When V-day become a kids' holiday? ;)

[janine]

Just notiching that every holiday seems to be turning into one for DD! I remember when V'day was about romance and your mate, but now I'm running around buying cards for DD's preschool, a card and a gift for DD, stickers,etc. Then getting a card for my mom from the kids (she watches them). Meanwhile I WOH, so no real time for DH and I....

No real point to this post but just noticing that every holiday seems to have become a version of Xmas!

[Ceepa]

Companies follow the money and if that means seizing on the trend of buying knick knacks and clothing for kids for any given holiday or season, that's where you' ll see the marketing targeted. We're more likely to make impulse purchases for our kids than for ourselves.

I may dress DC in solid holiday colors, but I don't worry about buying gifts or novelty socks.

[calv]

I agree that holidays seems to revolve around the kids. Then again our life revolves around them too :) I do a little something. Picked up the Smurf movie for $9 at target and that's their gift. They'll all enjoy it. They'll get a card and 1 candy bar each. Simple but I enjoy doing a little something for all of them for each holiday.

[R2sweetboys]

This is so true! DH and I rarely exchange gifts on these holidays. It's all about the kids and we're perfectly content with that. Valentine's Day really became a kid holiday in our house when DS2 was born on 2/14 almost nine years ago unexpectedly.(not due until 3/1,no we didn't plan it!:)) We find it funny because he really is such a sweet, thoughtful, caring boy. I guess he was destined to be born that day! :heartbeat:

[zoestargrove]

I almost forgot about dh completely. I mean, we've never really celebrated or done anything particularly special for valentines day but, the kids have taken the holiday over. I was rattling off the stuff the kids and I did to get ready for valentines day to my mother and the plans I had for them...she mentioned needing to get a card for my dad and then it hit me - I didn't once think of doing anything for dh this year.

[SnuggleBuggles]

Ds1 asked me the other day what we were doing for Valentine's Day :) I told him we don't really celebrate it. I'll like make something heart shaped for dinner though.

[buddyleebaby]

My mom always got us something for St.Valentine's Day (usually a tiny heart shaped box of chocolate) so I guess it wasn't strange for me to get something for my kids. Admittedly, we keep in small, but they're my little Valentines until they are old enough to have their own.

[BabyMine]

My mom always got us something for St.Valentine's Day (usually a tiny heart shaped box of chocolate) so I guess it wasn't strange for me to get something for my kids. Admittedly, we keep in small, but they're my little Valentines until they are old enough to have their own.

:yeahthat: We give them something small and then bombard them with hugs and kisses.

[artvandalay]

Yeah, we never give anything to the kids. They bring home enough candy and other junk from their school's Valentine's party.

[hellokitty]

It's b/c the schools have valentine's day parties, so parents end up jumping through all of these hoops for the school party. DH and I have yet to have a romantic valentine's dinner or date since becoming parents. I don't even care if he doesn't get me anything, although usually he will try to at least give me something small. Tomorrow, I have to run a LLL mtg in the evening and DH has to take the older boys to martial arts, we will both be too exhausted to do much of anything.

[swissair81]

I'm not old but V-day had a kid component when I was in preschool too. Kids gave out valentines and those little candy hearts. It's definitely more commercialized now though.

[YouAreTheFocus]

My mom always got us something for St.Valentine's Day (usually a tiny heart shaped box of chocolate) so I guess it wasn't strange for me to get something for my kids. Admittedly, we keep in small, but they're my little Valentines until they are old enough to have their own.

:yeahthat: Me, too. My mom and my grandma would always give us a little boxes of chocolate and cards on Valentine's day. When we went of to college they would mail little things as well. I will still often get a card with a little chocolate heart sealed inside in the mail. I think it's sweet and plan to do the same for ds.

[vonfirmath]

Growing up, Valentines Day was just something we celebrated at school -- giving valentines to all our friends.

