So, I know not everyone is a Valentine's Day fan, but let's hear your worst and best Valentines stories..

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

Answers

I don't have any really bad ones, but last year my partner bought me the red Doc Martens I had been eyeing. I thought that was both sweet and appropriate.

This year I'm going to see the Vagina Monologues with a group of female friends. The man is going to stay home and wait for me (he's not invited, it's only us women). I think that's a pretty awesome gift: he's not complaining about me wanting to spend v-day with women celebrating women. And he knows that I will come home outraged that we women suffer men to live at all after all of the atrocities they have visited upon us (yes, I'll probably use those words, too) and he probably will get a lecture on the great power of women instead of getting laid, and he loves me anyway. He's the best valentine!

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

Valentine's Day 1998: I spent it in tears, eating too much and watching bad movies. Valentine's Day was the Saturday of President's Day Weekend that year. My (now-ex) husband went away for the long weekend. He informed me he was doing so on Valentine's Day morning. That was the day I knew for sure my marriage was over. Divorce proceedings began shortly thereafter.

I ignore V-Day now.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

2 years ago, leading up to V Day, I told myself I didn't care and it didn't matter. So my husband and I said we wouldn't get gifts, that we would just go out to dinner, and that would be enough. Well, he didn't plan dinner or anything, and all day on V Day, I was depressed. I was borderline psycho. I was mad that he didn't at least try to make the day special. We went to dinner where we always went at the time, and the host gave me a rose, and I burst into tears, at the table!! I couldn't stop crying. I was sobbing so much I had to go to the bathroom to calm down. My husband was extremely confused. When we walked home from eating, I threw away the rose b/c it was just making me more depressed. When we got home, I told him the day at least needed to be special, and while I didn't want it to matter, I guess it really does.

So the next year, he bought me a Pashmina scarf.

The ironic thing is that this year, we are just going out to dinner! B/c we spend 3x as much on Christmas we usually do, and he does not know how to buy inexpensive gifts. I don't know why he doesn't get me flowers, except that I know he puts a lot of importance into being original. For the dinner, he is planning it and is in charge. I feel like a big weirdo after that one year, and I just almost dread the day!

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

Sixth grade was the high point for me and Valentine's Day. I made homemade valentines for everyone in my class, and had a blast cutting out red hearts and lacey things and gluing it all together. I also enjoyed doling them out to everyone, a la a postal worker.

I've never had a really bad Valentine's Day.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

I work with the world's most boring group of co-workers, so I'm going to make my Valentine's Day interesting by giving out Scooby Doo valentine cards to everyone. They don't deserve it, but I need to do whatever is necessary to make my day not so mind-numbingly boring.

I'm sure my husband will just take me out to dinner that night. We don't do anything special, just give cards and maybe a little gift, and a nice meal.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

Elena, I did that too.. um, last year. I love making homemade Valentines. This year I made mix cd's and this weekend I'm using gallons of red glitter on my homemade CD covers. They're going to be very shiny. :)

I didn't have a SO for years and years, so I've pretty much just gone out with friends and had that wallowing in red-wine "Valentines Day Sucks Dinner". This year I have a boyfriend, but he has to work that night. We're having a romantic lunch. Inasmuch as one can make lunch romantic.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

One word Gardanna: "Nooner"

At least I think that is how it is spelled.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

Hmmm...I'm hearing the lovely strains of "aaaaaaa-aaaafternoon delight". You go, girl.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

If I wasn't such a lazy ass, I would make homemade ones this year, too! Instead, my friends will have to settle for my 'N Sync ones. To steal from Ben Stiller at the Superbowl half-time show, I am going to write, "I hope your Valentine's Day doesn't 'Nsuck too much." and laugh every time I print those words.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

ah yes, but what to do with the other 50 minutes??? heh, heh.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

Eat a nice lunch, of course! That's what I do!

heh.

-- Anonymous, February 07, 2001

Whiney, whiney? www.dating911.com Spread the joy.

-- Anonymous, February 08, 2001

Bubba!, that is a real site :). A divorce lawyer told me that one of her busiest times is around Valentine's day. I plan on wallowing in my own self-pity, not! Glad to be rid of the psycho., controlling pigs. Bitter? na, really no. Just a little sad that I haven't run into anyone as perfect and sane as I freaking am. Oops, sorry, I just lost a little control there.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2001

Oh lord. I just wrote about Valentine's Day, and mentioned some in the past that hadn't been great. This morning I got an email from my ex who told me next time he celebrated V-Day he'd be sure not to try so hard.

