Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day! Next to Christmas, this is my favorite holiday. An exchange of special cards and notes for the people I love, a fun, family dinner-it's always a night we spend together.

But there is another side to it because I am disgusted by the commercialization of this holiday. Beginning the day after Christmas, two entire rows in Walmart are devoted to conning me to buy, buy, buy in order to say "I love you." If you've ever been in a Walmart on Valentine's Day at 5:00PM, you will see men crowded, one after the other, in checkout lines clutching candy, stuffed animals and flowers, many of them making the purchase because, if they don't, they're going to be in big trouble when they get home. This is sad.

So, many years ago, we decided to keep this day simple and sweet. Handmade cards and gifts and dinner at home with our favorite people: our kids. And we try to keep the notion of Valentine's Day in our hearts throughout the year, day by day letting each other know how special we are to each other. So, for us, this is just another day like the rest, only it's decorated with a lot more pink and red!

Happy Valentine's Day!