Hearts, Flowers, Chocolates.....Valentine's Day Approaches

Words of love……but what can one say that has not already been said?

Heart shaped boxes of chocolates and red roses….what can one give that would be different from the traditional?

Valentine’s Day seems to put pressure on those in relationships. 

The search for the perfect Valentine card with sentimental words

or perhaps one that is a bit on the humorous side.  Deciding on which box of chocolates to give….there are so many to choose from.   During my trips to different stores to shop, I have seen more than my share of boxes of chocolates being sold for the holiday.  Some boxes had a red satiny ribbon; a few were just a plain red heart.  One store had a twenty pound rectangular box. I have no idea who would be able to consume that much candy, but no doubt the recipient would consider the thought behind the gift wonderful.  I have seen teddy bears in various sizes wearing a red bow.  They seem to be shouting out “buy me, buy me”.  One store had cute little stuffed animals; my favorite a little white dog which I though about getting for myself.  Mylar balloons, ceramic heart shaped boxes and silk roses sit upon shelves.  Of course the floral shops will be busy creating arrangements for those who will be sending or giving flowers in person; they also will be having a large supply of red roses on hand.  The jewelry stores will be doing more ads on television, radio and in the newspapers.  Diamonds and rubies will most likely be the gems that will adorn the heart shaped rings, pins, necklaces, earrings and bracelets that will be featured for the holiday.  More of the color red will be worn on February 14^th with pink coming in a close second.  Restaurants will be offering special dinner deals for the day.  Bakeries and bakery sections of the stores will have heart shaped cookies, cupcakes frosted with pink and white icing with a red heart on them and heart shaped cakes will be decorated with roses and hearts.  Booksellers will hope to rid their shelves of romance/love novels and poetry books.

Each year I try to write the perfect verse for the card I create for my husband.  After twenty-three years, it is hard to think of something to say that I already have not said.  For my husband, trying to come up with something special to present to me has become more of a chore than something fun to do. I do not need another piece of jewelry, another stuffed animal, another heart shaped dust collector (knick-knack) or a box of candy.  At my house chocolate sits in the refrigerator and is thrown out evidently.  We go out to eat often, so a nice dinner out someplace is not special to me.  I like roses but they make me sneeze (allergies).

So here I sit, with less than two weeks to Valentine’s Day unsure of how to declare my feelings of love.  A few years ago I had the same dilemma.  I ended up writing a silly verse that I created on a 4”X6” card.  It went something like this:

Today’s the day for hearts and flowers

And boxes of chocolate candy

So here’s a heart

Here’s a rose

And here’s a box of candy.

I gave my husband the following gift that year. I went to a dollar store and purchased a red gift bag.  Inside I put a red cardboard heart I cut out; put in a single silk red rose I found at the dollar store and a box of Junior Mints.  Hence he got his heart, flower and box of candy.  I may do something similar this year.  I am leaning toward the purchase of a small water globe that has a heart inside.  I happen to see a flower in a flower pot that when activated by the sun the flower moves back and forth; as for the candy I plan to buy a box of Butterfinger pieces.        

Sometimes I think ‘love’ stinks.  A few years ago my husband said it all when he gave me a picture of Pepe Le Pew holding a heart.  Next to the little fellow he wrote the words… “Love Stinks but Happy Valentine’s Day anyhow. What more can one say?”

Until next time…..I am getting ready to go out shopping for my husband’s Valentine’s Day gift.  Well come to think of it, he likes hoagies (subs)…maybe a gift card to a sub shop will be fitting as well as a container of his favorite fruit this time of year Plant City strawberries and a card I actually purchase at the dollar store….works for me.