I'm not a huge fan of Hallmark holidays like Valentine's Day. My kids get really into it, so I play along by preparing cute goodie bags for them, but deep inside, I feel uneasy over being assigned an arbitrary day to celebrate love.
I suppose my attitude (along with many other things!) stems from my childhood because my parents were completely against these types of holidays. They just didn't believe in them. My mother would have been shocked and annoyed to receive roses on Valentine's Day. There's probably also a certain amount of emotional scarring from high school days with no Valentine's that also contribute to my lack of enthusiasm for Valentine's Day.
My husband, on the other hand, is a big believer in Cupid Day. He is as romantic as he was on the day he proposed and treats me like a queen all day. Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I love my flowers and my chocolates! But I do walk around all day feeling like a fraud, feeling somehow guilty over all the fuss.
I don't think we should need a special day to remember how much we love each other. Every day should be an occasion to celebrate our love. We show it in little ordinary gestures: through quick calls throughout the day just to hear each other's voice, through caresses on the arm while passing the baby who needs a diaper change, by making meatloaf, by offering up the last French fry, and by taking the time every night to kiss each other goodnight.
Parent Bloggers Network is having a blog blast this weekend to put us in the mood for Valentine's Day. They've partnered with LIFE (the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education) to get us talking about how we show love in our families. One post will be chosen at random to win a Tiffany's Heart Pendant necklace.
2 comments:
You're right, we shouldn't need a certain day to show we love each other. My husband and I look at Valentine's Day as more of a day to remember to take time for ourselves and our relationship. We do the little things throughout the year, but sometimes it all gets lost in the diaper changes, sick kids, and laundry.
Not my favorite holiday either, but it always gives us an excuse to show up with a box of See's chocolates. Mmm - yummy!
I do love playing it up for the kids though, because as a kid it was one of my favorite holidays - pretty doilies and hearts and flowers - sharing cards and candies – what could be better?
But your right. The overkill of balloon boquets and candy grams in highschool ruined it for me too and I think that even if I'd been on the recieving end I would have been completely mortified!
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