Is valentines the new Christmas?

[DeeDees1]

We have never really celebrated valentines with the children but over the years we have noticed their friends parents do so have got them chocs, novelty sweets etc the last couple of years.
However this year the eldest saw what some of her friends got and the gifts appear to have grown. For example one friend got iets frans joggers and lots of chocs, sweets.
Are £30+ valentines gifts from parents the norm?

I feel the same as you. One of my DC asked this year a few days before why we never get them presents for valentines. I explained in the best way I could for their age that valentines was for adults to celebrate love. I felt bad though and ended up getting them a valentines marshmallow set each. But yes, their friends seem to get presents I would say sit in the £20-30 bracket. I’m not sure how to play this really moving forward.

Not that I’m aware, i didn’t know presents are the norm for any age group bar maybe flowers or a box of chocolates

We celebrate it with the kids but nothing like Christmas no, and I don’t know anyone who gets toys etc for their kids for Valentines day.

We just got a little balloon thing as my daughter is balloon obsessed at the minute, husband got us some flowers and then I had got the stuff for us to do some baking & crafts with- stuff we would have done anyway but just with a valentines theme😂

I do think people are starting to make bigger things of occasions though. Easter is the one I’ve noticed- we always just got chocolate eggs when we were kids and a new outfit to go to Easter lunch in but I know last year I saw quite a few people who had little piles of presents from “the Easter bunny” that rivalled Christmas!

My kids know that the expectations for Valentine’s Day are low - DH has led by example this year by buying (not particularly necessary ) parts for my car that he deemed I needed
our teenager gave me a lecture on falling for the commercialisation of the day by the greetings card industry whilst simultaneously failing to notice my card to DH was hand painted by me as I do every year
I think there is a certain level of silly that is amped by SM showing off - it happens all the time Easter will also be daft but it’s a loud shouty “look at me” minority rather than widespread

Nothing here. I'm not on board with the expansion of valentine's into a family event.

Eh?! I have never heard of this nonsense. My kids are primary and secondary age, they have never had and will never get Valentines presents from me!

They do buy sweets for their current love interests tho and I help them if they need it. One of the love interests lasted 4.5 hours this year so not sure what I was wasting my money on tbh.

Valentines in our house is an adult thing. I did make a special breakfast yesterday (waffles and strawberries) but then DD was dropped off at Grandma's and is still there now.

I do, however, always go a bit overboard on Easter baskets for both SD16 and DD5.

My children are at independent school so we know a lot of wealthy families, but I don’t know any who buy their children expensive gifts for Valentine’s Day.
Although I did get mine a box of Lindor to share.

We don’t do it in our house! But, I honestly can’t understand some of the venom that comes from people against the families that do!

For a start, the ‘it’s for adults and romantic love’ - says who? The Love Police? Give it a rest. Valentines Day is made up bullshit anyway so what’s it matter if it’s advanced into just ‘anyone you love’?! I find it a bit sad that any adult partakes in Valentine’s Day in the first place so I’d rather it be kids having a nice time with a load of tat than a full grown woman.

Then there is the fact that you know, February is cold and miserable for most, some kids have it hard, some kids have terrible lives and upbringings and so if there are kids whose mothers like to make certain occasions special by getting them some love heart PJs, a bag of sweets and writing a little card out for them then what exactly is their problem?

Its a made up day, better to be directed towards children for some joy than grown women getting the titty lip on with their husband because he didn’t get her the correct carnation.

God...

It’s a post-Covid phenomenon.

We were so starved of social occasions, family gatherings and conviviality for so long that we’re now overcompensating.

We’re a very trad English provincial family but in recent years - prompted by the DC’s more international school friends - have started celebrating Lunar New Year, Diwali and Nowruz. Our friends all report similar.

I’m also aware that certain celebrations that were an integral part of extended family life - Sunday lunches, big birthdays, anniversaries etc - have stopped being celebrated. My parents had a life punctuated with dinner parties and dances and I can’t recall the last time I went to either. I’m 52 and all but a handful of 50ths I went to were lunches and dinners, whereas in my parents’ generation it was a marquee event.

Valentine’s Day (which for 20 years was just exchanging cards) has suddenly become a big do. Last night, the DC cooked us, we ate by candlelight, and we all exchanged presents.

I think it’s lovely. I had a very austere and joyless childhood and I want to make sure the children have happy family memories and learn about cultural traditions.

Fiscally speaking it's the second most lucrative holiday after Christmas. Easter and mother's day etc have nothing on it. I think big business and SM are driving this new trend. It's Christmas 2.

I always got a card and gift from my parents on Valentine’s Day when I was growing up and I do the same for dc, not £30+ though but they’re young, maybe as they get older that might change if we can afford it. I’ve not seen anyone spending that much around here on one item but I’ve seen lots of valentines baskets filled with little pamper things and some chocolates that probably add up to £30.
I think if it’s stuff you’d buy anyway, or is consumable then what’s the harm. Dc usually get a toy (birthdays are miles away so it’s a nice opportunity for a small gift) and a book. We go out for dinner as a family too and see it as a chance for family time.

I think life is hard and if people are finding a little spot of joy and celebrating moments then what’s the harm. Obviously some people just do it because they feel pressured which is a shame but you could say that about anything.

I don’t know anyone who does this. Dh and I didn’t even remember it was Valentine’s Day, not that we’d do anything anyway. Mine are secondary and primary age and hardly have ever heard of it, definitely not something their friends are doing.

It reminds me a bit of my childhood in the US when kids were expected to bring valentines cards for the whole class (another thing that Mums usually have to organise). This was in the 1980s so not a new thing. It does seem to be getting more commercialised here.

It is if that’s what you choose. We choose not to really get involved in it even for ourselves as adults so certainly not getting our kids baskets of gifts! But any day can be celebrated if you want to.

No.

Valentine's Day is for romantic love or stalkers and nothing to do with loving your dc.

It looks like some celebrate it with little things like us and some don't celebrate it at all.
Maybe the few friends with bigger value gifts are not the norm.
Thanks for the replies.