I have reasonably fond memories of Valentine’s Day from my elementary school days. Craft projects with doilies. Decorating pink and red construction paper hearts. Exchanging enormous quantities of little cutesie valentine cards with all the other kids in class. Eating little candy hearts.
I don’t remember when our relationship went sour, mine and Valentine’s Day. I don’t think we had a fight. And Valentine’s Day didn’t exactly run out on me. I think it’s more that we just grew apart as I got older.
Elementary school days passed into junior high days, and Valentine’s Day stopped bringing me those special treats. No more craft projects or bags full of valentines. The little candy hearts lost their magic.
Those were awkward times.
Then came high school, and suddenly Valentine’s Day was all about the pressure. All Valentine’s Day pretended to care about was romance. And while Valentine’s Day was off having romantic interludes with so many other girls in my school, I was left feeling lonely. Rejected. I wasn’t getting the cards and flowers, or the heart-shaped boxes of candy. It was hard to believe that we’d ever had that connection, Valentine’s Day and me.
Perhaps it was then that bitterness set in. Followed by jaded cynicism. I knew that Valentine’s Day was shallow, all about greeting card sentimentality. Valentine’s Day pretended to care, to be about love. But really, it was all just for show. I knew Valentine’s Day was full of crap.
Little candy hearts courtesy of ACME heart maker.
This post is being submitted to the //engtech monthly contest, under the topic “why I hate Valentine’s Day.”
collecting tokens 
I agree. I love the anti-V-Day hearts. I have a tendency to feel the need to rebel against anything that I am supposed to do and Valentine’s Day feels so forced. Guys hate it because they feel so much pressure. Girls expect too much and then are disappointed. Everyone is left wishing they had just stayed home and ordered a pizza.
oh it’s a stupid holiday. I remember one year when I had a boyfriend, we had plans and there was this woman at work who was bragging about what her plans were with her date ( maybe boyfriend , can’t remember)- it was like she was competing with me for who had a more romantice/expensive night …
now I’m single and probably going to be watching dance movies…
I just came back from the CVS near BU, where I stood in a long line of bored and slightly embarrassed looking guys holding cards and boxes of chocolates. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Because nothing says I Love You more than chocolates from CVS, purchased at the last minute because you know you’ll be dead meat if you show up at her dorm room empty handed. Aww..
This is why I won’t celebrate VD even if I do have someone to celebrate with. Why would I want a gift based on entirely on fear? And aren’t there enough trauma-inducing, clutter generating, gift giving holidays already? (B-Day, Xmas, anniversaries..)
Anyway, I’m not sure who these guys were buying for, since according to the Globe, relationships are *so* passe. (Like most lifestyle pieces, I think this one is pretty suspect, since many of my students refer to their boyfriends/girlfriends.)
(note- I posted this once and wordpress appears to have eaten it. apologies if this gets double posted)
I just came back from the CVS near BU, where I stood in a long line of bored and slightly embarrassed looking guys holding cards and boxes of chocolates. Made me feel all warm and fuzzy. Because nothing says I Love You more than chocolates from CVS, purchased at the last minute because you know you’ll be dead meat if you show up at her dorm room empty handed. Aww..
This is why I won’t celebrate VD even if I do have someone to celebrate with. Why would I want a gift based on entirely on fear? And aren’t there enough trauma-inducing, clutter generating, gift giving holidays already? (B-Day, Xmas, anniversaries..)
Anyway, I’m not sure who these guys were buying for, since according to the Globe, relationships are *so* passe. (Like most lifestyle pieces, I think this one is pretty suspect, since many of my students refer to their boyfriends/girlfriends.)
alejna,
I also love your post title.
Alejna, I just added a link to this post on my own post “My Candy Heart”- because this post inspired me take the quiz. anyway, thought you would like to know.
Alice-
Glad you liked the hearts. And staying home and having pizza is a good idea.
ericalee-
Yeah, it’s pretty twisted. The competition thing. (And glad you liked my post title. I made myself laugh with this one. Hee hee. Oh, and thanks for linking to me.)
bs-
Your comment got spam filtered. The filter probably thought you were trying to sell me cheap candian prescription chocolate. Which is a shame, because I enjoyed your comment. I love the image of all the uncomforable-looking guys in line buying last minute tacky crappola at CVS. Such a reflection of the spirit of the holiday.
Ah. I hear you on the Hallmark sentimentality crap. At one point, I was pretty bitter about the whole made-up holiday. A greeting-card industry and Russell Stover coup.
But, I then I started thinking: of all the made-up holidays, to have one that celebrates Love is a pretty neat thing. All the hate and violence and negativity in this world and we have an excuse to make doilies and give out candy and be more loving.
I personally can’t wait until Jolie can learn about celebrating love on this day. So, I’m good with it. Even the men in CVS. Partly out of duty. But also, they wouldn’t be there if they didn’t love someone.
(I mentioned I was girly, right?)
KC-
I respect your girliness. And your view of the holiday. You almost have me convinced it’s a good thing, in spite of the all the superficial cardboard cutout cupidity. But I reserve the right to maintain my brittle candy exterior in order to protect my vulnerable inner chocolate workings from melting.