Valentine's Day

RubyXI

Time to start planning Valentine's Day!
I want to book a meal but I have no idea how much in advance I need to book it.
Also- Do you buy your man a Valentine's Day gift? It seems wrong but it also seems wrong not to.
Any advice?

Lia_lia

We don't really do Valentine's day. Actually, last year we went for pizza in the pub next door. Don't do gifts. Would be nice to get flowers though, just because I like flowers

Milly33

Just get him steak! It really depends sometimes I get him something small and sometimes I don't... But have found that Steak nice Red Wine and a nice fire does just as good..

We normally plan around how we are feeling.. I would think if you are booking to go for a meal book as soon as you can, cus places book up like mad..

You could go away somewhere this is one thing I love to do alright.. The Armada in Clare has a fab offer for stay and dinner...

Malari

We don't do it, in terms of cards and flowers and eating out. I never have, I find the whole thing very cringey. We just get steak and chips and a good red wine.

bee06

We don't really do Valentine's Day either. Probably just do cards and cook a nice dinner. We have a weekend away booked for a few weekends after alright which we are justifying as for valentines but we would have gone even if it wasn't Valentine's Day.

SarahMollie

Well this year I'm off to Australia to visit friends by myself and my OH is delighted to be off the hook!

We don't normally do much anyhow (although I insist on at least a car), like for example last year he ran down to our local supervalu the morning of, and having left it too late so all the flowers were gone, came back with a plant, which subsequently attracted loads of flies and then died. I was like "errr....thanks?"

We've never gone out on the night itself, but might buy something extra nice for dinner, and a fancy bottle of wine to enjoy at home. I don't like organised fun and I certainly am not into organised romance.

sullivlo

SarahMollie wrote: »

Well this year I'm off to Australia to visit friends by myself and my OH is delighted to be off the hook!

We don't normally do much anyhow (although I insist on at least a car), like for example last year he ran down to our local supervalu the morning of, and having left it too late so all the flowers were gone, came back with a plant, which subsequently attracted loads of flies and then died. I was like "errr....thanks?"

We've never gone out on the night itself, but might buy something extra nice for dinner, and a fancy bottle of wine to enjoy at home. I don't like organised fun and I certainly am not into organised romance.

Unsure whether this is a typo or you're dating Richie Rich :pac:

As a single pringle, I have no plans for v-day. Even if I did, it's a hallmark day and I wouldn't expect anything. The absolute overkill of romance and forced love is just gross.

If anyone is looking for a gift for a man, tesco have some novelty boxers, socks and pjs.

I sound really bitter. I honestly am extremely happy being single.

XxMCRxBabyxX

In our 9 years together I think I've only seen my OH on Valentine's day once and that was because I needed a lift! We've just never bothered with it. Our anniversary is in Jan and his birthday is only a few days after Valentines that it just feels like a waste of a day when we have nicer days to celebrate. I'd never expect anything for it, even in our young teenage days I thought it was silly.

baby and crumble

Within 6 weeks I have Christmas, her bday, our anniversary and Valentine's Day. So Valentine's Day is a non-runner. I'm going to be away for work this year. I really don't care tbh. I think it's a load of old rubbish.

Meauldsegosha

phi3 wrote: »

Time to start planning Valentine's Day!
I want to book a meal but I have no idea how much in advance I need to book it.
Also- Do you buy your man a Valentine's Day gift? It seems wrong but it also seems wrong not to.
Any advice?

Do you expect him to buy you a gift? If you do, I don't see why you wouldn't reciprocate. I don't see Valentine's Day to be female exclusive.

Myself and my OH never make specific plans, we exchange cards though.

eviltwin

We haven't done Valentine's since we were teenagers. I just find the whole thing contrived and a bit naff tbh.

SarahMollie

sullivlo wrote: »

Unsure whether this is a typo or you're dating Richie Rich :pac:

As a single pringle, I have no plans for v-day. Even if I did, it's a hallmark day and I wouldn't expect anything. The absolute overkill of romance and forced love is just gross.

