Will you be my Balentine?

As you know, Marko and I are not big on birthday and anniversary celebrations.  I got the same birthday gift this year as I did the year before - nothing.  Which suits me just fine. So you can well imagine how much thought and effort we put into Valentines Day. Exactly zero.  It is not because I think Valentines Day is a ridiculous concept invented to make single people feel like crap and to line the pockets of over-priced florists, kitch card makers and the manufacturers of naff gifts (I do think that), but because we are terminally unromantic and untraditional. And because WTF am I going to do with a furry teddy bear or a Hallmark card? Chocolates make you fat and flowers die.  Just send a gift voucher or a bottle of wine instead.  Which I will have to buy because my husband works long hours. What is the point, people?

But I am not without heart, and so I am putting a bit of effort into making it a fun occassion for the kids.  I bought a few pink marshmellow hearts and said they could each choose 3 people to give it to.

I told them that Valentines Day is usually about giving something to a girlfriend or a boyfriend, but they were welcome to give it to whoever they wished.  Just then Adam remembered that he actually had a girlfriend! Kristen! She had told him that he was her boyfriend which led him to the conclusion that she must therefore be his girlfriend. Sorted. His other Valentine is his Best Friend Troy. The boy he is going to marry one day. Instead of me.  Not that I am bitter about it. *Sob*. (Luckily Kate still wants to marry me and Max has no choice yet)

Kate was a little concerned when I said that Valentines Day was supposed to be about Love because as you know, she is allergic to boys and does not want to use the word love when speaking about boys.  We agreed that we could use the world 'like' instead and so she has four 'Balentines':  Kyan (boy), Kean (boy), Senzo (girl) and Zoe (girl).  She got Adam's extra Valentine as he only wanted two. Very handy having a twin who is particular in his affections. 

The kids have to dress in white, red or pink tomorrow and each have to bring a pink milkshake and a small chocolate to school.  They are then going to have a picnic on the school field to celebrate V day.  

Who knows, we might just have one or two romantics in the family. 

If Valentines Day is your thing, hope you have a lovely day tomorrow. For the rest of us, as you were.  

Comments

[Sharon]

It will be our 22nd Anniversary. I chose Valentine's Day so he would not forget. You know, with all the advertisements as reminders. And I get (expect) an extra or extra big gift. Chocolates do make me fat and flowers do die, but I kind of like it. The one day a year he is obligated to be romantic, sort of.

Happy Balentine's Day! <3

[Hanlie]

Oh, I bought my own flowers at Woolies today... Well, I picked them and hubby paid for them. They are now on the stove, so cooking can't happen. Hint!

[tuesy]

We pretty much see Valentine's the same way you do, although we are generally fairly romantic, we just don't like being told what day to celebrate our love. We do, however, always make a heart shaped cake with pink icing. That was my family's tradition, so we've carried that on. And who doesn't love some chocolate cake in the middle of a dreary, cold month?

The kids hand out valentine's at school, but other than that, not much else goes on with us.

[Orange]

Did South Africans get to see the TV show "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy," the fixer-upper show where straight schlubs were made presentable by a team of gay men? Because the hottest guy on the show was named Kyan (not his birth name). Am wondering if Kate's Balentine Kyan was named after a hot gay American grooming expert.

Also, it's not "Balentine." It's "Valentime."

[jana]

Gosh! I wish we could have a picnik for "Balentine's Day" - you know, instead of gale force winds, never-ending rain and general crappy weather.

[sparkly jules]

My husband got dumped by his college sweetheart on Valentine's Day--so he always makes a big deal out of it. Unlike birthdays or Christmas where I get the same thing you do, and not because that's what I want. "hmph"

[JP Villanueva]

I always have cultural questions whenever I your posts.

Question: what does it mean that the kids are required to bring a pink milkshake to school? Does everybody stop at McDonalds in the morning for a strawberry milkshake? Do they enjoy their pink milkshakes all at once? or is there some project they're doing?

Remember, anytime you have cultural questions about Filipino Americans in Seattle, I'm your man.

