Valentine’s Day Part 1

First I am rating this post PG, mainly because I want to talk about adult relationships.

Secondly, I set off on one thought process this morning, and now my head is swimming with thoughts and ideas having to do with Valentine’s Day, love, romance, and relationships.  So, who knows where this is going to go.

As I wrote this, it became apparent that it was way too long for one post, so it will be posted over several days, in several parts.  Not all parts are rated PG.  Actually this is awesome!  I have posts for the next four or five days!!

Valentine’s Day  is a holiday surrounded by legend, myth and mystery.  It is rooted in the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia, but we know from archeology digs that there are at least three martyrs named Valentine that the church recognizes as saints.   And at least one has the feast day of February 14th.  Legend says that Valentines, sent to a loved one, dates back as far as 1415.  A capital idea, that as time went on, Hallmark and other card companies jumped on.  Imagine an entire day set aside for LOVE!  (By the way, if the whole day is set aside for love, why don’t we get it off in order to cultivate our relationships?!)

Valentine’s is obviously, an extremely profitable day for florists, card companies, and candy companies.  I can not believe that one of the best selling Valentine’s candy, Sweethearts Conversation Hearts makes as much money as it does; being that it is only sold around Valentine’s Day!  Even Peeps, started over 50 years ago, branched out, creating their marshmallow treats for different holidays, new flavors, etc.  This year they have a new strawberry flavored, red chick, delicately dipped in milk or dark chocolate to celebrate Valentine’s Day.  And, on their web site they have a delicious (their words not mine) recipe, for a great Valentine dessert, for you sweetie, using their new peeps.  Companies are making a fortune selling LOVE Paraphernalia to the rest of us under the guise, that if you don’t express your love through cards, candy, flowers or other stuff you don’t truly love your fill in the blank. 

Two things come to mind when I think about all this. Now I don’t want you to think I’m cynical about Valentine’s Day or love because I’m not.  I just find it appalling that marketing ploys dictate such lies.  For Valentines Day, The Director and I always give the kids cards and usually a box of conversation hearts mainly because it’s fun and a nice little tradition.  In the past, depending on how life is going, we have made home-made cards, for each of the kids.

This year my parents, bless them, gave each of my kids a wonderful little goody bag filled with several little things like candy hearts, a scratch and sniff valentine (loved that!  Brought back great childhood memories), a bag of pretzels, a craft, and a pencil.  Now I’m grateful that my mom and dad love my kids and want to give them little goodies on holidays.  However, not wanting to be out done or have my kids think my parents love them more than The Director and I do, I of course felt the need (bought right into it!) to buy them each a little goody bag of stuff too.

I’m so glad there is a Dollar Tree right around the corner!  It allowed me to give chap-sticks, Valentine pencils, school supplies, gum and cards for less then $20.00.  We could seriously go broke buying goodies and cards for five kids at the local supermarket, pharmacy or chain superstore.  Have you seen the price of cards lately?!  50 cents at a Dollar Tree, almost as good as a five and dime in my book!

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