I've booked a table for Mrs Stetenorve and me.




Mind you, I can't remember if she likes snooker.

Mine'll be getting a hug, and maybe a card if I have time to make one. He doesn't really believe in it all, to be honest. Thinks its a big cliche, and there's not much romantic about only making gestures on one particular day blahblahblah.


I'm more soppy-minded.

I have a date... with my piano teacher friend, I am going to her house to play her my piece for Egham. We will have a Chinese takeaway.

One year I did send my other half this by email.. Still seeing him.

Can't write it on here - he might see!

It's always an expensive week for us... Birthday on the 9th, anniversary on the 11th (3 years... eek!) then V Day on 14th.

But still -

Since, as other posts already suggest, is more about fleecing people than meaningful, in our culture, probably not a lot. If we remember the date at some point during the 24 hours, we'll have a hug and a kiss, and occasionally a card is exchanged if particularly apt ones have been found but otherwise....well, there are always the last 19 or 20 years to think back on...

It's nice to be able to read your cynicism without all the z's!

Love it! Where can I get one?

I don't know yet, flap flap flap.

I do have to get him something, since it is my birthday and so I will be getting lots of stuff from him. I already have a card for him, just need to think of a smallish pressie to go with it (annoyingly, we were discussing it on Saturday, and I said I didn't know what to get him, and I'm sure he mentioned some ideas, but I have now forgotten...)

I always thought Valentine's Day was about secretly informing someone of your admiration. As I've been married for nearly 30 years, I haven't done anything for Valentine's Day for longer than that.

hehe, I've woken up again ....or more to the point, my computer keyboard would appear to have.

Not sure what I will be giving yet - but it will almost definitely include chocolate. The Health Board are flying me to Glasgow on the 14th for a hospital appointment, and they have wonderful things in Glasgow that we don't have here....like Thorntons.....

Whatever it is, he won't get it until the next day, as I have to stay overnight.

But that gives me the chance to go and browse in a nice big music shop.

Mine will merely get the pleasure of my company...

I got mine a card. I figured that this is the only year where I can get him one saying "to my fianc?".


Argh. I can't do accents

Flowers, for the 41st time - we met in summer of 1969. But we dont bother with cards. Actions speak louder than words !!!

I think I'll take the opportunity to treat myself to some gadget or other actually... Christmas seems like it was ages ago and what better excuse could there be than yet another commercialised arbitrary event as justification to buy myself something I want but don't necessarily need!?

Some kind soul has done a lot at http://www.code-d.com/tesco-cards/index.php - all occasions covered, you just have to print them out

I'll be giving chocolate - in fact I bought it and wrapped it today. (And I'll be hoping for the same from my other half - I adore Guylian seashells, and have dropped one or two hints!)

For me, the card is quite important, so we always exchange those too. Being married for nearly 35 years doesn't mean that I don't like to feel a bit romantic once in a while!

One year my then-other half and I had an anti-valentine's dinner. We had macaroni cheese out of a box, frozen peas, and ketchup. And a table with red check paper tablecloth, complete with candle.

Post deleted.

If my OH didn't get me chocolates he'd know what was coming to him...

I have an ace present. ?1.99 from M&S.

Ermmm Tesco

Hello from the land of "giri-choco" (chocolates "because you have to") given not to the object of adoration, but to all the men (must be fair and impartial!!) you work with. yesterday I even spotted "giri-giri giri choco" ("last-minute because-you-have-to chocolates"). Valentines' gifts MUST be chocolate, and can only be given by women to men.

Valentine "giri" chocolates are usually small, cheap, and horrible...sweet and greasy. Your gift to your "honmei" (real thing) should be hand-made, so this is also the time of year to buy books on cake-baking and making home made chocolates along with the requisite heart-shaped cake-tins, chocolate moulds etc. The love of seasonality here means that shops don't stock books on baking much at any other time of year! Just like Japan to set it around with a stack of rules and regulations and then commercialize it to boot!

...women don't miss out though, because Japanese commerce has, from the toasty depths of it's tiny warm heart, thought up White Day. One month after Valentines' Day, all the guys have to reciprocate with a White Day gift. Which naturally has to be white....

I have strong suspicions that the unsold chocolate is repackaged and sold again for Father's Day, which is in June here.

A cauliflower?

White cotton knickers!

We sometimes go out for dinner, or I get flowers, on the 15th. Halfway between Valentines and my birthday. Because it's me that's special not the day. (Or so he claims, although it could just be a clever ruse to get out of taking me out twice )

Cards for the day

No pressies but we're going to treat ourselves to a take-out from the new restaurant in the village.

He knows how much I love him anyway

Beer / coke / red wine / liqueur ...

erm - oh, think I'm on the wrong website.

Your partners not soft, buying you flowers after valentines day, that saves him a few bob

a man on my wavelength, love it

I couldn't possibly say on a public forum what I shall be giving Alpha Male Jazz Cat on the 14th February.

I'd get arrested.

Alternatively we may just decide to have a mutual wearing of pancakes for the evening...

Lost-It-Bag x

We're the other way round - my OH is very soppy, but I'm not really that bothered. I am more pragmatic than romantic I think.

This is our third valentine's day together....the last 2 I've had red roses. The second one really took me by surprise as I thought after the first year that we wouldn't really bother . He is actually away in the US at the moment (till end Feb) -so I got roses on the 14th Jan instead!

at the thought of Bag and AMJC wearing pancakes on their heads...

My husband is under strict instructions to never, ever, ever get me flowers for my birthday (which is also Valentine's day). Generally we'll get some on the Friday after, in the supermarket while we are doing the food shop, especially if there is a 'reduced to clear' sticker on them Somehow being bought cheap flowers means more to me...

years ago when I was in university, my then-boyfriend and I used to play in the college orchestra. Being a bit young and silly then (as opposed to less young and still silly now) I burst into tears afterwards because I thought I played badly. Boyfriend disappeared for a few minutes and came back with a bunch of flowers, said "these are for you". I looked up, tears stopped out of confusion, and said "but they're green."

they were carnations dyed green because it was St Patrick's Day. It was 11pm and he said "it was all I could find at the student center shop and I really, really, wanted to cheer you up". I couldn't not be cheered up by that!

Who says AMJC will be wearing it on his head?

LOL!!!

AMJC IS a cool kinda guy, so who knows...(and Bag is a Very Bad Influence)..

Sol, Sol, Sol....*taps fingers on desk and peers very hard over rim of spectacles* (taking great care that the angle does not dislodge pancake)

Bx

I often get the reduced flowers from the supermarket, and I'm happy to have them: I know I get them because my husband feels sorry for them

Crotchetymum, snap! My husband brings home pot after pot of cut-price miniature roses in the summer, because he can't stand to see them looking so sad once their June flowering peak has passed and the full heat of the Japanese summer is here!

He then waters them and picks caterpillars off them religiously with old chopsticks, but NEVER waters any of "my" pot plants, even if they are standing side by side with "his" roses

Cut-price flowers I don't mind...I'm not so keen on getting the little bunches of flowers and dark shiny leaves designed for Buddhist funerary altars! Talk about the "language of flowers"...

I mustn't complain though, I must be the only woman in Japan to actually GET something on Valentine's Day rather than just GIVE gifts.