That time of year

[sobrique]

That time of year again approaches once more.
The one where the subtle forces of marketing of the florists, card shops and chocolatiers of the world exert a subtle pressure on all the adults of the world.
The message is a simple one. If you are a couple, and don't buy them lots of pink fluffy cutesy stuff, you don't really love them.
If you're single, then clearly you are a freak, and must desperately and urgently go and proposition someone by Feb 14th, or go and hide in the corner, with a bag over your head.

Tosh and piffle.

For those who do not wish to give into the subtle pressure of the marketing division of Clinton Cards, I propose a 'nothing to do with valentines day meal'. For those who are single, and revel in it. (Or who are single and not really revelling in it) Or those who are not, but don't need a marketing department to tell them how/when to be romantic.

Venue to be (in order of where I'll ring if they're full):
Monsoon Restaurant
Farmhouse
Pizza Hut
Wing Wah

(Other suggestions accepted).

So comment if you're interested. I'm expecting that they might be busy, so will be looking to be booking on Friday or so. Looking like a 7pm 'get there'. Possibly drinkies before/after, depending on proximity of appropriate drinking establishments.

Comments

[queex.livejournal.com]

I'd eschew the marketing bonanza, except that it also happens to be my anniversary...

That said, we do not feed the marketing machine and make our own cards. We might go and see Final Destination 3, mind.

[ehrine.livejournal.com]

I'm on earlies next week so am up for it. Let me know which we end up going to :)

[absintheskiss.livejournal.com]

As a smug married, I must also say that I have said to Steve that if he did wish to get me something, I did NOT want anything that was made purely for Valentines day. There is enough tat in the world. I don't want to add to it. The most valueable thing we have is time. Just not enough of it. I'd rather have an extra few hours to spend with him, just enjoying his company without work etc getting in the way than all the cut teddies or roses in Woolies...

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

i have to say I agree, I woul dbe much more apreciative of some quality time with partner rather than random generic things... I have enough things..

Although a random box of nice chocolates would not be said no too:)

[xarrion.livejournal.com]

duly noted. Remind me to take a box out of the snack cupboard tomorrow and hide it somewhere for a week ;)

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Hotel Chocolat. You know it makes sense :)

[crashbarrier.livejournal.com]

your not funny

[girl-working.livejournal.com]

It's our 6 month anniversary so we're not sure what we'll be doing, but we might come along if we can get a lift... :)

And seeing as Ian's not enamoured with the idea of me dying his hair pink, I doubt I'll be getting any pink fluffy cutesy stuff... Except maybe chocolate. Chocolate is good. :)

[jambon-gris.livejournal.com]

I would do Etna my self.
because, Its a safe bet for everybody, it does a very good house red and wonderful esspesso.

Also the beutiful and litterally talented velvet_nothing has discount vouchers. I will ask Angela if she wants to come as well.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

I haven't done Etna myself. How are they for groups? (And I would assume they're liable to be horribly busy...)

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

H'okay, do you have an indication of numbers?

[elrohana.livejournal.com]

Can't imagine we'll bother. We're debating not even doing Xmas this year, never mind Hallmark Cards...um, I mean Valentines Day. We're getting very jaded with the commercialisation of various festivals. Valentines Day is an especially nasty one, really. Why pick one day a year to tell your significant other you love them? Why not wish them Happy Unbirthday instead on the other 363 days of the year?

Besides, I have a load of pink fluffy stuff courtesy of Cleo that never gets used any more, why buy more of it???!!!!

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

I think the commercialisation of festivals is insidious. I'm good at ignoring 'this is hype, I don't care' but the subtle pressure that 'it's for someone else' is really quite bad.

Valentines day, well I guess if someone wants to go off and be fluffy, then fair enough. It's just the doing so on command from 'those that say' bothers me somewhat. I mean, if you're in love, then it's just a bit ... I don't know, a bit redundant and tacky I guess.

Things like Christmas and Easter are important Christian festivals. It just seems to cheapen the whole affair to easter egg, and buy stuff, especially for those who are 'not exactly religious'.

[elrohana.livejournal.com]

Things like Christmas and Easter are important Christian festivals. It just seems to cheapen the whole affair to easter egg, and buy stuff, especially for those who are 'not exactly religious'.

Or in most cases only actually religious on Xmas Eve when they pop along to church for the first time in a year. I'm not Christian, but it still winds me up watching this sort of thing. Either you believe in God and Church, or you don't. Religion is not a part-time thing, FFS. I'm quite okay with those who freely admit they go just for the atmosphere on Xmas Eve, not because they believe in the Christian God in any way. But why Easter Eggs? They're hardly a Christian tradition.....

Oh dear, I'm sorry, I seem to have ranted on someone else's LJ again. My apologies. This just winds me up so much.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Well, it's no co-incidence that both Christmas and Easter seem to co-incide with Pagan festivals...

"Religion is for life, not just for Christmas"? :)

I agree, somewhat. I don't really mind which 'path' you want to follow, be it Christian, Muslim, Pagan, Taoism, or some obscure cult that thinks Dr. Who is the new messiah, but for some reason 'part time religious' just sticks in my throat somewhat.

[phyrbyrd.livejournal.com]

Yah, sounds like fun. Can I come?

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Yes, although those venues are ones in Coventry :)

[phyrbyrd.livejournal.com]

May not make it, then. Oh, well.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Well, I expect we can provide crash space, but it is a fair ol' trek for mid week :)

[mcnazgul.livejournal.com]

Keeping off the tat is proving tricky but I think I've found something.
Mind you, the roses are looking very tempting. :)

Besides, if you want to get into the true Roman feel for St. Valentine's sprinkle your house with salt & wheat, get a bunch of leather thongs made from goat hide, dip them in a mixture of goat & dog's blood pass them out to the lads and whip the women with them (who like it as it makes them fertile! One word - odd...). Then draw lots to pair up boy and girl who have to shack up for a year with the blessing of the gods.

