We are being held hostage!

Hi Raydene, To me "V Day" is just another commercial event. I have nothing against people who want to celebrate the 14th Feb, but I don´t need a specific day in the year to show my love or buy a gift. I guess I´m category 3 and a bit nº4 all year round. If there´s no money for a gift, there are so many other ways to show love to someone. XXX Dana

I refuse to give in to the pressure from the huge conglomerates who want us to spend billions on Valentines day gifts cards and flowers! We do celebrate but in a low key way - we don't buy expensive gifts - just small inexpensive things as a token! Then again we also celebrate Davids birthday today (yep a valentines baby) and also need had a birthday party as one of her friends from school had his birthday today as well! So you see we have spent longer on birthdays today than we have Valentines Mom! xx

I used to be the one who needed to work on my self esteem and thought that if there was no gift, there was no love. I am now the person who knows that I am loved, with or without a gift, and I like to get surprised, and I like to give, and give surprises.

my take is very much the same as yours, and I started my own valentines day discussion as well. I also wrote an article, actually several about valentines day past and present.

I do enjoy the holidays...don't get me wrong. I love to give and it is cool to celebrate your love whether it is for a friend, lover, child ...whatever. The problems arise when one feels the pressure to prove something that should be a given. If your relationships are strong and secure, it should be no problem to not acknowledge the holiday if you are not feeling up to it or buy a gift when money is short. It is just a day. Love should be celebrated all year long. You should always make some days special for those you love...not wait until some calendar tells you to.

First, Happy V Day to you, Raydene. I personally think it gets overdone. I do celebrate it in a simple way with my partner and the key thing for us is that it is another day for us to spend time together. Of course, we can do that any time any day, but we just enjoy it as well in the spirit of the occasion. Not into the buying of gifts and stuff and we keep it affordable. The only thing really that is out of hand on V Day is the fact that so many merchants and retailers jack up the prices just for that one day and prey on young couples and those desperately trying to woo the girl of their dreams. :)

i have been married twice before and went the whole nine yards with the gifts cards and the bells and whistles..so i have seen and done most of the above at one time or the other.. now i have been married to the same women 22 years and we don't exchange cards, gifts, etc. yadda yadda yadda..but this is because we do this from a mutual agreement..there is no resentment..my wife and i have not a perfect marriage..it is far from perfect but i believe it keeps a person on his/her toes ..the hardest time was when i retired in March 2007..but its working out..it just takes time to adjust.. if it is not broke..don't fix it..whatever works for you..fine..ok..some people need all this stuff with the cards, candy, and so fore..but i think we should just buy ourself our own gifts and that way nobody is left with egg on their face..