A)I had no idea he read my site that regularly and b)I said it was the best V-day ever, and mentioned the great meal and the fabulous present and the hot sex. I just said even with all that, it wasn't really all I thought it would be. I don't know, I guess I was thinking a great Valentine's Day would involve a trip to Paris and a diamond tiara.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2001

My husband and I only do cards. That's it. It keeps things simple. He believes Valentine's Day is just a commercial day to get men to spend a lot of money and get women all worked up. He thinks you should do nice things for each other and spend time together every day. He buys flowers and gives back rubs at random. If he ever stops being so nice then I'll probably start wanting a more special Valentine's day but for now its all good.

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2001

Oh, scrnwrt, "flourless chocolate espresso cake"! That can make any V-Day special. :-)

-- Anonymous, February 09, 2001

Vicki, yeah I knew it was a real site, that's why I put it up. Have you read any of the romantic trainwrecks people have posted? I tell you, some of the stories make you really appreciate your dog.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

V-day is nothing more than a womans way of starting another argument and another thing to blame on men! Ha! Mr. Wonderful

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

James, that was you being ironic, right? Because, to shamelessly steal a quote from Wing Chun, this isn't Evening at the Improv, and it's not 1986.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

James, women don't need more ammo against men. Men do plenty on their own. Valentines Day is too commercial to have any real meaning, it's the everyday thoughtfulness that means more to a relationship than a box of candy and some flowers once a year.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

This V-Day I told my sweetie what to get me. That way I get what I want and have the added bonus of knowing he'll do what I tell him. He's low on cash, so I told him to get me those little individual Fannie May things at the grocery store. I also told him he'd get nothing and like it cause V-Day is for ladies and I've been paying his bills. He was peeved at first but got used to it.

For those who are bummed on V-Day, just remember, the amount of crap you get is not an indicator of your worth, any more than the amount you drink on St. Pat's day is.

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

My best Valentine's Day was in 1995 when my ex-husband proposed. I know, I know, he's my ex now, but at the time I thought he was a keeper. Anyhoo, I went over to his house and he had a note on the door. He set up a scavenger hunt all over the house with cute-rhyming clues. Each place I went there was candy or flowers or balloons or a teddy bear and the last clue was to the bedroom door. I opened it and he came out as white as a sheet with sweaty palms. He got down on one knee and gave me the most gorgeous diamond and proposed. I was totally surprised and I have to say one of the best days of my life. I tell ya, it'll be a hard proposal to top. Too bad he turned out to be an asshole. And, although the ring was gorgeous, I sold it to a past boss who was proposing. I couldn't wear it anymore, so I thought what the heck and made some money. So, a good V-day, but a sad ending. Sorry guys! ;o)

-- Anonymous, February 10, 2001

You're right, Gert. I've always found a "hard proposal" to be fairly effective in the mating ritual. As long as your timing is okay.

-- Anonymous, February 11, 2001

The Husband-Type Man and I usually have anti-Valentine's Day VD. One year, he served me TV dinners by candlelight. Another year, I came up with a scavenger hunt, and we each had to find stuff like, say, a "non-Hershey 'kiss'" (he got me a Tom Jones album with "Kiss" on it) and "a book on relationships" (he got me "The Rules" and "How to Win and Keep a Country Man" and "an aphrodisiac" (he ended up making me this whole "aprhodisiac meal" with cream of pine nut soup and grape-glazed salmon and mulled wine). This year, I've already found him a beautiful card that says "Sexbomb!" and I'm getting him a Venus flytrap (indicitive, I think, of all the Mars-Venus b.s. and "pussywhipping" stereotypes associated with Valentine's Day).

If he got me red roses or pink carnations, teddy bears, gold jewelry or other typical cutsie VD things that the Mass Media pushes, it'd merely be an indication that he didn't know me at all. :)

-- Anonymous, February 12, 2001

dwann why do you call your hubsand that?? i see you do that alot and i all ways wanted to aks you that?!! what does it mean cuz if i ever get marreid i think id call my guy that to!! its cute!!!

ive been going on a few dates but no body i rilly want a vd from any of them. love stinks!!

-- Anonymous, February 13, 2001