[maestramommy]

I hear you on that and I won't buy into it. It's another excuse to bake cookies, and I get the easiest Valentines for the kids to address for their class parties. Then I am done. If the kids ever decide they want more elaborate valentines then they will have to do it themselves.

FTR I don't buy a card for anyone except DH. humbug.

[WatchingThemGrow]

I think it became a kids' holiday when we became parents, lol.

Really, I do like the fact (as a teacher) that it gives parents something to work on with their kids. Practicing writing their names is good work, looking at and writing other kids' names, cutting, giving to others, reading names, reading little words, saying thank you, etc. granted, we're not done with ours and neither class is having a big hoopla party, but I like it way better than a lot of other "celebrations" that can go on.

As for the adults... I've never been much into candy and flowers anyway.

[janine]

Oh I also remember cards,etc. growing up at school. But my parent never gave me anything - I just remember it being a day for couples, parents and school crushes. Now I find myself trying to come up with something for DD, cards, chocolate, stickers, a gift...I probably should scale back going forward but then what if she see her friends with goodies,etc.

In our case DD was also born on our anniversary, so that's been hijacked too, lol.

[MommyofAmaya]

We try not to celebrate the many "Hallmark" holidays, but I don't mind sending valentines to school or making heart shaped pancakes for dinner.
I think if either parent is working outside of the home it makes week-night romantic dinners impossible without a babysitter.

[essnce629]

I refuse to give anything to the kids on Valentine's Day! It is me and DBF's holiday and we plan on celebrating it without kids! We are celebrating next weekend by getting a sitter, going to dinner, and then to a comedy club.

I understand giving Valentine's cards out at school and I've bought them for DS1 in the past (just cheapy ones since they get thrown away as soon as they go home), but at DS1's new school they have secret Valentine's and they made each other cards at school and will be exchanging them tomorrow. I didn't have to buy any cards this year, yay!!!

The kids will be getting no chocolates, cards, or stuffed animals from me! DBF's parents sent him (!) and the kids Valentine's Day cards. Valentine's Day is a day for lovers and I find it kind of annoying the DBF's mother is sending him a card!!!! My mom never got me anything for Valentine's Day but I always came home from school with plenty of cards and candy.

I make fun of my best friend who always gets a bunch of stuff for her DD on Valentine's Day, but then does nothing for or with her husband. And yes I can make fun of my best friend since we've been friends for 17 years!

[kozachka]

I am getting *this* close to telling DS that we are not doing Valentine day cards for school because it's an adult holiday. We scaled way back this year, not that we did much before, but I am done with turning all the holidays into kid ones. DH and I are going out tomorrow and DS is staying home with a sitter because it's parents are people, too.

[klwa]

*laughs* I don't ever remember Val. Day being much more than a kids holiday. My parents may have exchanged cards when we were little, but they always gave us candy hearts. And we always did the valentine exchange at school. I think it HAS gotten more about the candy now than it was when I was a kid (late 70's, early 80's), but other than a few years during high school/college, I never really put much into the "love" portion of the holiday.

ETA: my dad sent me a kiddy box of candy this year. Along with ones for DS & DD.

[Melaine]

I am purposely refraining from giving the girls' valentines gifts today. We made pink cupcakes last week and we will make something yummy for dessert tonight for DH. I will help them make a card for him, but other than that, trying not to teach them that it is all about them for once!

[lhafer]

I hear you on that and I won't buy into it. It's another excuse to bake cookies, and I get the easiest Valentines for the kids to address for their class parties. Then I am done. If the kids ever decide they want more elaborate valentines then they will have to do it themselves.

FTR I don't buy a card for anyone except DH. humbug.

:yeahthat: Except we don't even buy cards for each other. I don't like Valentine's Day. I prefer to be shown affection, told that I'm loved, etc all throughout the year!! I don't like it when companies try to force it on a day. I got cheap Valentine's day cards for DD1's class because it was required. But this holiday has always rubbed me the wrong way. And no, I was never "snubbed" or anything like that by a boyfriend or anyone to make this holiday less meaningful. I never really understood it to begin with.