If anyone is looking for a gift for a man, tesco have some novelty boxers, socks and pjs.

I sound really bitter. I honestly am extremely happy being single.

Ha, yes that should say card..... mea culpa

angeldelight

We never go out as its usully busy and I'd rather go out a different night and not be rushed out. It depends on how finances are any given year tbh this year will just be a card as we're saving pretty hard

meeeeh

My son's birthday and mine are few days after Valentine's so I will be making dinner for the family and organizing kids party which the son is insisting to have at home. I am looking forward to couple of weekends of cleaning and cooking. I despise Valentine's with passion and I certainly won't be looking to add another vapid celebration on the list of things to do. I'm looking forward to going out for birthday dinner with my oh couple of weeks after all the madness is over though.

Dial Hard

I don't do Valentine's Day. It's just so contrived. If you love your partner you should show them every day.

It was actually my ex-husband's birthday too. We always stayed in with a really good meal, then celebrated his birthday the following day when restaurants regained the run of themselves. I have a pathological aversion to set menus.

Scarinae

I’m another person who isn’t that pushed about it, and I’m going to be away on a work trip. My boyfriend was actually a bit disappointed because it’s our first Valentine’s day as a couple, it didn’t actually occur to me until he said it though

He’s luckier than my last boyfriend though - our first Valentine’s day together was the day of my grandfather’s funeral.

SarahMollie

Scarinae wrote: »

I’m another person who isn’t that pushed about it, and I’m going to be away on a work trip. My boyfriend was actually a bit disappointed because it’s our first Valentine’s day as a couple, it didn’t actually occur to me until he said it though

He’s luckier than my last boyfriend though - our first Valentine’s day together was the day of my grandfather’s funeral.

+1

I'm going away in Feb also and I made sure I'd be back for his birthday of course, but Valentines day didnt even cross my mind.

January

We don't go out, we get a nice Indian takeaway and some beers in... this year we're watching the Walking Dead apparently.

We do cards and small gifts, nothing major. He's going to pick me up an Alex and Ani bracelet I've had my eye on and I'll get him a few of those pop funko things cos he collects them.

Dolbert

Marge, we're gettin' some drive-thru, then we're doin' it twice

Stheno

We generally don't go out but we do get each other gifts

Another one here for the "We do not bother with it" group. In fact we try to do our romantic gestures and gestures that say "I have been thinking of you" - when we actually feel romantic or have been thinking of each others. That is to say that we almost entirely never get each other anything for valentines - birthday - Christmas - or any of those other arbitrary Hallmark-sponsored days on the social calendar.

Instead gifts and gestures can come at random times when we feel most like doing them - or when the other person seems like they most need one.

So all that rat race of trying to book tables in over booked restaurants or buying over inflated tailored products for the day - we leave to the people who are into that kinda thing

miezekatze

We used to go out for a meal on valentines some years, but not every year, and we don't give each other presents. This year we will just have a nice meal at home I think. I had a look at restaurants online, but most restaurants seem charge around 50 € per person for valentines which is a total rip off.

SarahMollie

miezekatze wrote: »

We used to go out for a meal on valentines some years, but not every year, and we don't give each other presents. This year we will just have a nice meal at home I think. I had a look at restaurants online, but most restaurants seem charge around 50 € per person for valentines which is a total rip off.

Very true. People always go on about it being a holiday for the greetings card industry, but I actually think the hospitality sector take the most advantage.

I'd also say that in a lot of cases, the €50 set menu wouldnt even be as good as their regular options. They know they'll be full no matter what they put on the menu!

Scarinae

SarahMollie wrote: »

They know they'll be full no matter what they put on the menu!

And they'll probably try to get you out of there quickly so they can fit another booking in afterwards

meeeeh

Well it is supply and demand, you are hardly going to charge 15 euro on one of the busiest nights of the year. What I don't like though is if restaurants offer subpar meals in comparison to their usual offering.

