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AIBU

Valentine’s Day, is becoming like Halloween.

(110 Posts)
Sago Fri 06-Feb-26 13:01:07

Over a week from 14/2 and my feed is full of Valentine meal deals.

The DT has articles on what to wear on Valentine’s Day, where to buy the best flowers etc.
I caught something on the radio regarding the most romantic stays.

St Valentine is the Patron Saint of beekeepers and epilepsy.
I’m not quite sure how he became associated with tacky cards and teddy bears but for another year I am going to refuse to get swept away with all this nonsense.

AIBU?

Grannmarie Fri 13-Feb-26 16:53:57

Thank you, knspol and Shabtil100.

I'm glad you still have some of your cards, special memories of happy times together. 🥰

Shabti100 Fri 13-Feb-26 16:46:50

Im so sorry for your loss its5 years for me. Ill always remember the year webought identical cards for each other xxxx

Allira Fri 13-Feb-26 16:43:09

‘ Roses are red, violets are blue,
You’ve not had one before,
But you’ve got one noo’

Love it Daddima
So romantic 😁

Susieq62 Fri 13-Feb-26 16:42:22

Just bought our valentine’s meal deal 😂😂😂

Allira Fri 13-Feb-26 16:41:54

Oh dear, hope DH isn't expecting a special meal!
Of course, he could surprise me 🤔

M0nica Fri 13-Feb-26 16:12:51

Well, our wedding anniversary is on 17th February so St Valentines day seems to me to be to be over doing it, so we sttick to clelebrating the 17th.

Daddima Fri 13-Feb-26 15:56:39

M0nica

Graceless

I've only ever had one Valentine's card in my life (insert sad smiley here!)

To be honest I cannot remember whether I have ever had one. It is possible but it did not make a lasting impression.

I once remarked to the Bodach that he had never sent me a Valentine ( nor had I ever sent him one!)
Next day, a card on the mat…

‘ Roses are red, violets are blue,
You’ve not had one before,
But you’ve got one noo’

We didn’t ever buy in to the card manufacturers’ days, but I have treated myself to Waitrose £25 dine in for two, which may take me three days to eat. Full price £43, so a nice treat.

Namsnanny Fri 13-Feb-26 15:40:20

Thank you for posting that Lovetotravel :-)

Lovetotravel Fri 13-Feb-26 15:23:05

Perhaps this is part of the reason

knspol Fri 13-Feb-26 15:10:11

Grannmarie

We were married on Valentine's Day fifty three years ago. It was snowing. It will be my first wedding anniversary without DH, but I have kept last year's card from him so I will display that beside his photo. ❤️

I have Valentine cards from the last few years sent by my late DH and have put them up in the bedroom every year since, just for my eyes in case people think I'm silly. I had kept a whole boxful of b'day, Christmas, anniversary cards etc from DH but sadly they were all lost with a couple of other boxes on one of our many moves.
I hope the day goes better than you expect Granmarie, take care.

Grannmarie Fri 13-Feb-26 14:50:41

Thank you, Hellsbelles, love your name!
Congratulations for your first Valentine's anniversary tomorrow.💐

Chocolatelovinggran Fri 13-Feb-26 14:14:16

AuntieE, Valentine's Day is not an American celebration, tacky or otherwise.

Hellsbelles Fri 13-Feb-26 14:11:26

Grannmarie

We were married on Valentine's Day fifty three years ago. It was snowing. It will be my first wedding anniversary without DH, but I have kept last year's card from him so I will display that beside his photo. ❤️

I'm sure it will be bittersweet for you , sorry for your loss .

Tomorrow is my first anniversary although we have been together for many years .

Norah Fri 13-Feb-26 14:10:58

Chocolatelovinggran It is possible to celebrate the love you feel for your spouse/ partner without spending "a fortune on tat".

We spend little celebrating our lovely family. No tat.

Always February heart crockery, cakes, biscuits, gorgeous meal.

I make cards with our GC and GGC. We make flour/salt rolled dough, cut into hearts and paint 'decorations' an easy child activity.

AuntieE Fri 13-Feb-26 14:10:55

I am so tired of USA right now that I no longer buy American goods (not that I ever have bought many) and just as soon as a European produced replacement for Microsoft WIndows is produced, I shall buy it.

Perhaps we could get rid of all these tacky American celebrations: Valentine's Day, the American form of Halloween, Black Friday, and I have even heard of Europeans starting to celebrate Thanksgiving.

WelshPoppy Fri 13-Feb-26 14:07:25

I buy hubby a card, he usually forgets to reciprocate 😂. We tend not to do gifts unless he nips out to get a card and picks up some flowers 😂

Cabbie21 Fri 13-Feb-26 14:06:05

I have just heard on the tv that Valentine’s Day is second only to Christmas, commercially speaking.
I think one sees more rubbish for Hallowe’en in the shops but I guess that people spend more on flowers and chocolates than Halloween tat.

When my Dad died, the funeral director advised her to have red carnations instead of the red roses she wanted on his coffin, as his funeral was the day before Valentine’s Day and roses were SO expensive.

Nanny27 Fri 13-Feb-26 13:57:24

I quite like Valentine's Day although we don't really celebrate
What gets me though is the media phrase 'Valentine's.
Valentine's what? If they mean Valentine's Day why don't they say so?
Any other saint's Day has the word Day attached.

Chocolatelovinggran Tue 10-Feb-26 13:11:18

I'm with you, Oreo. It is possible to celebrate the love you feel for your spouse/ partner without spending "a fortune on tat".
My son and daughters will give homemade cards. Favourite meals will be cooked. Cakes may be baked.
A successful marriage is something to mark, surely?
I have no personal skin in this game - I'm a long- divorced woman.

sarahcyn Tue 10-Feb-26 10:28:09

I wouldn't mind the shops, if it weren't for the "Ideas for Valentine's" emails. Every shop I have ever bought anything from online seems to want me to buy something from them to mark the Feast of St Valentine. If I succumbed to them all I would have bought:
Macadamia and francinsense Man balm
frozen dog treats
New wide-fit shoes
A subscription to a finance app
An Iphone 17 pro starting at £1099
Wooden toys for my grandchildren - eh?
A discount off a thing for hanging up clothes
A frying pan
A photobook
A mail order pork pie
Not to mention piles of chocolates and mounds of flowers.

M0nica Mon 09-Feb-26 20:57:51

Graceless

I've only ever had one Valentine's card in my life (insert sad smiley here!)

To be honest I cannot remember whether I have ever had one. It is possible but it did not make a lasting impression.

Maremia Mon 09-Feb-26 13:40:51

Good advice DamaskRose, to each their own.

Maremia Mon 09-Feb-26 13:39:35

Yes, imaround, I love Hallowe'en.

Maremia Mon 09-Feb-26 13:39:13

You are welcome grumppa. Enjoy those chocs.

DamaskRose Mon 09-Feb-26 13:37:07

We don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day or halloween but do celebrate Easter and Christmas as Christian festivals. To each his own. Just ignore what you don’t like.