I hope everyone had a wonderful Valentines day. I know there are some who celebrate and shower one another with love. There are also those who call it just another day and detest that it be ONE day that you show your appreciation. Well, then there are those who are the hopeless romantics that maybe don’t get to celebrate the way they would have liked. Either way, it is just another day. Whatever you choose to do with it is your own.
If you are the ones who don’t celebrate… do you show appreciation on a daily basis? Do you try to slow down a few times a month to appreciate your significant other? Children too, they should be showered with appreciation (in my opinion of course). Do you stop just a few times a year to show the one(s) you love just how much they mean to you? What do you do?
Is not celebrating by saying it is ‘Commercial’ just an excuse to not have to put forth the effort? I mean, let us be totally honest here. You know the truth inside of yourself. Reading up on the history of Valentine’s day was pretty cool, I do suggest it for those who only think it is a ‘commercial’ holiday. That ole’ Cupid is pretty darn old.
If you are the kind that does take advantage of the day, do you have special things that you do for each other and is it expected since it is what you have done for so long? Do you switch it up and always make it a new sweet gesture? How much effort goes into it? Is it just a small sweet gesture that means the world? Some people don’t like receiving flowers but would love if their significant other would come home and relieve them of their normal daily duties at home. Maybe you both work and you have flowers sent to the others Job. Do you buy diamonds? Do you buy cards? Do you make handcrafted cards? Do you buy candies?
I have always been the type to really get into the dedicated days, whether it be Valentine’s day or a Birthday, Fathers Day, Christmas, Halloween just to name a few.
Especially after having my own family. I always wanted the kids to feel special. For the last decade, I have tried to make every holiday special and personal. I have grown to learn that just because you may put the effort in, doesn’t mean it will come back. And that is ok, some people are just into things like that and others aren’t. Don’t get me wrong, I have had some pretty special moments too.
This was the first year that nobody in my household did anything for Valentine’s day. I had a sick toddler and didn’t get out to buy cards for my kids and or dinner fixings for the evening for my whole family of 5. I didn’t make sweet homemade cards either. There were no candies, no candles. My Husband came home with a bottle of wine. That was sweet. We also ordered pizza so that we didn’t have to cook and clean. That was nice also.
One of my Daughters were walking into their bedrooms (before we decided to order a pizza) and she stopped and looked into my bedroom as I was on my laptop and she said, “Happy Valentine’s day Shel.” She calls me Shel because I am the two older girls’ Step-mom. I have been around since they were two and three. I became the only available Mother to them when they were 7 and 8. They are now 13 and 14. But old habits are hard to break. Anyway, after she said that, I heard the tone in her voice, it was almost a sadness which made me feel a little sad as well. As I have said, normally I do make it special, sometimes their Dad would take the reins and do something for us girls too. One year he surprised us with going to a Monster Truck Show.
He also made all of us a delicious breakfast with Cards for each of us on the table.
This year has been different for me specifically. Maybe it is because I have a toddler and I am exhausted most of the time. I have been working on finding time for myself a little more as well. Maybe it is because when the time comes around for Mothers day and or my birthday, I seem to fall by the wayside. Maybe after 10 years of thinking about everyone else on their/those special days I am exhausted.
I loved doing sweet things for all so that they would feel special and enjoy themselves. Most of the times I was able to accomplish just that. Sometimes I questioned why I do it at all… I don’t want to sound bitter by any means, but if it was enjoyable, I would think that it would have taught them how to make the thought count as well.
(Tea Party for one of my Daughters Birthday one year since she loves tea)
After feeling a little sad when I heard the tone of my daughters’ voice I do know that I will make next year special again. That is all I needed to make me realize that she does, in fact, enjoy my gestures. Also when my toddler is old enough to know what is going on, she will also reap all the benefits of having a sappy and romantic Mommy. My two oldest grew up with me always making them things, and as I have mentioned before, always trying to make their special days (even Valentine’s day) something that makes them feel good. Scarlet (my toddler) will receive that as well.
So in the end, I just hope that each person feels good on a daily basis and not just on those special days… although I hope on your special days that you have someone to shower you with all the loves and all the hugs and spoils you ROTTEN! After all, we only have such a short time here on this Earth! We should make it count every day! So for those who did not celebrate the ‘commercial’ holiday, hopefully, you plan to show your loved one (even if it is just your cat.) just how much you care.
I would love to hear how you spent your Valentine’s day. Comment below and share the love or lack thereof.
Cheers!