Love is in the air, or I'm your imaginary Valentine
It should come as no surprise that I love Valentine's Day considering that I think I've stated how much I love every single holiday that has passed this year. But I really DO love Valentine's Day.
When I was small, I remember waiting anxiously to open the construction paper envelope that held tiny Valentines from my classmates. Everyone in the class got them, but in my little girl heart I KNEW that they'd been selected with care, every word on the pre-printed card a secret message meant just for me.
Once I was in junior high, I watched as van loads of flowers were delivered to the school, hoping that some would be for me. There weren't any for me (or any of my other 13 year-old girlfriends), so we sent each other "heart-o-grams" which was a "mature" version of the tiny paper valentines from elementary school. Except that these were delivered to the classroom and it wasn't mandatory that you give one to everyone in the class, which made it way more cool.
As the years went by, still no flowers in our immediate future, we skipped the "heart-o-grams" and made each other cards in black, calling them instead "tar-o-grams" to represent the darkness in our hearts. Pained by the thought of being SO ALONE on the Day of Love, we wrote poetic Odes to capture our teenage angst.
Then one year, it finally happened. I received a note that there were some flowers for me in the office. I walked down to the office with a fluttery stomach, excited to see what I'd received. It was a dozen lavender roses, beautiful and lovely, sent by my boyfriend Greg. I carried them back to class, placing them on my desk and fully prepared to carry them around with me for the day. Then, I received a second note that said that there were MORE flowers for me to pick up in the office. Again I walked down to the office, my stomach jumping with excitement. Did I have a secret admirer? Who could it be? I picked up another vase of beautiful roses, this time there were thirteen. I opened the card and read, "I love you more than Greg does. Love, Dad."
Valentine's Day is still special, but I already know who loves me. So the anticipation and excitement and expectation tied up with angst and heartbreak and disappointment... for now is behind me. But I still feel this need to do something special. Give something unexpected that makes a person feel good and loved (or at least well liked). So if your husband/ partner/ boyfriend/ date/ mother/ friend/ neighbor falls short of your expectations this year, or if you don't find any ads in the lovelines sent to you by that guy you saw on the corner last week that you were SURE totally noticed you, then this is for you. I am your imaginary Valentine. The kind that would make you a tiny valentine and place it in your construction paper heart, or send you a "tar-o-gram" describing in great detail the darkness of my heart, or send you thirteen roses signed with the sweetest sentiment. But I'm also the kind of Valentine who didn't actually get around to making cards this year, sending out a mix to the girls, or sending care packages to those of you I love. So instead, as your imaginary Valentine, I'm giving you a few of my favorite things:
Pictured here:
1. A fancy hotel room at a place that has a great spa, where we'd get massages and lounge in the steam room (THEhotel and Mandalay Bay Spa)
2. Two hundred stems of roses (Sam's Club)
3. Luxe Gatsby Collection (12 decadent truffles in a fancy box decorated with pearls, love notes, a Kir Royale love potion kit including a vial of pearl dust and rose water syrup and REAL PEARLS to drop into a glass of champagne... all from Vosages Haut-Chocolat, the best chocolatier in the world)
4. For the Ladies: Another Fine Mix (not widely circulated, this mix includes some of my favorite songs. it's not particularly LOVEY, but I love it so it still counts)
5. A fine bottle of Asti Spumante. It's not very fancy, but I do love this bubbly (Martini & Rossi)
Note: Actual imaginary gifts and those shown here may vary.
xoxo - Happy Valentine's Day - xoxo
When I was small, I remember waiting anxiously to open the construction paper envelope that held tiny Valentines from my classmates. Everyone in the class got them, but in my little girl heart I KNEW that they'd been selected with care, every word on the pre-printed card a secret message meant just for me.
Once I was in junior high, I watched as van loads of flowers were delivered to the school, hoping that some would be for me. There weren't any for me (or any of my other 13 year-old girlfriends), so we sent each other "heart-o-grams" which was a "mature" version of the tiny paper valentines from elementary school. Except that these were delivered to the classroom and it wasn't mandatory that you give one to everyone in the class, which made it way more cool.
As the years went by, still no flowers in our immediate future, we skipped the "heart-o-grams" and made each other cards in black, calling them instead "tar-o-grams" to represent the darkness in our hearts. Pained by the thought of being SO ALONE on the Day of Love, we wrote poetic Odes to capture our teenage angst.
Then one year, it finally happened. I received a note that there were some flowers for me in the office. I walked down to the office with a fluttery stomach, excited to see what I'd received. It was a dozen lavender roses, beautiful and lovely, sent by my boyfriend Greg. I carried them back to class, placing them on my desk and fully prepared to carry them around with me for the day. Then, I received a second note that said that there were MORE flowers for me to pick up in the office. Again I walked down to the office, my stomach jumping with excitement. Did I have a secret admirer? Who could it be? I picked up another vase of beautiful roses, this time there were thirteen. I opened the card and read, "I love you more than Greg does. Love, Dad."
Valentine's Day is still special, but I already know who loves me. So the anticipation and excitement and expectation tied up with angst and heartbreak and disappointment... for now is behind me. But I still feel this need to do something special. Give something unexpected that makes a person feel good and loved (or at least well liked). So if your husband/ partner/ boyfriend/ date/ mother/ friend/ neighbor falls short of your expectations this year, or if you don't find any ads in the lovelines sent to you by that guy you saw on the corner last week that you were SURE totally noticed you, then this is for you. I am your imaginary Valentine. The kind that would make you a tiny valentine and place it in your construction paper heart, or send you a "tar-o-gram" describing in great detail the darkness of my heart, or send you thirteen roses signed with the sweetest sentiment. But I'm also the kind of Valentine who didn't actually get around to making cards this year, sending out a mix to the girls, or sending care packages to those of you I love. So instead, as your imaginary Valentine, I'm giving you a few of my favorite things:
Pictured here:
1. A fancy hotel room at a place that has a great spa, where we'd get massages and lounge in the steam room (THEhotel and Mandalay Bay Spa)
2. Two hundred stems of roses (Sam's Club)
3. Luxe Gatsby Collection (12 decadent truffles in a fancy box decorated with pearls, love notes, a Kir Royale love potion kit including a vial of pearl dust and rose water syrup and REAL PEARLS to drop into a glass of champagne... all from Vosages Haut-Chocolat, the best chocolatier in the world)
4. For the Ladies: Another Fine Mix (not widely circulated, this mix includes some of my favorite songs. it's not particularly LOVEY, but I love it so it still counts)
5. A fine bottle of Asti Spumante. It's not very fancy, but I do love this bubbly (Martini & Rossi)
Note: Actual imaginary gifts and those shown here may vary.
xoxo - Happy Valentine's Day - xoxo
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