Tag Archives: Valentine’s Day

“Share the Love!” A New Idea for Valentine’s Day

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Cupids and heart Valentine

February 14th is Valentine’s Day, the most divisive holiday of all. Some love it while others hate it. No news there.

But I had a thought.

What if we transform the couple’s celebration of exclusive, romantic love, to a day of inclusivity? Okay. I’m not talking about threesomes, but what if we twist the term, refocus the lens, and define it differently?

How?

We could celebrate a day of sharing the love by sending out positive vibes to everyone we meet. There are a bazillion ways we could do that.

  • Pay it forward. On Valentine’s Day, put yourself out there to help someone who’s struggling.
  • Pay it backward. Buy coffee for the person behind you in line.
  • Go out of your way to use manners. Hold the door. Offer your seat. Say “Please,” and “Thank you.”
  • Make a few sincere compliments and someone might feel good about themselves.
  • Smile. I promise it won’t kill you and you’ll be surprised at the reaction, no matter where you live.
  • When driving, slow down. Use your blinkers. Let others into your lane. Why not go all out and actually stop at a stop sign.
  • Share the love with friends and family. Think outside the box. Plan an activity or have a get-together.
  • Share the love with yourself. Indulge in a treat or take some personal time doing something you love. Something that says, “I am so good at what I do and I appreciate myself.”

Instead of the FOMO (fear of missing out), on Valentine’s Day, you will feel like you did your part to share the love. Maybe you’ll will even have a story to tell when everything goes back to normal on the 15th. Who knows?

If everyone would share the love on February 14th, Valentine’s Day could become the best holiday of all!

Do you have any other ideas for “Sharing the Love?”

Follow me on Twitter at @susielindau and share your ideas at #ShareTheLove.

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With or Without a Lover, This Valentine’s Day Is Yours!

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Those without a loved one to share Valentine’s Day have more in common with the tradition of sending Valentine’s Day cards than those with a lover.

victorian-valentine-cupid

I thought the Victorians began the tradition with their sentimental, flowery, lacy, and cupid adorned cards:

The couple meets at a soiree where the fine lady’s heart beats like a caged canary. The gentleman wears gloves and even with them worries he’ll leave a thumbprint on the greeting card. He escorts her to a small chamber not far from the ballroom. Her cheeks flush with the touch of his warm hand on her back. It sends a thrill of which she is not accustomed. He pulls the declaration of love from his breast pocket and presents it with a bow. She smiles, rips it open and gasps when she sees two naked cupids complete with jiggly bits dancing in the sky. Underneath are the words “Be My Lover.” She drops the card and trounces from the room.

And that is when the gentleman became acquainted with the florist’s establishment around the corner which he frequented in years to come.

Cupids and heart Valentine

Sending cards began more than 400 years earlier with a French romantic poet, of course! It did not begin with the uptight Victorians, but the English had their part in history.

The French nobleman, Charles I de Valois, Duke of Orleans fought against the English and became trapped in his own armor. (How does that happen? “Help me! I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!) In 1415, he took up residence as a prisoner in the Tower of London. Continue reading →

Use Me and Abuse Me Day – Meteor/Asteriod Crashing Valentine’s Day Edition

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meteor 4

Happy Valentine’s Day! The party is in the house. The tunes are cranked and the doorbell is ringing. It’s time for another Use Me and Abuse Me Day! 

It is time to spread the LOVE! Who knows what tomorrow will bring with super winter storms and asteroid/meteors raining down from the sky. Here’s your chance to mingle and make some new friends! Continue reading →

Leaping for Love, Lust and Lulu on Valentine’s Day

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Along with bushy eyebrows, Lulu had been burdened with helicopter parents. She never had a moment alone with little Harold. They had dated for two years without a single kiss.

Towering over him had been a turnoff. Sitting down put him at ease.

Harold came a-calling on Valentine’s Day. Electricity shot between them the moment he entered the room. She had to have him.

the date 1 Continue reading →

The Stormy Recess of Broken Hearts

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I remember my worst Valentine’s Day ever in Madison, Wisconsin as cold, damp and wintery. The night before, I decorated my shoe box with construction paper hearts, rick rack, and sequins much like the other girls in my 5th grade class. My mother had bought paper valentines which I signed, picking the best ones for my closest friends and a boy that I liked.

Earlier that year, a few of us had been switched from one classroom to another. After taking my seat, I noticed a dreamy-eyed, brown haired boy named Bob sitting at the desk in front of me. He must have noticed me too because later in the week, he turned around and asked, “Hey. Do you want this?” He referred to a new invention at the time, the mechanical pencil. Continue reading →