I walked into Wal Mart this morning for our usual Monday grocery run and couldn’t help but be drawn to the enormity of the Valentine’s Day display. And, for a Monday, it was especially crowded with multitudes of other people drawn to the red and pink hearts, balloons, streamers, flowers, stuffed animals, cards, candies…on and on and on. I admit that I am a sucker for these little holidays, all holidays, but these little ones like the one tomorrow are fun. I like to decorate my house with a few hearts-like one on the front door and window clings on the front window. I am also known to have heart-shaped place mats on the table…

But, here’s the catch. And, I hope it doesn’t make me seem like a heart-shaped scrooge. Chris and I don’t get each other anything for Valentine’s Day. We stopped doing that a lot of years ago because it just seemed dumb to go spend money on a card that may or may not express our love appropriately; or a box of chocolates that would be just added calories. Oh my, I do certainly declare that I am aware of how negative I sound right now, but please give me a chance.

Valentine’s Day gifts haven’t always come easy to us. It’s just an awkward holiday that made us feel we  had to get each other something and, well, for us, the “something” was always kind of weird. Let me explain. For Valentine’s Day during one of our early years (we began dating 17 years ago) I bought him a plant for his computer desk. Does this scream love and romance? I don’t think it did-but there was a heart sticking out of it!

Perhaps is was the next year that he gave me a poster of John Travolta from the movie Pulp Fiction. In his defense, I am an uber fan of J.T. so it was cool, but doesn’t oooze love and romance. Let’s see, during one of the years in the middle, I bought him a Captain Picard action figure and the following year a G.I. Joe action figure that even came with a jeep that made the sound of a running motor. I think it got his heart running…(just kidding-not love and romance).

One year (at 5 p.m. on Valentine’s Day) Chris found himself stuck in line at the Hallmark Store with a snow storm going on all around outside. He was late getting home, but arrived with a very lovely statue of a couple embracing. That said a lot of love and romance, but was it worth it-the snow and the line and being late for dinner? This was one of the reasons that we decided that we wouldn’t be a part of the crowded restaurants, dozens of roses and the pressure any longer. This is just us, though. We know we love one another-do we need to get all this stuff on a designated day of the year to make sure we know it? I don’t know. I am a girl and girls like flowers…but my man actually did present me with a beautiful “just because” bouquet a week and a half ago. See? He loved me just as much on February 4 as he does on February 14!

Here’s how we celebrate Valentine’s Day in my family. We get a few little treats for the boys and a couple matchbox cars and dress them up all Valentine-y. We bake and decorate heart-shaped cookies together and make a nice dinner that we eat at home. It is relaxed and we are with each other – the one’s with whom we share the most love with, anyway.

Am I a heart-shaped cranky pants? No. But, I want to know what your Valentine’s Day is like. So, without further blah-de-blah, right down there is this week’s poll question. Please feel free to cast your heart-shaped vote!

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