I Heart Very Little About V-Day

So...yeah...it's Valentine's Day in two days. The day my romantic side is supposed to shine. Unfortunately, that's too much pressure for me, and I'm just not very romantic in that cosmetic kind of way. Lucky for Husband, neither is he.

Altogether, with the exception of making of valentine's with the kids (see this year's heart fish above), I'm really turned off by Valentine's Day. Two shining examples of why, both overheard on TV yesterday:

1) In a Pajamagram commercial: Some blah, blah blah about "we know how to get her to take her clothes off."

2) In a Vermont Teddy Bear commercial: Some blah blah blah about "where can I get a guy like that?" (One who gives Vermont Teddy Bears.)

I'm being a little overly sensitive to both of these ads, to be sure, but I'm glad my kids weren't home when they ran. How pathetic are both of these messages about the roles of women in romance? Not to mention the shallow suggestions that Valentine's Day is all about getting naked or getting your guy.

Early on in our relationship, Husband and I flirted with Valentine's Day. Because we were supposed to, I suppose. One year -- about 22 ago -- he gave me a red bear with a white heart on its chest. (I'm pretty certain he shanghaied it from his mother's bear collection.) And every year since then, he reminds me that he once gave me that bear. I heard about it again just yesterday, and frankly, it's good enough for me.

I fully know that I'm being an old goat and that it's a little sad that we don't really give a shiz about celebrating our relationship. But heck, we could do that any day of the year, right? If we wanted to. If we were both in great moods all day. If the kids weren't home. If, if, if...

Like I said, too much pressure.

(321 words)