[Beth]

Totally agree with your assessment of Valentine's day. Has never meant anything to me (other than the day that I'm reminded that being single sucks)...

[Bajin]

Hubby and I make an effort because it embarresses our teenager children! We've always acknowledged it with a card / coffee in bed or sometimes even a bunch of flowers. After nearly 21 years of marriage it's sometimes difficult to think of different ideas to express yourself.... we are however going to Spur for the Buy One Get One Free Burger tonight (and taking the teenagers too!) :)

[acidicice]

I wish that my husband would celebrate Valentine's Day, but I've learnt that he is a "non-believer", how cliche. He says Valentine's Day isn't for married people. Hrmph.

[Zah K Masuku]

@JP Villanueva: "They are then going to have a picnic on the school field to celebrate V day." Oh and it doesnt matter where you get it from, as long as its a Milkshake and its Pink :)

[Nicola]

Our wedding anniversary is on 21st Feb (1 wk after Balentine's Day for the slow ones in the back), so we never do anything for V (B) Day since the anniversary itself is the actual big deal to celebrate ... you know, surviving another year of marriage etc. 7 years next wk!

We are fairly romantic, generally, and express our love for each other quite a lot, most days, but, overall, I am a very unsoppy, unsentimental kind of girl. I used to hate V Day when I was single, now it means very little to me. I know my husband loves me because he tells me a lot and behaves like it when it matters; that's more than enough for me.

@JP - In SA, we have strawberry milkshakes in plastic bottles that you can buy from any store (they are more like flavoured milk than actual milkshakes which would normally be made with ice cream), so you don't need to go to McDs, you just need to pop in to your local grocery store and buy a couple. Yum.

[kim]

Thanks for the explanation Nicola...I was thinking a milkshake would melt by the time they got around to enjoying it!

And yes, I was more concerned by the melting milkshake than by the fact its Valentines Day...hate it..always have...always will!! But I am trying to make it fun for the husband and child...

[Lisame]

Happy VD I say! The big guy and I are not romantics. However, he has been on a serious diet for almost a year and tonight I'm making him chicken fried steak with gravy (it's a Texas thing) for dinner. It is his favorite meal and he has been so very good for so long. This. is. romance.

[fidi]

The 5 year old got a note about a week ago from school that said: no cards or anything for V-day, we don't do that. The 3 year old got a note about a week ago from school that said: here are the names of the other 20 kiddos and what would you like to bring for V-day? When I dropped him up this morning (+ V-day cards and other goodies) they had already prepared little bags for taking stuff home, cookies, cupcakes and crackers were piling up high on the counters.
The 5 year old one is not going to be too happy tonight. Happy V-Day.

[ruth]

@acidicice . . . tell your husband that wild, spontaneous and abandoned sex is not for married people either . . . unless he changes his mind about valentines.

[yasmina]

I don't come here as often as I did before, but i am very glad that i did today, beautiful post, thank you.

[Janelle]

Valentine's Day is my Mom's b-day so it was never about v-day growing up. It was about my mom. It is something me and the hus don't pay much attention too. The only rule is to get the other person a card. We went to dinner tonight @ 5 pm, and were back home in our PJs on the couch napping before bed by 6:30. Then it was off to bed by 9 pm we are so unromantic, but it works for us.

[ali]

The very idea that they are having a picnic with PINK MILKSHAKES is so awesome it kills me. Pink milkshakes! What an idea. The Hubs and I decided to forgo Valentine's Day this year because we are broke and trying to save money right now - it was kind of freeing, actually.

[Cheap Jordans]

The less you stuff in it, the less you'll have to deal with if your wallet is lost or stolen.

[lanie]

Wow, haven't been here for a while but for the first time in ages you are not totally self-obsessed!

[Sheryl]

I am a huge romantic and always buy my hubs presents and cards on Vday. He on the other hand does not feel the same way and did not get me anything. I was ok with it though cause I am so used to the way he is. I just spent his money the next day and bought myself something:)