To think Valentines Day is about romantic love?

[KimberleyClark]

And giving cards to family members is just weird?

Well DH and I say we love each other every day too, and have several holidays planned this year, but we still look forward to Valentines Day to do something a bit special. We don’t have children or surviving parents so Mothers/Father’s Day is non event to us, and also agree with pp that not everything needs to be child centred.

Edited to ask, do all those parents who give things to their kids give their DH/DP a card too?

This thread reminds me of one of my favourite SNL sketches, makes me laugh every time:

And to answer the question, I prefer St Dwynwen’s Day because it feels less Hallmarky and I’ve only ever sent cards to an adult object of my affection.

YANBU. It's about romantic love to me. Not every event has to be turned into something that includes everyone.

I get my children a little something - chocolate or sweets and a book or teddy, and they always buy flowers for their nannies.
I give a card to DP, we usually get a dine in meal or something like that.
My dad and my partners dad never did big gestures which is why I get flowers. And I want my children to know it's nice to show your love and appreciation to people who are important to you. I know my mum would have loved to be a little bit spoilt sometimes.

Call me cynical but yes it was all about romantic love. Now it's just the bandwagon of commercialism to buy cards and presents for anyone you love. Yes this is nice, a given date to be told you have to express your love, rather than just doing it anyway.

Valentine's day isn't about love at all 🤣🤣 it's about selling a loads of tat to willing consumers.

I don't even like Valentines, but something about this post has made me go and order pink prosecco for my dd.

Well shit, better tell my dogs they're not getting their heart shaped doggy dinners incase someone thinks I want to shag them.

Happy to be weird.

As a kid, we passed out cheap cardboard valentines to everyone in class (with people passing extras or the best ones to their crushes...). We could recognise it about all kinds of love, while also being aware that romantic love was different...

Now, I buy cheap heart shaped sweets and give them to my kids with those printable Valentines around something they're interested in. Last year it was D&D ones. They an enjoy those while their father and I go out to a local VR game place and shoot zombies together.

I get dd a little token something. My thought is if she doesn't see getting treats and things as out of the ordinary, she won't settle for men who make substandard effort or feel she has to hang onto a relationship for scraps.

It's about the kids here. They get some chocolate hearts and we bake some heart-shaped cookies. DH and I don't really celebrate it.

Is it not just a fun thing to brighten up a long winter? Nice to celebrate with kids too

Well I'm definitely jealous! That's lovely!

Well,my parents never gave me valentines gifts but I still managed to grow up with a very high bar when it comes to men.

I tend to do something little for the kids/teens like pop a little note in their lunch box, I've got some valentine chocolate coins to pop in.

I've ordered a heart shaped bento cake for us all to share. DH and I will have a meal on our own though. I think Valentine's is predominantly for couples, but I have boys and I hope that DH and I making small efforts on days like these will rub off on them and make them thoughtful when they're older.

Kiddies must be involved in everything. When did all that start

Kiddies must be involved in everything. When did all that start

We bugger off on holiday without them sometimes if that makes you feel better?

In the UK yes traditionally it has been, but it's now evolving. Some would say being more commercialised or Americanised, but I think it's an improvement. Romantic valentine's is just very naff and sometimes seedy. I like that in Canada/America you can get children's class packs of valentine's cards like we have for Christmas cards to give to friends, what's not to like about celebrating friendships and expressing non romantic love for all ages?

So what if 2/3 agree? It doesn't mean the 1/3 are wrong.

Don’t be facetious. Valentine’s Day isn’t about kids

Its origins are about sex and being whipped at fertility parties. But now it's just a heart-themed day, I think it's cute and I enjoy having a galentine's day with the girls and heart candies for the kids

Don’t be facetious. Valentine’s Day isn’t about kids

Says who? Valentine's Day can be whatever anyone wants it to be, same with any occasion, there is no law last time I checked.

Why does it bother you what someone else does?

If you go back far enough through the folk traditions it's actually about the advent of spring and martyrdom, the romantic love bit came later so. There's that. We could always go and martyr ourselves instead, stick to the old traditions. Or we could let people celebrate the stupid fucking thing however they want, maybe?

In my native language it is "friends day" so I'll always associate as a day to celebrate friendships.

Don't get me wrong I wouldn't be best pleased if there were kids at the restaurant we are going to this weekend making a ruckus in our vicinity when it's a specific Valentine's set menu, I expect that to be for couples, but really don't see how handing out cards and small presents to children impacts anyone negatively enough to get irritated by it.