I love Valentine’s Day.  “Hallmark Holiday”?  Pfff.  It WAY predates Hallmark.

Paul and I don’t often celebrate it between us, though. Some years I’ll have a yen for a heart-shaped box of chocolates and he’s happy to indulge me, or other years I’ll use the day as an excuse to give him something that took some extra effort, like the year his favorite slippers wore out and he couldn’t find any he liked to replace them, so I researched it and found him some I thought would be perfect and gave them to him on Valentine’s Day.  Ooo la la, SLIPPERS!  Slippers are not exactly the one single perfect long-stemmed rose, but they are, for me, a better way of saying “I love you and what you want is important to me.”  (It seems to me as if the “single perfect rose” is another way of saying “I didn’t spring for a whole dozen but you have to act as if this is better.”)

But most years we don’t treat it as a couple’s holiday.  I like giving a little Valentine’s Day treat to the kids on their breakfast plates in the morning, and I like helping prepare for their classroom valentine exchanges.  I like sending valentines to my friends sometimes.  I like using valentine postcards for my Postcrossing hobby.  I like the pretty decorations:  I nearly always get a new cute mug or picture frame or plate.  And I like the way it breaks up the low-holiday stretch of winter.

I’m picky, though.  I had a boyfriend long ago who would give me, like, a red teddy bear holding an “I luv you” heart, and, uh.  I mean.  Thank you for the thought, but what IS that thought?  I have said it before and I’ll say it again:  if you want something that doesn’t look like it was grabbed from the “Oops, did you forget it was Valentine’s Day?” display at the grocery store, try Etsy.

Be Mine Little Valentine Sampler by Stitched by Julie Ellen on Etsy

Butter Cream Iced Heart Cake Adjustable Ring by CuteAbility on Etsy

Wounded Valentine pendant by Ginko & Butterfly on Etsy

Dino Love shirt by Giggle Baby Designs on Etsy

Itty Bitty Bite-Sized Heart Sugar Cookies by Sugar & Flour on Etsy

Lollipop Heart Valentine Doxie Mini Decorative Pillow by Persnickety Pelican on Etsy

Together Forever Ketchup and Mustard Love Mirror by illi on Etsy

Heart Carved Into a Tree Mug by Twisted River Clayworks on Etsy

Heart and Bow Necklace by CuteAbility on Etsy

Adore recycled wooden sign by William Dohman on Etsy

Oak Tree Snuggery by Kristiana Parn Prints & Paintings on Etsy — I own a copy of this print of owls gettin’ cozy and I LOVE it.

Heart-embroidered wood pendant or brooch by haworth handmade

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