To think Valentines Day is about romantic love?

[KimberleyClark]

And giving cards to family members is just weird?

Anyone can have a private celebration, and anyone can adapt a public celebration to suit their own circumstances. Like all the people who celebrate Christmas in a purely secular manner.

I remember my Dad buying my Mum flowers and giving her a card that was in the late 80s.

Where I grew up the literal translation is “friend day” and we would give cards to our friends as kids - not sure what adults did but not the commercial love day it is now!

Dh sometimes buys me flowers and a card, I sometimes get him a card but don’t think I have now for a good 10 years or so now!
I see it as day to send an anonymous card to someone you fancy and nothing more than that.
Our kids will have a nice dinner made for them as they do every night (actually only one of them will be home 😂) and we will all eat together but there won’t be presents bought for the kids - just seems like a nothing day to me.

I don't mind who people give cards to. However what I really dislike is the 'nasty' Valentines cards on offer this year, even in places like Waitrose. E.g,

'Happy Valentine's Day. At least the dog likes you. (Picture of dog saying 'prick')

'I love your stupid face'

'We've been through so much and it was all your fault'

I mean 🤷🏻‍♀️

I think they are meant to be lighthearted/ funny…? Not everyone is in to earnest and soppy.

OP YABu, romantic love is overrated- if people want to reclaim V day good for them.

People can do whatever they want..
For some people it's about love of any kind for others it's romantic love.
I don't think it matters

Bully for you.

There is no bad love.

I just wish I'd been the sort to inspire men to send me Valentine's cards and chocolates... I've had the odd card or two from a marital partner (my own, obviously), but that was largely because they felt it was expected of them. Just once I would have liked an anonymous bunch of roses or a card posted furtively through my door before dawn. Sigh.

Or she'll be on MN in 25 years asking if she should dump the perfectly nice bloke who is kind and caring and pulls his weight around the house because he doesn't go in for commercially driven occasions.

🤣🤣

I’ve bought my daughter a card and a gift every year (she’s 7) so usually a teddy or a keyring for her school bag or something similar.
I’ve been single most of her life and I want her standards a lot higher than mine were 😂
I’m in a relationship now and I’ve bought DP a card, DD a card and then I’m doing them both personalised snack boxes (sweets/chocolates etc.) for family film night and flowers, pink lip balm and a bath bomb for DD.

My DP is dyslexic so he doesn’t actually read cards properly before buying them. Our first Christmas together and I open a card from him saying “we’ve had a long and bumpy road together…..” and I thought… have we? Is our relationship on the rocks already? 😂 and then I thought who the hell wrote this card, why is it for sale?!

I don’t think I’ve ever known anyone to give valentines cards and gifts to their kids and I’m surprised to hear it’s a thing. I don’t think it’s an issue if there is a tradition there, it’s just not something I’d do with my dc.

I consider it as a day for teenagers who fancy each other and I remember it all being quite awkward when I was that age. But not something for adults or kids really.

YABU. Some of my best Valentines memories are from when I was a child in the 80s, receiving sweet gifts from classmates and @HarperStern I also remember receiving a Valentines care package from my mum when I was at uni - she lived an 8 hour flight away so I didn't get to go home much and things like that totally made my week. As an adult, Valentines is overrated and most married couples I know don't really celebrate it, myself and DH included (we treat each other plenty of other times during the year and he buys me lots of flowers on random days), but I'm looking forward to doing small things for the DC on Valentines when they're a bit older. I've also had some really fun 'galentines' nights out both when I was single and when in relationships so no, I don't think it's primarily about romantic love.

Totally agree.

That's lovely, and so nice and kind that you do your own personal thing...

but oh sweet Jesus, don't let the shops get a hold of this idea! Not valentines Day boxes now... I do not wish to see those in Asda! We have Christmas eve boxes, and apparently another box I was enlightened with on a thread around Christmas (maybe somebody will come a long and name it). It was some box I had never heard of, halloween maybe?

I’m with you OP, Valentine’s Day is for couples not kids.
It’s been Americanised/taken over by the instahuns, same as Christmas, Halloween etc. It’s just another excuse to buy stuff, take pictures and show off your ‘perfect life’ on social media. And don’t get me started on daddy/daughter dates 🤮

😂 don’t worry, it’s not a full on Christmas Eve style box, it’s a box with little compartments in that I will re-use for picnics (fresh fruit/cheese cubes etc.)

I think this too x

Exactly this

Giving St. Valentine cards/presents to family is bordering on the perverse, no matter that the day may be a bastardisation of a folk festival.
The whole point was to send a card or token, anonymously to someone you fancied. It was a secret, not the 'look at meee, meeeeee, meeeeee, and all the money I've spent on you for a stupid day that is so commercialised even Hallmark are looking a bit embarrassed ' day

Bless your optimism

Ok…

Agree