Valentine's Day 1996-2012

1996ish:

It was really cold, in West Jordan, Utah, on Valentine's day.  I think it may have fallen on a weekend or school holiday, because there were children everywhere running across the streets to deliver valentines in my neighborhood.  It was really sweet, and really, really cold.



1997ish:

My mom had made us valentines out colored construction paper and the paper lace doilies from All-a-Dollar.

I walked in on her making them at the dining room table, which didn't strike me as odd at the time, but realize now, that typically she would use the kitchen counter.

She whisked them away and listened to me say my peace about my brother pushing me down the slide or some such nonsense.

But St. Valentine's Day came and we exchanged candy and homemade valentines with our friends, and then Mom got out valentines for us, and told us to open all of them at the same time.

We opened them up and in them was written a poem, which I still remember quite clearly:

"Roses are red.

Violets are blue.

Icecream is good,

And I'll take you."

I was processing the information, but before I could even get to the point of illumination, my mom had her keys in her hand and said gleefully "Let's go!

"Go where?" was said by one of us.

"To get ice-cream!" My mom replied.

"Oh. That makes sense."

And away we went.  One of my favorite valentines, ever.




2010-1998ish:

A blur.


2011: Valentine's Day in China

We went to downtown Changzhou on Valentine's day.  I didn't know that Valentine's day was observed at all in China, but it certainly was.

The flower shops had enormous, displays out front, all the displays individually were lovely, but from a distance they did look a little gaudy.

There were men everywhere carrying large bouquets, the most popular were glitter-tipped roses.

Most of them were red roses dipped in silver, red, or pink glitter.

Most of them were wrapped in the patterned cellophane we're used to seeing here in the States.

There were a few fancy fabric and feather bouquets, and very popular were stuffed animal bouquets as well.  (For more about Chinese Valentine's Day, click here.)  (Click there also for a totally awesome comic I drew.)

But for the first time ever, I wanted roses from someone special.  I wanted glitter roses, but still, I felt the need to have someone in my life give me flowers.  Previous to this, I had just enjoyed Valentine's day for the candy and craft time.  Never before had I had a desire for a significant other on Valentine's day.



2012:

I sort of had a boyfriend.  We were dating exclusively without the constraints to date exclusively.

Meaning: we were boyfriend and girlfriend, but refused to admit it to anyone.

I had to drop him off at the airport later that night, so we got takeout, and sat in his room and laughed about 3rd world bathroom facilities and told the worst poo stories ever.

And it was so awesome that I eventually married him.

That night, I dropped him off at the airport, and when I got home to my apartment, waiting for me was a vase of pink roses, and a box of chocolates.