I attended an all-girls high school and as you can imagine, Valentine’s Day was a big deal. All the boyfriends and admirers were either coached or coerced into buying flowers for their girlfriends and, of course, having them delivered to school. I firmly believe that the point of sending overpriced roses is not so much for the sweetness factor, but so the girlfriend can be the envy of her peers and boyfriend get a better chance for “a little sumptin’” for initiating the ensuing jealousy.
And so, on February 14th the bouquets start piling up. The administration caught on to this charade pretty quickly as you can imagine and started holding all the flowers in the principal’s office until the end of the day. This accomplished a few things- 1) lots of rubbernecking of students as they passed by the office FILLED with roses, 2) built up the suspense of who got flowers all day, 3) reports from students who had a reason to go to the office and spy on the love notes to see who was getting a bouquet.
Personally, I never got flowers at school; not even one in four years. This is not to say I didn’t have boyfriends during the holiday or that I didn’t hope all day that there would be a bundle for me. Really it was that the guys I dated thought Valentine’s Day was a Hallmark holiday and they felt no need to drop any amount of money on “something that will die in a few days anyway” as I recall Mike C. explaining it. This, apparently, is my type of guy, as I don’t recall EVER receiving a significant (more than $10) V-Day gift. Nor have I ever given one either…
2023 Year in Review: Tough breaks, but it’s all right
11 months ago
9 comments:
I once had a chocolate tower delivered to me. I thought that was the best Valentines gift ever!!!
I agree... as much as I enjoy flowers... I think it's kinda of like.. eh, it's a waste of money because they die almost immediately! However... the best gifts I have gotten has been the one or two single roses. Not necessarily a huge waste of money, it's thoughtful and still pretty.
I went to an all girls highschool and the EXACT same thing happened at mine as you described... I never got flowers either :( Although I had a boyfriend all 4 years of highschool for the holiday. I just wanted to carry around the flowers and have everyone be jealous like you said lol
I never had a boyfriend in HS. wait..ok, yea, not really. Anyway, I agree 100% with what Cloppert said. Seriously, buying flowers is one thing, but to spend THAT MUCH on roses (which are out of season in Feb, so they're not going to be as hearty as they will be come early summer) to have them dead in days. waste. I consider Vday a wasteful hallmark holiday. Is it because I was jealous in HS that I never got anything (granted, I always knew I wouldn't get anything) or because, well, IT IS.
Kathy and I had the revelation that Vday ruins people's New Year's resolutions. think about it. People resolve to lose weight and work out. Gym memberships are up in Jan. Then, 6 weeks later, their "loved ones" take them to lavish dinners and buy them pounds of chocolate. They gain 10 more lbs over the next week or two polishing off the candy. They get discouraged that their diet and exercising isn't working. Come the beginning of March the gyms are back to just the old members.
I went to a public co-ed school and the same crap happened. Not only that, but the guys would decorate their girlfriends lockers. I luckily laid the law down and said no very quickly and said if they wanted to give me anything it was after school. I had enough crap to carry around all day as it was.
One year the coolest thing I got was a light-up rose (fake) inside a balloon that was tied to a stffed white tiger. :-)
Scary. i agree with Clop.
I remember one year in mr. P's history class, and they were delivering the flowers (last class of the day) and this one bouquet has this HUGE HUGE MASSIVE balloon attached. seriously big. and one girl, damn i wish i could remember her name, i can picture her, was mocking the balloon and what kind of douche would send that, and that was a guy needing a breakup, etc. very vocal. sure enough, that one had her name on it :D
Kathy--your story is hysterical!!!
I never got flowers from the office in highschool, but I do remember Joe having Karen put some on my desk 1st bell for my birthday. I hid them in my locker because I was sooo embarassed!
Although I always loved the elementary school cards, as an adult I think V-day as this society does it is a waste, therefore, I agree with Mike. When I was growing up I had my birthday a few days later and now I have my wedding anniversary a week beforehand - both of these events are much more important.
I do remember getting ugly Valentine's Day gifts a couple of times in high school. I think my most memorable Vday, however, was my senior year when Javier C, who did not yet realize he was gay, took me out to dinner to get my out of my house so that Laura could get everything set for my surprise 18th birthday party. :-)
I agree 100% with Viki's 1st paragraph. except the whole birthday shorly after/wedding anniversary shortly before thing. ;)
It's funny Karen - I totally would have pegged you as someone who gets absolutely giddy and brags over the non-holiday. I guess over the years I never realized (or forgot) how you truly felt.
oh i DO love valentine's day - i just see it as a time to tell FRIENDS how much you care as you should be doign that daily to your significant other and not need a holiday excuse to do so.
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