As promised in my last post, this post explores an alternative Valentine’s Day. It’s written as part of a Dentyne sponsored contest at Pointless Banter, part of their “Take Back Valentine’s Day” day campaign/contest.
Many of you already know I think of Valentine’s Day as the day of the year the wife and girlfriend beaters and cheaters buy a gift, chocolates or diamonds it matters not which, and are by that means given a pass for another year. And though the jewelery, greeting card, confectionery and flower industries have done their job to convince us that nothing proves our love like …whatever, we all know better. Love may be like a box of chocolates — god I hated that movie — but it isn’t a box of chocolates.
The money we spend on Valentine’s Day could probably initiate development for a high-speed, low-impact train movement across the country. This would
be advantageous for those trying to get away from the significant other who, though otherwise a real creep, showered them faithfully with flowers, chocolates and romantic dinners every Valentine’s Day for the past ten years.
The history of Valentine’s Day is a subject of dispute as well, and this places some obligation on me to present alternatives for the celebration. Instead of focusing on two lovers, face it if your significant others love you they will love you all year round, a flower isn’t going to change that, why not take the day to spread your love around. If everyone in your circle of friends got together you could probably afford a nice donation to Women for Women, some nice care packages to soldiers in Afghanistan, or a donation to a family in Ethiopia, where a relatively small donation might prevent them from having to send their children to an orphanage from which wealthy Americans adopt.
Love is small, especially if confined within the arms of two, a family of four, or a tight group of “I’m too sexy for myself” Gen Y hipsters. Why not share you life and your passions with others this Valentine’s Day. Celebrate life, not the day, with those who may be in need of family or friend. Have a party, meet the neighbors, or the local bartender. Before you end the day know something about someone you never thought you’d know anything about, and share some of yourself with them. This holiday is not going away anytime soon. It’s probably time to make it into something worthwhile.
Think about it, there must be higher love
Down in the heart or hidden in the stars above
Without it, life is a wasted time
Look inside your heart, I’ll look inside mine.
Good thoughts (as always), cooper.
In that spirit, Happy Valentine’s Day!
Paul Levinson’s last blog post..Judd Gregg Deserves No Respect
Happy Valentine’s day — late — to you as well Professor. The red of the hearts makes me thing of Dexter.
I just finished commenting on your last post and I know that was new. Speedy typing fingers.
I still want those shorts.
As someone who was foolish enough in college to charge a very expensive gift from Tiffany’s on a charge card I had no way of paying off, because the my girlfriend was a princess extraordinaire and she had me tied a round her little finger I have to disagree only in that not all people who buy those gifts are cheaters and beaters. That a lot of women fall for that is true. but the rest of us are just fools.
I’d rather give my money to a charity, meet and talk and share with new people than to ever have to waste my money trying to prove nothing to someone again.
Ashley — I know it’s been a long time but I want that bracelet back.….
g’s last blog post..Enough Said
You won’t be doing that again I’m sure.
I agree with your post. You are an exuberant person.
I’m sorry I have no witty retort, but to say I web searched how to spell exuberant.
Happy Valentine’s Day
Bennet’s last blog post..Where are my Penguins?
Humm
I’d have to see I agree wholeheartedly with this post. It’s much in the vein of how I feel about Christmas. Why choose one day to give a gift to somebody? Birthdays I can see because that’s personal to the individual, but Christmas has never made sense to me (much like all holidays never make sense to me) because it involves celebrating a person that I never knew and has no bearing on my life right now.
It’s much the same with Valentine’s. You don’t need an excuse to show somebody you love them. Hopefully, as well, Valentine’s Day isn’t the only day of the year where you actually come to the realization that you do love that person.
If it’s all about setting aside a day to show that special person you love them, then why stop at day? Why not dedicate a whole year to them?
Hell, Little Miss Chipper had the better part of the 90s and beyond dedicated to her. LOL
mojo shivers’s last blog post..Send Me Your Flowers, Of Your December, Send Me Your Dreams, Of Your Candy Wine, I Got Just One Thing I Can’t Give You, Just One More Thing Of Mine
Yea it’s crazy more in the fact of how far it has gone. They don’t rally go this crazy in other parts of the world.
You are right but then I think said from my vantage point, single older woman it seems vengeful or spiteful. That I always thought this matters not and it’s that way we look at people that has to change
I’m not one to curl up into a ball and stay in if I’m in NY for short weekend. If I go out, to a good restaurant, with just my closest friend people will make certain assumptions that aren’t true and we will let them Not because it’s easier but because we’re each others longest lasting relationship so we celebrate that
Maybe that’s the ultimate Valentine’s Day revenge. Having a good time despite not being in a relationship
pia’s last blog post..A Bone Birthday or It’s Bone’s birthday and I’ll write about him anyway
I hope you’re having fun in the city this weekend Pia.
What bugs me is men so rarely get gifts.
It can also be a stressful holiday.
The point about sharing yourself, your family, or your group is a good one. The world is large the love should be large too.
In the meantime my email is inundated with suggestions for gift for my “sweetheart”. They seem to think she wants a really long lasting hard-on. Think that’s true.
It’s true I’ll show you mail email.
casey’s last blog post..A Hoax
I’m all for high speed low impact trains.
It will be interesting to see how well the industries who leech of Valentine’s day will do this year.
It’s kind of scary how easily a Valentine’s Day gift can buy even the worst of the worst more time.
john’s last blog post..Hanging It Up
I’m sure there will be a Valentine’s Day consumer analysis done by Monday. ;0
I never knew the history of Valentine’s Day. I blindly followed the crowd to the candy store and back. They should never have made us bring in little paper cards in elementary school, that really sucked, and set the stage for a life of buying all sorts of junk on the 14th.
All that candy goes on sale the day after. I’ll wait until next week. I like my candy cheap.
Too many fall for the gift thing. I bet Ted Bundy was a gift giver.
jacob’s last blog post..Cheaper Food.
It does go on sale. I hope I can stay away from it.
ahh yes Cooper
some great advice and suggestions…
I’ll be donating to the bushfire appeal
and taking my daughter out for lunch..
have a good one ..
laketrees’s last blog post..Bushfire Tragedy
The family lunch is always nice too. Those fires are so sad Kim. I hardly know what to say about them.
Enjoy the days as they come I say.
Cooper, as a man, husband, father, brother, uncle, and friend of women, I agree with you in total. I can say valetine gifts have never brought me a free pass for bad behavior, but the money spent could be put to better use. the motivated show of affection, should be daily, to tell those important to you, happy every day, I love you, and you mean the world to me!
JD’s last blog post..Stimulus Bill