Sunny Dayz

While I don't really want a big fuss around valentine's day, I do enjoy giving and receiving a card. I also like getting flowers and dinner but if I didn't get them I won't be disappointed. I think as the years have gone by we have made less of a fuss. Also it feels like we are just over Christmas so it's like what do you buy himself, more aftershave?


For our first Valentine's as a married couple, he finished work early and cooked me a steak dinner with all the trimmings, it was flipping gorgeous and probably the first full meal he ever cooked for me!!

IvyTheTerrible

We never do anything on Valentine's Day. We both prefer random gestures during the year not when we are "expected" to.
There is something nice about getting a surprise cup of tea in bed on a random Tuesday morning when you are not expecting it. Or if I get him a book I know he'll like but hasn't asked for.

SarahMollie

IvyTheTerrible wrote: »

We never do anything on Valentine's Day. We both prefer random gestures during the year not when we are "expected" to.
There is something nice about getting a surprise cup of tea in bed on a random Tuesday morning when you are not expecting it. Or if I get him a book I know he'll like but hasn't asked for.

Ideally I'd love that too, but I think my BF was born without the romance gene! The only good thing about Valentines day is that it forces him to at least buy me a card once a year

Scarinae

SarahMollie wrote: »

We don't normally do much anyhow (although I insist on at least a car), like for example last year he ran down to our local supervalu the morning of, and having left it too late so all the flowers were gone, came back with a plant, which subsequently attracted loads of flies and then died. I was like "errr....thanks?"

This really made me laugh

It reminded me of one year when my Dad forgot until the last minute, and ended up buying flowers in a petrol station because there were no other options. My Mum was so appalled at the quality of the flowers she made Dad tell her where he got them, and she went down and complained (I should probably note that Mum works with flowers professionally... So it wasn't the greatest idea that Dad has ever had :pac:)

Malari

SarahMollie wrote: »

Ideally I'd love that too, but I think my BF was born without the romance gene! The only good thing about Valentines day is that it forces him to at least buy me a card once a year

I don't really see that as "romance" though. It's just something you do for someone you love every so often. Because it shows you saw something that reminded you of them and you just bought it, or took a picture to send them, or did something just to be nice.

fits

My birthday is around that time and so is my husbands so we like to go away for it. But I dislike the way its automatically a valentines break at that time of the year. MacNean House this year (yay)

Neyite

I cannot stand the idea of set menus, so avoid Valentines Day restaurants like the plague. I worked enough of them too so that fully put me off them if the set menus didnt.

Firstly, the restaurant supervisor tried to shoehorn in a few more tables, to maximise covers, then had two sittings - 7pm and 9pm, set menu. People practically had their food thrown at them and the plate whipped away the second the last forkful went in their mouth and the next course plonked in front of them. Then they were hustled out the door as fast as possible.

Not my idea of going out for dinner. I like gaps between courses, like the meal to be leisurely, and I like to be able to pick from more than 3 options on a menu. I also like a enough distance between our table and surrounding ones that I cant feel them breathing on me.

We do cards. I might get flowers. And I make a really nice dinner for us, open a bottle of wine, light a few candles that sort of thing. Himself is pretty thoughtful with little gestures the rest of the year, so don't need the grand gestures on a particular day.

The one ex that did make a massive fuss on Valentines day turned out to be a serial cheater. He did a massive bouquet of roses, a huge teddy, a watch, a card, a huge box of chocolates, out to dinner, champagne. He threw every possible cliché in there. Didn't change who he really was, or alter the lack of respect he had for relationships though.

ardsgave

phi3 wrote: »

I want to book a meal but I have no idea how much in advance I need to book it.

I feel that on holidays and rituals you get a poor deal from restaurants. Why don't you cook at home and Spice up your Valentine’s, with aphrodisiacs by the rod ?
Cinnamon stimulates the production of pheromones. Used as a spice, cinnamon produces “heat” within the body and stimulates the sex glands in a gentle manner. The more adventurous rub cinnamon onto the genitals, producing a surprisingly powerful sexual stimulation.

