Forgoing Valentine's for the Budget. anyone else?

[foltzy]

We don't go out on Valentines day. My husband is a cook so he has to work. We usually go out to dinner just the 2 of us a few nights later (We don't go out very much because of kids and work schedules so we always make sure to do this every year). I get him a big heart shape cookie every year (Have been doing this since we were dating) and I usually get a book (something new that I want). We get our kids usually a little box of chocolates or some kind of candy and a stuffed animal.

I love our little traditions.

 

[lovehoney]

We always do something. Soemtimes DH will stop at my favorite candy store and get me couple of pieces of my favorite dark chocolate. I usually get him something practical. This year he is getting Crest white strips - he's been talking about them lately. I found a good deal on Amazon for $26 for the 3D Advanced Professional strips.

I usually get some small chocolate for the boys. We don't usually go out to eat.

My boys said they wanted to make DH and me a desert on Monday. DS10 asked if I could put donut holes and chocolate syrup on my shopping list.

 

[rdevine10]

Im totally with you! In 17 years together we never celebrate, as I feel its too commercial and love should be celebrated all year long, not on some random designated day.

Truthfully we rarely even give cards anymore.... it kills me to spend $5 to 7 on a card (times 2). Some years we have made cards, others skipped all together.

Also, I dont like restaurants on valentines day (too crowded), flowers- I prefer them growing my yard than dying in my house making me sneeze, and I dont need anymore chocolate

Not a cynic at all btw

And yes, we do gt our girls small gifts on Valentines, but thats it!

 

[Disfamily0405]

we have been married for 3 yrs and we don't really celebrate, haven't really done anything for Valentines day since elementary school when we were forced to give valentines to everyone in class whether we liked them or not kind of put a sour taste on the holiday when you have to give a valentine to a kid who called you names all year long... anyways we usually cook together or the best gift I ever got from my hubby was a 2 page love letter he wrote and rolled up like a scroll tying it with a bit of red ribbon.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

We've never done Valentines Day either. Not really for budget reasons, but because we're just not really into it. We normally volunteer on that day because other volunteers are out with their honeys - but stuff still needs to be done!

 

[1littlepiggy]

DH & I keep it on the cheap! We eat dinner in & I always fix something decadent for dessert. We have even used the same cards for years! It's fun and works for us.

 

[Granfan]

I make a special dinner and dessert at home. We don't buy gifts. I do something easy that we both like and might order if we went out like steak, baked potato,
asparagus, hot rolls, and a dessert with chocolate and strawberries. I like to make heart shaped sugar cookies and ice them with pink icing for DGD.

 

[sau418]

We don't do gifts, but will make a fun dinner with the kids. I think we are doing heart shaped pizza this year and maybe something red for dessert. As a previous poster stated it is an amatuer holiday. I have better things to show DH how much I love him than to hire a babysitter and sit in an overcrowded restaurant to celebrate a date.

 

[CC12005]

I don't care to celebrate holidays with gifts. In general, if I want it I'll buy it within reason. I don't want to have to wait for a holiday. We have what we need, get many of our wants, so their isn't much for my husband to buy me. When he does shop for me he gets me the usual clueless husband gifts, overpriced bath sets, slippers or other mindless clutter gifts. Don't flame me for this, it's a joke but I call this "wasting my money". I'd rather pick my own. So our general rule is we don't buy each other gifts. Occasionaly we will when we find a gift we know the other will love (hello, Club 33 , I was skipping around the house like a kid for that one).

 

[mtblujeans]

Been married for almost 26 years. IMO, Valentine's Day is for amateurs. We say "I love you" in little ways everyday. I don't need chocolates or roses in order to know that.

What she said.

The kids are in college and I will send them a card because they like to get mail from home. DH may grab a Subway sandwich on the way home and we will split it.

 

[SunnieRN]

I live with my daughter, son in law and grandsons. I did my grocery/valentine shopping today. They are each getting a small box of chocolate, a fancy pack of suckers, $1 each, fun dip, hearts and kisses. In decorated paper bags! We don't buy much candy, so this is better than a toy for my grandsons.

 

[WeekdayDisneyland]

I wrote an article on this very subject! After reading this thread, it was nice to see that my ideas were not totally off base.

I can't seem to get the link to work, but the basic premise of the article was that women would appreciate simple love notes, unprompted domestic help and the RIGHT flowers/chocolate (ie, a single bloom of your favorite flower) rather than those expensive grand gestures that your jeweler/florist/restaurant owner would prefer.

 

[pilesoflaundry]

We didn't skip it this year but many, many years we have skipped for one reason or another. Some years budget, some years because I think paying triple for flowers or a card or anything else because some hallmark etc. company says it's the only time to say I love you is well crazy.

Our dd's birthday is very close and it's more important to focus on her, not vday.

 

[MinnieForMe]

I hate waiting to eat so Valentine's Day is not a holiday for us to go out! I will make my husband's favorite meal and a nice dessert. I will get the kids each a little something. We'll exchange cards but I don't need Valentine's Day to say "I love you" to my husband of 17 years. We do that every day!

