Valentine's Day Cards

Just today I was thinking about all those Valentine's day cards and gifts we are encouraged to give out every year. What is that all about? Do we have to have one designated day in which to express love to others? It seems artificial to me, and after perusing the Valentine's day cards at stores (no I have no Valentine to give or no one to give it to, but the stacks of cards were curious and I had to see what it is about this year, so I looked at them) and on line I am convinced it is more folly than fare.

I remember when my daughter Jane was small. We had to find those kid valentine's that the little boys and girls give out to every other kid in class. One year we sent out Spongebob Valentines to her 4th grade schoolmates. We attached a candy cane or a box of Sweetheart candy to each. That was easy. How are grown-ups are supposed to know who to give valentine's to. I'll never know. Some women are offended or embarrassed by them and others expect them practically every day. We men only get them about 1/4 of the time that women do, but we probably deserve a valentine even less because we drive women crazy.

Valentine's day is a wholly commercial creation, and the cards you can buy to snail or E mail are proof of that. They appeal to just about every possible relationship known to humans. There are cards for singles, spouses, parents, kids,. friends, gays, straights, for people who seek sex (those blatant sexy cards that have little to do with love and everything with getting laid), for the "guy" that lives with mom, the man or woman that the person can't attract but keeps trying to win the other, zodiac valentines, inspirational valentine cards (they tend to be badly written and gushing), the e cards with the sappy music in the background, cards for pets (I'm not kidding!), humorous cards (women never appreciate them but we men love them and give them anyway), secret admirer valentines (do they ever say who they are?).

Here are a few of the worst written poetic valentine greetings I saw when I glanced at a few of the cards that were on line.

'As time goes by from year to year,
One thing is surely true, my dear;
Though decades come and decades go,
Just seeing you sets me a glow.'

'As Spider man I’d weave a web,
Lure you and catch you in it,
So you couldn’t just smile and walk away,
After talking less than a minute.''

'I’m an animal lover, I’m happy to say.
And I love them and pet them most every day.
So for you, Valentine, I thank heaven above,
Because you’re like the creatures I love'

'Valentine, you make me silly;
You make my heart beat willy-nilly;
When I'm with you, the world is hazy;
Valentine, you drive me crazy!'

Sigh....I hope I don't get any Valentines this year...