Enjoy the day....

ardsgave

Give him a good massage...

pq0n1ct4ve8zf5

Wouldn't normally bother with it but he's been a fecking legend recently so I might this year. Just a card and a nice home cooked meal and maybe a couple of small presents. Probably do it on the Friday though so I can surprise him. And so we can get good and drunk sloppy sex ftw!

beks101

Am I the only one who actually likes Valentine's Day?

I know it's essentially the most commercial overhyped bullsh1t day of the year, but lord knows I spent enough of my life ignoring the day because I was single, now I actually quite like being able to spend some quality time with himself and enjoy and celebrate each other just for the hell of it.

My fella is a bit of a softie (though he'll never let his mates know) and usually he'll either book a table for us or cook me something tasty and we'll have some prosecco and maybe curl up on the couch with a movie. Sometimes a card and a little gift, sometimes not.

He's a romantic aul fecker most of the time and it's the kind of thing he'd do any day of the week just because - I guess it's just nice to have an excuse to spend the day/night together and not worry about anything or anyone else.

Princess Peach

I love Valentine's Day. I'm like hallmark, everyday is a holiday. I'll celebrate anything.

Even when I was single I would give cards to friends and family. I really love cards!

We have both birthdays and Christmas and anniversary and all that soon before Valentine's so we usually just do cards and cook a nice dinner in the house, will do something fun during the day this year as it's Sunday. We do that throughout the year too a lot, but sure may as well make on effort the 14th anyway.

We're very sappy

mollybird

im with ye on loving valentines Peach and Becks. we are doing a double date hopefully with our next door neighbours. I got him some funny penguin socks and tickets to see christy moore. always like an effort made for vday. sometimes we may stay at home if it's during the week but this year and last year was out for dinner.

the hubbie kinda moaned about getting cards etc but sure he has been going all out for the first few years we were together why stop now (9 years later) hahaha!!!

Day Lewin

Me and Mr March always do Valentines. Not always a card, mind: last year we went to That Movie and dinner afterwards.
It's by way of being a significant anniversary for us. ;-)

I'm amused to read so many mentions of steak-and-a-nice-red-wine, though.
Because, er, have yez all heard of SBJ Day?
It is exactly one month after Valentines; the theory being that since Hearts and Chocolate Day is for the ladies, the gentlemen deserve a day for their own special brand of lovin' one month later: hence, March the 14th is Steak-n-etcetera day.

(There's more, but I don't know how much is allowed in these polite forums)

Malari

katemarch wrote: »

Me and Mr March always do Valentines. Not always a card, mind: last year we went to That Movie and dinner afterwards.
It's by way of being a significant anniversary for us. ;-)

I'm amused to read so many mentions of steak-and-a-nice-red-wine, though.
Because, er, have yez all heard of SBJ Day?
It is exactly one month after Valentines; the theory being that since Hearts and Chocolate Day is for the ladies, the gentlemen deserve a day for their own special brand of lovin' one month later: hence, March the 14th is Steak-n-etcetera day.

(There's more, but I don't know how much is allowed in these polite forums)

Oh I've heard of it. I just feel sorry for the guys who only get SBJ one day a year :pac:

meeeeh

Don't mind the blow job, I would much prefer decent steak to some rubbish from Cadbury (most of it isn't edible). If it's chocolate it has to be dark and bitter like me.

Anyway it's terrible that, if Valentine's is the day for women, we are not even supposed to get decent food out of it.

Lyaiera

meeeeh wrote: »

Anyway it's terrible that, if Valentine's is the day for women, we are not even supposed to get decent food out of it.

This steak tastes like card!
It is a card.
Oh.

Day Lewin

meeeeh wrote: »

Anyway it's terrible that, if Valentine's is the day for women, we are not even supposed to get decent food out of it.

Chocolate is indecent food ;-)