I'm pleased to present you with the inaugural Bleeding Hearts Countdown, also known as What Do To When it's February and You Don't Like Valentine's Day.
Each day of the Bleeding Hearts Countdown will be dedicated to love on the rocks and wicked holiday alternatives.Please note: I love romance. I am lost to romance; hopeless, swooning. My books have lots of romance. I even feel a little guilty about my Bleeding Hearts Countdown because my husband always does really nice things for me on Valentine's Day. But this is the point: my husband does really nice things for me all the time (that is why is he an awesome husband). Valentine's Day bothers me because of its high pressure, romance on cue dynamic. In my mind, romance is best left to its own devices. The culture of Valentine's Day as it exists now kills true romance and instead leaves us with vengeful gender stereotypes that produce awful Super Bowl ads, which endanger my television as I threaten to smash it.
Romance can't be forced. Romance happens. And it is wonderful.
Valentine's Day is a romance tyrant.
Let Bleeding Hearts Countdown start the revolution!So what's your take on Valentine's Day? Love? Loathe? Meh?
MY take on valentines day? well, thats subjective, if you have someone its fun if you dont its a hellish day full of swooning ninnys.
ReplyDeleteI dont HATE it, but i dont like it either, why have jsut one day where you tell somone you love them?
I'm gonna get in on this...
ReplyDeleteFirst, I HATED that commercial that you posted the link to (as I hate all commercials/things that profile based on gender :) ) so Thanks! for calling it out.
Second, I like Valentine's Day. I'll say that I've never had an amazing, romantic Valentine's Day (my best ever was a 2 bottle of wine each party celebration with Julian, which was AWESOME), and I've definitely had several "I wish I wasn't single" maudlin Valentine's Days. I totally agree with your comment about how romance shouldn't be forced, but I also think that sometimes life gets super busy and we need to have a holiday that makes us force doing something different and fun. Actually, this is why I am a fan of EVERY holiday (literally, I like every holiday, except maybe Columbus Day as it doesn't really call for any particular celebration and it commemorates something that was probably far more evil than good...I digree).
Okay, so my overall point is this: take Valentine's Day less seriously. Think of it as an excuse to have fun with people you love (of any variety of love) with the themes of the day being chocolate and wine (along with whatever else you want). How can this not be a great day?
:)
Luna: Agreed, the experience of Valentine's is completely tied to what's currently happening in your love life
ReplyDeleteGarth: When did you become more of an idealist than me? Though your point about chocolate and wine is well taken :)
And here I thought it was a conspiracy by women worldwide to force us hubbys to "prove" our love.
ReplyDeleteYeah, you can read my take on V-day in that one statement. I truly think it's a waste of time and effort, for BOTH men and women. I can be romantic, and I don't need a special day to remind me.
Eric - I think that the marketing gurus are pushing the conspiracy with their commercials :)
ReplyDeleteThat commercial really ticked me off. I kind of couldn't believe they aired it.
ReplyDeleteValentine's day=forced luv = yuck
I like this...a countdown to a contest. I don't care that much about Valentine's Day. I like St. Patrick's Day better. And, agreed, the Super Bowl ads ranged from the ridiculous to the downright offensive. And since when does the NFL come down on one side or the other on social and religious issues?
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to what you have in store for us on Feb. 14th!
Don't care too much about Valentine's Day, because hubby and I started dating (15 yrs ago!) on Feb. 11, so we always celebrate First Date Day that day instead. Restaurants are not crowded, we don't buy goofy cards, and it actually means something. :)
ReplyDeleteAs an elementary school teacher, Valentine's Day is ok... except that it happens at the same time as Groundhog's Day, Chinese New Year, Black History Month, Dental Health Month, report cards, conferences... way too much in a short month. :)
Lindsey
Shelley and Yvonne thanks for your thoughts on the commercials; nice to know I wasn't the only one upset about them!
ReplyDeleteOoh, First Date Day is much better. I have to admit I love the little kid Valentine's with cartoon characters on them. And thhere's a Dental Health month? I had no idea.
Wow...dental health month in the same month as a 'holiday' that's all about chocolate? Odd...
ReplyDeleteAs far as February goes, I dislike it (used to be hate, until I moved out of Colorado) because it is grey and weary and has just enough tickling of Spring in it to tease tease tease.
But Valentine's Day? I'm squarely in the meh category. It doesn't really effect me. I don't like crappy chocolate, I don't watch TV, I don't expect my husband to get me ANYTHING. But I have found that it is a good excuse (just like- hey, it's Tuesday! And- I cleaned the lint filter in the dryer, are good excuses) to go to a new, yummy restaurant. This year we're doing Moroccan, complete with belly dancers.
Nothing screams romance like seeing hot foreign chicks dance for me and my husband while eating something with a name I can't pronounce.
I want to go to that Moroccan restaurant - sounds fantastic!
ReplyDeleteOh yeah... it's Heart Healthy month, too.
ReplyDelete*groan*