it’s good chocolate*, but why should we be limited to one day out of a whole year to get a box of chocolates?

For me, Valentine’s Day ended at the graduation of elementary school. The minute we stopped decorating cute boxes and passing them out in class and eating cupcakes with pink frosting, I lost interest. I did enjoy helping Jonas pick out some Valentine’s for his classmates; he chose pink Disney Princess cards, isn’t he CUTE! And he had a fun time at school today making heart covered art projects, which is great. The minute Valentine’s Day turns into a guilt ridden, expensive, obligatory holiday it loses it’s appeal.

After school the kids and I were running an errand at the BX when Jonas spied a Mickey Mouse mylar balloon that he has been begging for ever since the Valentine’s decor went up the day after Christmas. I decided we’d go into the store and see how much they were; usually a mylar balloon is priced around three dollars. It turns out that the florist on base (who is notoriously over priced) is priced at four dollars a balloon usually, but since it’s today, they are five bucks a pop. I told her that was insane and left. Five dollars for a balloon! People, I used to work in the balloon industry, and I happen to know that those balloons can be sold for a very nice profit at two fifty. And raising your prices for Valentine’s Day- that’s just tacky.

This is one holiday where the merchandisers themselves are making it very easy for me to avoid the commercialism. Bring on Easter! They’ve got better candy.**

*give me a box of Godiva and I’m YOURS, baby, any day of the year.
** especially Cadbury Creme Eggs and anything with marshmallow filling and those robin egg things, mmmmmm.