My husband usually brings me roses but I told him this year to skip it. I just got a new lens for my DSLR and now I'm searching for a nice bag for Florida. Besides, my husband is a gardener and brings me flowers all summer!

 

[neatokimmo]

I've always skipped it, I don't need marketing people to tell me to date on a certain day. They can stick it.

Now my DD on the other hand is all about making the valentines and sharing the love. She has been knee deep in construction paper for a month now. We will visit the 75% off sales this year for next year. She will get the usual crappy stuff from school.

 

[RMAMom]

We don't do the Valentines thing either. Our 27th Wedding Anniversary is the beginning of March followed 2 weeks later by my birthday and two weeks after that is DH's birthday. Valentines day just annoys me.

 

[Leajess99]

I told dh yesterday that I would rather we didn't exchange anything on valentine's day as (1) it's on a monday which he works late so we can't do anything that day anyway; but more importantly (2) I don't want to waste money on it. I do have something for DS I got at the target 75% off toy sale, but other than that, I'm not interested! I know dh loves me, he knows I love him, why waste money we don't have? I told him not to even get me one of those expensive cards!

Anyone with me?

We don't really do a lot with Valentine's Day other than celebrate my son's birthday.

I think many of these "holidays" have gotten carried away. Enjoy some time with your loved on as that is always the best gift anyway.

 

[TheRatPack]

It's our anniversary so we do celebrate...but not on Valentines day because it's sooooo busy with other people out and about. We'll celebrate at home with some grilled steaks and potatoes and I got each of my children a little goody bag with candy and a 1.00 balloon from the Dollar Tree

 

[ilovejack02]

Just a thought for those that say , no cards , no candy, we tell each other we love each and do for each other daily. ...


I had a really sweet moment this morning as I was pulling out the few little Valentine decorations I have.

I came across a decorated box I used in school , prob at least 33 years old. It was filled with years of classmate valentine cards, cute to look at and remember old classmates. One of the few mementos from school I have kept, I hate clutter.

At the bottom of box were several Hallmark cards. There were to me , from both sets of grandparents and my favorite Aunt, all long deceased. Two cards to my Mother from me, where my Dad had to write my name next to my scribbles and a card my Dad gave my Mom their first married Valentine's day. Mom had dated all the cards, the cards to her were when I was 2 and 3 years old.

I brought them to Mom this morning and she loved them and promptly displayed them. I swear she got a little misty eyed.

I know people say they don't need to have a special day , but sometimes a little extra something is fun and even
30 + years later it can bring back a special memory or two.

Happy Valentine's ya'll !!!

 

[MickeyMomOfThree]

I'm a sap, I love Valentines Day. Not because we need a day to tell each other we love each other, but just cause it is fun. To me, and I am probably weird, but it is the least stress filled holiday. There is no pressure to do certian things, it is just about DH and I being happy.

We always do it on the cheap though, like we do everything. It doesn't cost a lot and is fun. My tradition for DH for years and years has been to get a box of cheap kids Valentines (Dollar tree ones) and write something I love about it or a special memory on each one. I do one for each year we have been together, this year will be 20. Then I sneak out (yeah, he knows, but he plays along) and tape them all over the inside of his carthe night before so on VD morning that is the first thing he sees. It is silly, but it is tradition, and I love when I go in his car and see he's kept all of them in his sunglasses compartment. I also always make him one chocolate covered strawberry for every year we have been together, but this year he's doing really well on his diet so he asked for one for every 10 years.

He buys me roses, but frugally (the way I like.) They have a dozen for $10 at Walmart every year and they are very pretty. I'd rather he deliver them then a delivery man. I am not a jewelry person I only wear my wedding band, (not even my engagment ring,) don't like expensive things, so there is no pressure for him there.

Sure, we do things all year long. If I am running errands near his work I go and write a love note on his car mirror with window markers or leave a few Hershey kisses on his dash. We do things all the time but something about Valentines day, I don't know. I love it. Like I said, other holidays are all so much pressure, but for me this one is just about LOVE and that is the best thing in life.

ETA- Watching a movie tonight on TV I kept seeing a commercial for a jewelry store. Not srer what one, but there was a heart shaped box with a hear shaped neclace and chocolates and the lady says "that's how I know he loves me:. That is annoying to me. I don't go for that. Anyone can buy something, it is the moments that matter to me. So while I lvoe VD, I don't like that sentiment. I was sick the last few weeks. My DH came home on his lunch hour to take me to the bathroom and to help me try to drink. He rushed home one day when I didn't answer his call (I had not heard it while I was sleeping.) He takes me on dattes every week where he opens my door and takes my coat. I don't need some necklace to tell me that. So tTAHT part, I agree, is silly. I do like the Hallmark commercial thought that says "Valentines Day isn't about saying I Love You, It's about saying I Love Us." I think that one is sweet.