MY eyes are still burning from the red glare in the card aisles at Tesco this morning. Poor Santa hadn’t even had time to pop the kettle on after his long trip ‘overseas’ before the shelves were being stripped of festive merriment and stocked with slushy nonsense!
This year will be the seventh Valentine’s Day since me and Mark got together, and I believe a grand total of two Valentine’s cards have been exchanged in that time - one each, on that first year, cause I think we both felt we should really. And we’re happy.
It may not be true for everyone, but my observations have taught me that an over-zealous approach to this annual event, can only lead to heartbreak.
One particular couple, I was friends with for a long time (note the past tense), are a prime example. If she didn’t have a large bouquet of roses delivered to her at work in front of the masses, or wasn’t taken out for an expensive meal with champagne, chocolates - the works - he was in massive trouble.
They are no longer together.
My case in point on longstanding apathy with Valentine’s Day, comes from no other than Mickallaaar and Paulinellaaar (Mum and Dad). They have almost certainly ignored every Valentine’s Day for the past 34 years, yet they are still together, happy (apart from when the Stags are losing) and, I hope, have another 34 years left in them! What better role models can you ask for?
I chose to replace the grand gestures, with the small everyday things - taking Mark’s socks off for him at night, cutting his toe nails, making him a brew, picking his spots, lifting concrete slabs to help in the garden and, occasionally remembering to shave my legs!
I think Valentine’s has its place - for all those singletons out there! The shops are fully stocked with helium balloons, flowers, teddies, Milk Tray and edible underwear - fill your boots and bag yourself a cracker!
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