Happy Valentine's Day

DH and I wished each other Happy Valentines Day this morning and saved ourselves about £7.

No sorry but I never have ....

I hadn’t even realised that it was Valentines Day.We have never sent cards to each other or anyone else since we got married, but remember enjoying getting cards from boys when a teenager.My sister and I had a bit if a contest as to who got the most ( she did usually).Two brothers ( twins) who lived locally used to put cards through our letterbox every year to both of us! My sister eventually went out with one of them for a while.

We have a custom here in Norfolk that there is a knock at the door and when your child goes to the door there is a little package containing sweets and perhaps a few little things pencils,crayons perhaps a small toy all from Father Valentine. My parents used to do it for my sisters and I all in our 60’s now and it is still a popular custom here.

Our DD was presented with a red rose and a card when on the bus to work, when she was about 25, she said she was really embarrassed and had to say thank you, but that she already had a boyfriend.

Well, I've never heard of that.

And he's a Saint surely?
St Valentine was a Roman priest who was captured and tortured for marrying Christian couples at a time when Christians were being persecuted.
Claudius II ordered him to be executed by beheading which he was on 14th February C278 AD.

Or so the story goes.

Ramblingrose22, thank you for your reply and pointing me in the direction of Wikipedia.
However, I am well aware where the tradition comes from and have absolutely no need to consult Wikipedia, which is considered unreliable anyway.
Times change and I know many people, who just see sending a card as a way of showing affection.
As I have said previously, I accept that we all have different interpretations and perceptions of situations and my motto is, "Live and let live". The world would be a pretty boring place if we didn't. I am certainly NOT assuming that I know what anyone else's mindset is. It is absolutely none of my business what others think, just as I would hope that others would accept what I think, without criticising or being patronising.
Furthermore, I indicated that I was glad that I had the mindset that saw sending a card as an affectionate gesture.
Also, I am well aware that by posting on GN, you leave yourself open to criticism and robust replies to one's posts. That's what makes threads interesting.
However, what has upset me is the use of words by posters (on what I assumed was a lighthearted thread) such as "creepy", "repugnant", "sexual", "inappropriate", "weird" when referring to the actions of people (like me), who send Valentine's cards to our children. The implication is, that our behaviour is in some way unsavoury.
I can assure you it certainly is not.
That is why I tend to post only on the games, Café and Soop's kitchen, everyone there is so supportive of each other.
Thank you for tainting what was an affectionate and wholly innocent gesture on my husband's part. I doubt if he will ever send another card.
Cherrytree and Kittycat, thank you for understanding what I meant by an affectionate gesture.

I’m not a fan of cards of any description ( except birthday cards for children), so the Bodach and I ignore Valentine’s Day, though one year he did give me a card saying, “ Roses are red, violets are blue, you’ve never had one before, so you’re gettin’ wan noo”.

I was also horrified to see “ Palentine” cards being advertised.

Marydoll I'm with you. Just a day for expressing love. My first GC is 8 months old and I sent her a card but one I had made, not a lovey dovey romantic one. My DD was really touched that I had thought to do so. I also sent love to all friends and family via my FB page. Any day is a good day to send love, and St. Valentine's Day just concentrates the mind.

Sorry to put a damper on it with a bit of gruesome truth/myth/legend

❤

To add to your info Jalima, according to the Catholic Church, St. Valentine is the Patron Saint of affianced couples, bee keepers, engaged couples, epilepsy, fainting, greetings, happy marriages, love, lovers, plague, travellers, and young people. He is represented in pictures with birds and roses.

Thanks Marydoll
That's quite a wide range of responsibilities.

ps I am not black-hearted, it looked red before I posted.

❤️

So, he he has lots to keep him busy the rest of the year.

My dad sent all his granddaughters a Valentin card from their birth till his death. Because he loved them!

On a lighter note:

I remember receiving two Valentine cards when I was a young teenager.
One said "Roses are read, Violets are blue,
God made me beautiful,
What happened to you?"

The other one said "Be my Valentine, with a face like yours you haven't got much choice!"

Charming eh? !!

Never have. I think its a most odd idea. Its for romantic love. Always send one to DH and he reciprocates.

No, why would you. It's supposed to be for partners, not relatives, surely.

I am a card sender so yes, I do send a Valentine card to Grand children except this year. I do not know where they are. Mom left with kids and never came back.

No never ! What an odd thing to do IMO .

I’m with you Marydoll. What’s wrong with spreading a little bit of love and kindness? So much better than all this hissing and sneering.

Marydoll

If I post something on Gransnet I expect to find out what others think and to find out if they think differently from me. If they think differently from me I don't regard that as a criticism or patronising.

At the risk of repeating myself, you are entitled to send any cards you like. Similalrly I am entitled to point out what the St Valentine's tradition is, and I and other Gransnetters are entitled to express our own opinions if we ourselves feel uncomfortable about sending Valentines cards to children and grandchildren.

I and the other Gransnetters who agree with me are not responsible for "tainting" your (mis)use of the tradition. The tradition is what it is - get over it.

I don't intend to respond to any further posts on this subject.

Never even thought about it. It does not feel right

Ramblingrose22
As I said previously, everyone on GN is entitled to voice their opinions freely and without criticism and personal attacks, including myself.
I have already stated that I have no objection to anyone posting what they think, it is a public forum after all. In fact I enjoy reading different points of view.
Anyone on here who knows me will confirm that I am not like the way you describe me. I'm certainly not confrontational and have no intention of getting into a spat with you.
Quoting Wikipedia was patronising me. I know how to access information, but certainly will not access unreliable and inaccurate sources.
It was the use of certain vocabulary that upset me, not the actual posts.
I agree with you on one thing, "The tradition is what it is", it just depends on what your take is. I am quite happy to agree to differ.
As for "If you don't mind lining the pockets of card manufacturers' pockets" and "Get over it" - not very pleasant. .
Who would have thought an innocuous post could be so upsetting?

I have always sent suitable Valentine cards to my grandchildren (as I used to do to their parents) I found a very funny one for my grandson who is 18, but did write in it that perhaps it should be the last, as I didn’t want to embarrass him at university!