I CAN'T WAIT for Valentine's Day....

[Guest050619-1]

.......that's right. I cannot wait......for it to finally come and effin' GO!!!! Jeeeez Louise......

Of all the Holidays (or "observations" in this case) on the calendar (30 plus in all, btw), VALENTINE'S DAY is the biggest hype job of them all. The suits of Madison Avenue have groomed and nurtured this ancient custom into a multi-billion dollar guilt-trip and men (or rather, our wallets) are squarely in their cross hairs. If you want love, acceptance, happiness....well, just give them a little of that hard earned green and all your dreams will come true......

In fact, it is estimated an all-time record $18.9 BILLION will be spent in 2015 to celebrate this so-called holiday. (Here's a kicker for ya.....$700 million on that will be spent on.....pets! LMFAO.......what!!!???.....you effin' kidding me?!! I'm in the wrong business.....!)

BTW, for the benefit of those who aren't sure, here's the genesis of this celebration.....a strange match up of a wild Roman pagan festival called Lupercalin in tandem with the "celebration" of two Catholic saints.....both named Valentine.....executed on February 14th. In the Middle Ages, it became a common practice for lovers to exchange a gift of their affection for one another on this date.

Then.....last century or so ago two business-minded visionaries took it to the next level (Richard Cadbury; mass producer of heart-shaped chocolates and Massachusetts based, Ester Howland, the "mother of the American Valentine", who started producing / selling lacey Valentine cards.) The popularity of these businesses created jobs (plus) fortunes for both entrepreneurs.

Flash forward.....I personally saw Valentine's Day promotional nesting tables set up in the front of several local supermarket chains two days after the New Year's.....wow, Christmas barely in the bag and Bam! here we go again.

Then.....3-plus weeks ago....the email blasts began (Vermont Teddy Bear....ProFlowers "blooms of love".....Russell Stovers....Godiva's...Sherry's Berries.....too many to list).

And then the ads on tv and the radio (I listen to a lot of talk radio; local and national....sports mostly, some political and community, news stations, etc) and the commercials have been non-stop....all day long. Even heard one the other day suggesting "....be unique; lease her a brand new Lexus for Valentine's....." What??? Anyways....these commercials have literally surpassed the "Do you have Low-T?" spots......

There is no other observation / holiday that shames and guilts men into spending on the significant other like this day does. And here's the sad reality......recent polls show over 50% of men spend on their wife, g/f, etc purely out of obligation (so as to not be in the dog house for the next few days) and / or the hopes of "getting some" later that same day. LOL.....whatta farce.

And the flower industry takes big-time advantage of this event as well. Rose prices are never as high during the course of the year as they are 2 - 3 weeks prior to Feb 14th. They simply cost more because people (men, men, men...) are willing to pay....Supply & Demand (some might call it profiteering, I suppose).

Hey....don't get me wrong. I get (and enjoy) Halloween.....and 4th of July....and Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, etc, etc......but this Valentine's thing just gets under my skin like no other day.

Now St Patick's Day......ahhhhh, now that's a holiday, my friends. Nothing like kicking back with a chilled ale and showing a little respect for your Irish ancestry whether it's there or not.

[Hercules]

Now tell us how you REALLY feel about Valentine's?!

Boss's day and Secreta....oops I mean Executive Assistant day are two more farces.

[Kendall4U]

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[Fawlty]

I hate V-Day as well....the humiliation of asking for a reservation for one loser at a restaurant so I won't have to stand in line for an hour, but I have to celebrate it, right?

And then there is Christmas Eve at Redneck Heaven with no one willing to kiss my ugly mug under the mistletoe. New Year's Eve brings no relief from the masochistic torture of sitting with the other societal misfits at Baby Dolls drooling over girls who wouldn't give a pathetic wretch like me the time of day - much less a midnight kiss.

Thanks to you CB, that is all in the past. No more self-flagellation. I have some hot Valentine ECCIE sweethearts to help make it through the 14th.

"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggone it, people like me."

[Go4it]

Do you feel the same way about my favorite Holiday on March 14?

[Guest050619-1]

.......it was only a matter of time before that most holy of holidays was mentioned.....well done!

However....I'll take my steak medium rare, t y.......

Originally Posted by Go4it

Do you feel the same way about my favorite Holiday on March 14?

[Guest031919]

So don't spend money make your SO a wonderful dinner from scratch and give her a long massage! That would mean more to me then dinner at some crowded restaurant!

[ElisabethWhispers]

Originally Posted by Maggie_May

So don't spend money make your SO a wonderful dinner from scratch and give her a long massage! That would mean more to me then dinner at some crowded restaurant!

Believe it or not, I've had clients tell me that their wives HATE getting a massage. Sounds crazy to me! The above sounds wonderful.

But I bet that making someone dinner, then giving them a massage, might not work for many.

I'd take a massage at ANY time!!!!

I'm not fond of Valentine's Day, either. I used to try to have plans with girlfriends, single ones, on that day. Now? I just ignore it.

Although I'll admit, if some guy wanted to come over ... get a little spoiling from me ... and bring me some chocolates (Godiva or Belgium chocolate!) or a little treat ... I would adore them even MORE!

But the OP is correct. It's overly hyped and just causes heartache for a lot of people.

And this weekend is also President's Day, isn't it? How is that going to shake out, I wonder?

Will guys be more horny on a President's Day holiday since it's so close to Valentine's?