Sounds like some parties I've been to... ;-)

[the-wood-gnome.livejournal.com]

Am I allowed to say:

WEYHEY!

?

;)

[veremit.livejournal.com]

lmao - if anyone hears about these parties, can I blag an invite from someone?!!!


Alternative venue possibility (though its a bit of a train ride from Cov) .. for Friday nite ...

... Churston broadway chippy - "Squires" they're called .. and the staff there are really quite good [the food's ok too!]. :D

[malal.livejournal.com]

I'm up for it, but like a later start in case I'm not back from work by then.

[velvet-nothing.livejournal.com]

SO... in amongst all the bitching and moaning about Valentines Day, do we have a venue? I'd vote for Etna, and can book it if people are interested. I have some starter-amd-main for £10 vouchers, though the starters are limited to soup or garlic bread and the mains are either meat/veggie lasagne or one of two kinds of pizza. Not exactly lots of choice, but thought I'd mention anyway.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Erm. I was looking to get together some numbers first, just to avoid having to ring up with 'oh, and add a couple more please'.

I've not been to Etna. Wouldn't mind doing so, but it kind struck me as a place that would be busy on that particular day.

So, were you up for it?

[velvet-nothing.livejournal.com]

I'll probably come along. But I refuse to pretend I think Valentines is something I disapprove of or want to rebel against, because it's not. I think it's lovely that we have a day of the year devoted to celebrating love. After all, love is what keeps a lot of people going when nothing else would. I find that whenever I'm in a relationship and it's V Day, I *want* to do/buy/make things for the person I'm with. I certainly don't do it because of some kind of commercial pressure. And yeah, I'd be disappointed if my partner didn't feel they could make the effort for me, too. Someone gave me a lock of their hair once, which was sweet. I still have it... so now I can do voodoo spells on them!

Of course, I'll probably have to sit with that paper bag over my head and mope if I come out for the meal, as I'm not expecting floods of red roses this year. In fact, I will most likely be downright miserable. But company might help.

Let me know what arrangements are decided upon.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Why do you want to do these things on that particular day of the year though, as opposed to the _other_ 364?

[velvet-nothing.livejournal.com]

I always make the effort and I'm very into romantic gestures. It's not that I don't do these things the rest of the year; I just think it's nice that we've set a day aside to have... well, kind of a national celebration of something as important love. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. Plus, it's an opportunity to tell someone you like them in a cheeky, not-too-serious way, when you might be too nervous to do it otherwise. It can be fun.

[mister-jack.livejournal.com]

How does that follow in the slightest?

"I like to do something nice on this day"
"Really? You unromantic cad! Why don't you do it on these other days?!?"
"Er... Did I say that?"

Doing romantic things on Valentines day doesn't mean you don't do them on the other days it just means you do do them on Valentines Day.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

It doesn't. The distinction is that on the other 364 days it's not like your mum nagging you to tidy your room.

[velvet-nothing.livejournal.com]

Oh, for fucks sake! Lets not have fireworks on November 5 then, or celebrate Christmas, Easter, Pancake Day, New Year or any other occasion that might just be enjoyable!

If we're getting silly about this, one could ask why you're organising a nothing-to-do-with-valentines event on valentines day. Why not have one on, say April 20th?

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Celebrating an event is no big deal either way.
Celebrating an event because you believe in it is commendable.
Celebrating an event because 'you feel you should' or because 'everyone else is' or because 'the industry says so' is contemptible.

[velvet-nothing.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but many people do celebrate it for the right reasons. Personally, I think it's a lovely idea.

If you were in a relationship, would you do anything to celebrate?

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

Every day :)

However that not being the case, the anti-celebration will have to suffice.

[mister-jack.livejournal.com]

"Contemptible"? That's rather a strong term, don't you think?

Fact is, we humans are social creatures subject to the influence and effect of the culture and societies of which we are part and the people with whom we interact. We do [i]all sorts[/i] of things simply because "we feel we should" or because "everyone else is" and, you know what, that's how we manage to live together in relative harmony.

Sure, living your whole life according to what others think is pretty lame but the idea that you can live your life entirely seperate to that is absurd.

[sobrique.livejournal.com]

How about "mildly contemptible" then?

I'm fairly sure I didn't say you can just ignore society as a whole. If I did, I didn't intend to. Following 'socially acceptable' in terms of antisocial behaviour is a fairly positive thing - in theory it's relatively subtle.

I don't think that taking up smoking because all your friends at school do is a good idea. I don't think that driving an SUV because all the other mums do is a good idea.

But I was talking about events. Festivals. Whatever. If you celebrate christmas, valentines day, or ... well a whole selection of events out of a sense of conformity, you are doing so for entirely the wrong reasons.

[mister-jack.livejournal.com]

If you get something out of it, it doesn't really matter why you did it in the first place, does it?

I mean if you hated Valentines Day and then did it anyway 'cos society said you should, that'd be contemptible.

[elrohana.livejournal.com]

I agree with Sobrique. And I would go with his original assessment of 'contemptible'. But then I don't watch TV and I hate the whole herd mentality, socially acceptable, sheep thing. I celebrate the festivals that mean something to me personally and if anyone tries to tell me otherwise, they are likely to be told politely that its none of their business. So I can totally understand someone wanting to do an 'anti-Valentines-Day' bit of socialising. And I haven't been single on Valentines Day since I was 13 (and I'm now 40) so my antipathy towards what Valentines Day has become nothing to do with not being in a relationship.