Ugh, Valentines Day

Maybe it's the way we've been brainwashed into celebrating it, but Valentines Day seems designed to make people miserable.

Like crabby children at Disneyland, we get so into the hype and promise that we're let down by the reality. And the reality is that no bottle of champagne, candle-lit dinner, sparkly gift or flowers can make a moment romantic. Most truly romantic moments between lovers have their roots in the mundane, not the spectacular. They are spontaneous, quiet, and personal. They can last for a few moments, or a whole day. Under the pressure to deliver on a certain day, who can be relaxed enough to enjoy it?

I quit buying into that years ago, and I'm much happier for it.

I don't need any more things, jewelry is wasted on me, a bottle of perfume lasts me years, I'm not into stuffed animals, I don't care for flower arrangements, and I don't drink much. That either makes shopping for Valentines hell or simple for the SO. He's far too diplomatic to say which one it is.

This year, I had my act together enough to buy him a card. Usually I don't even manage that. And I give him the same gift every year, but he has yet to complain. He gets a contented smile on his face, skips the cuddling, rolls on his side, and falls asleep in seconds. Now that's my idea of perfect romance.