... To be nauseated at Valentines Day?

[Syrinx89]

Seriously, though. Why celebrate the same day being "romantic" with the entire UK population, for the sake of retail cashing in? And nope, I'm not bitter. I'm in a happy relationship of 6 years and we both hate the idea, thank goodness. Also feel sorry for my single friends.

What nauseated me recently was not the event itself, but the vast amount of Valentine’s tat I saw in a Card Factory shop. Almost as bad as all the Halloween rubbish that fills the shops now.

Dh and I still do cards, though, and usually some chocs. Trying to find any card for him that I actually like is another matter.

Finally found one - two smiley little figures like a child’s drawing, with an Amazon-type review above:

‘* * * * * Excellent. Would marry again.’
Just right.

I don't get the hate either, I don't celebrate but I can't get myself worked up about other people who do. It's not compulsory, who cares really if it's all commercialised and prop e but teddies and cards for their partners and enjoy it? Words such as hate and nauseated are really strong and its bizarre to get so worked up over what other people do.

My DH and I don’t bother with Valentine’s Day because it is a load of flummery (I might make flummery my word of the day 😄). That said, because I’m a delightful person I have promised to make him an old fashioned 1970’s type trifle today because he has had a hankering for one for a while. (I won’t eat it because it won’t be vegan and I don’t like dessert). I’ve told him it’s because of Valentine’s Day which we both know is bollocks.

You can still have a bit of fun on Valentine’s day without falling for the commercial crap.
We’re just going to have nice food and bake a heart shaped cake which dc will love.
Not much extra money will be spent and it’s just a bit of fun for us.
I don’t get why people are so anti it. Do those who hate it, hate other celebrations too?

Me and DH are both pretty romantic. We still celebrate Valentines and have been married 40 years. We think it's a bit of fun.

We are romantic all year. We often buy each other little presents if we see something the other would like such as a book, cd, dvd, earrings (for me) etc. DH quite often buys me lovely flowers or a plant (I have over 70 houseplants).

We like that as well as being spontaneously romantic we can be extra romantic on Valentines, our birthdays, the day we met and our wedding anniversary.

We don't do the same things each year. We usually buy each other card but not always a present. Some times we go out to eat, sometimes get a takeaway, sometimes cook a nice meal. A few times we have gone away either just for the night or a few days.

I get that not every likes it and/or celebrates it but I don't get the hate or the sneering about it. It's only the ones that don't do anything that make the sneery, nasty comments I notice.

Also not all flowers go up in price. It's perfectly easy to find flowers at their usual prices. Roses probably go up but as I dislike roses DH would never dream of buying them for me.

Likewise not all restaurants have a special menu or put their prices up or are packed with couples. We manage to choose places that don't have a rip off menu and aren't packed so it can't be that difficult.

DH has taken the day off work today and we are off out somewhere. It's looks like it's going to be a bright sunny day so we are thinking of somewhere like a National Trust place, maybe somewhere we can see snowdrops. Then a nice lunch. We are having the M&S meal deal tonight and will probably watch a dvd or netflix

We’ve just swapped cards this year..decided against presents as we had a very lovely three night break in a beautiful hotel in the lakes last week, just because we could.

I’m thrilled with my card.

I’m just glad he’s still here after a stroke 4 years ago now.
Sorry to anyone Unhappily single.
Hopefully it’ll all change soon .if you want it to.

My card says..sometimes I really struggle to find the words to tell you so a lot of times I don’t say anything at all...very true

But it’s all the little actions that add up..I’ve just had breakfast brought to me in bed, well that happens every morning and just one of the little ways he makes me feel special.

They are gifts in themselves.

Totally agree with you @Syrinx89..it's so commercialised and ridiculous. I'm in a new relationship, we are romantic towards each other, but have both agreed it's a big pile of retail shite.

@TheFaerieQueene - Oh I love that word. Flummery. I'm going to steal it!

I like it, yanbu not to like it though!

But I would disagree about it upsetting single friends, there's been loads about galentines day this year. People need to woman up. There's always someone with better fortune and always someone with worse fortune than yourself.

@PinkMonkeyBird well you both agree which is good but many others do not.

What do you mean by "retail shite"? You do know don't you that's it's perfectly possible to celebrate the day and not buy any of the tat in the shops?

You can give any present such as a book, a cd, dvd, inexpensive jewellery etc. You could make a card or just not give one. You can in fact do whatever you want but you don't need to tell everyone just how silly and needless you think it is

Meh, me and DW have used it as an excuse to play hooky for the day and have a nice lunch together. Sometimes we need an excuse ...

It’s commercialised bollocks

I’m with you op

I'm (so happily!) single and don't mind it at all! I don't begrudge anyone happiness if they enjoy celebrating. I'm using it as a reason to buy the kids some Percy pig valentines sweets, heart biscuits and treat myself. Why not!

Same reason as we celebrate Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day and birthdays. It’s a bit of fun and an opportunity to make others feel special.

You can of course go overboard or as tacky as you want, and plenty of business happy to take your cash to do so, but it like most things it’s usually thoughtfulness that is the most appreciated.

I do not know why I was exclaiming so much there sorry.

Happily single here. I'm about to spend a weekend with 10 friends (couples and their babies & singletons) in a country house. Which I think is a much better way to spend Valentine's. I do love them all which is in the spirit of the day.

That’s the thing - I don’t care at all if people don’t want to celebrate it, that’s fine. It’s when people start throwing out terms like “nauseating” or “twee” that I think is out of order.

Yes, I admit I do boggle at some of the random tat that is on offer in the shops, but I just don’t buy it. Live and let live 🤷‍♀️

I've never minded it.

When I was single I would either have a night in or me and my girlfriends would get together with wine and a takeaway; it never bothered me or made me feel lonely. And as a couple I enjoy getting a card, and if I'm lucky some flowers and chocolate, both of which are lovely to receive regardless of the occasion.

I loved valentine's day when I was younger but I think it was more of a fear of being left out.

Been with a new partner for almost a year and we won't be seeing each other this weekend and haven't even said happy valentine's day to each other on the phone/messages this morning.

Not bothered. He treats me wonderfully every day.

I don't think too much about it. Christmas is also ridiculous if you're not religious but everyone does it. It's nice to take a moment to appreciate stuff, and if you don't like it, don't do it.

yanbu - 3 colleagues in our office got huge bouquets of flowers and choc delivered by their partners/husbands (with whom they live). Just a hugely cringe worthy show of public declaration of whatever. It was embarrassing.

I think it's weird that the people who hate it seem to think if you celebrate it you can't possibly treat your partner well the rest of the year

It's been commercialised to beyond the point of tackiness imo, and all the pubs and restaurants seem to cash in by offering a "special" Valentines menu, which is inferior to the usual menu in a lot of places, but more expensive.

I might cook a cottage pie later, though, it's one of DP's favourites.

Meh. Every holiday is a type go cash cow. Useless tat, secret santa and overpriced cards to celebrate Christmas? Chocolate egg coma to celebrate Jesus rising from the dead? If you complain about valentine's day, apply the same logic to other commercial binges.