But the prize goes to my beloved son-in-law.
"So, do you want flowers on Valentine's day?" he asked my daughter. To which she (reasonably) replied: "you don't ASK me! THAT'S NOT WHAT THIS IS ABOUT!"
As she later explained to me, not only has be spoilt any surprise, but now she looks greedy if she says yes, and won't get any if she says no. He's put her in a lose-lose position.
And my own dear husband? Well, he's just told me, joyously, that a son is planning a "surprise" visit on my birthday.
I am FURIOUS!
Oh dear - the men in your family are not having much luck with the surprises, Frances! We only do a card, if we're lucky.
ReplyDeleteSame here,Rosemary. No surprises and no disappointments!
DeleteMy advice to your daughter would be to say nothing. Then it's up to her husband.
ReplyDeleteAlas, too late, Graham. So we shall wait and see...
DeleteWell I'm with Frances' mother it is just "a commercial racket." I don't need a card or flowers to prove my husband loves me, he shows me every day throughout the year. I say bah humbug to St. Valentine.
ReplyDeleteI think you're right, Jill.
DeleteIn my opinion, cellophane wrapping does for romance what advance notice does for surprises.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely agree, Patsy. And why do flowers left at sites of accidents, deaths etc always keep their cellophane? Princess Diana's flowers after her death would,have looked so much better without all that wrapping.
DeleteValentine's Day is not a grown tradition here in Germany, but one we have - like so many others - taken over from the U.S. during the time of so many of their military being stationed here.
ReplyDeleteWhen my grandparents and parents were young, courting or in the early years of their marriages, it simply wasn't done here. Things changed during my youth, but it has completely passed me by. With none of my husbands or boyfriends did I ever so much as exchange a card.
O.K. and i have the anniversary of our first date at the end of this month. That means a lot more to us.
Sensible as always, Meike, and I agree.
DeleteA day never made much fuss of back in my youth. May have become a bit more commonly celebrated in later years, cheered on by commercials and American TV-series. My mum's birthday was the 20th so that's when dad used to buy flowers. And on their anniversary in summer.
ReplyDeleteThat's much more sensible, DT.
DeleteMen! I ask you 🙄
ReplyDeleteQuite, Wendy. But my daughter got her flowers, and my son is coming, so all is not lost!
Delete