Hey Posse! Valentine’s Day 2017 is coming up quickly. For some that means organising Dinner, Presents, Outfit and Charming Conversation. That’s cool. Good luck to you all. BUT for another whole swathe of the world who are Single, In Complicated Relationships, Have Unromantic Partners or HATE Valentine’s Day then we need an exit strategy to help us cope. So here are a few things I’ll be doing on Valentine’s Day 2017.
Valentine’s Day 2017: Survival Mode
Sadly, my partner Jin HATES Valentine’s Day and I guess he’s kind of correct. We show each other so much love every day so why should we use one particular day a year as our frame of reference. He also thinks it is a HUGE scam on the part of card, chocolate and flower sellers, not to mention restaurants. It’s weird for me because I was brought up to think it was a really important, special day on the calendar. That kind of brain washing has stuck through the years and while I do understand all of his arguments I still like to buy and write him a card. I think he secretly likes getting them too. SHHHHHH
There were many years when I was partnerless that I felt as if I was TOTALLY missing out on the Valentine’s Day excitement. Dressing up, going out, wining & dining. So my BFF and I got in the habit of being each others Valentine. Just a card and if we were free we’d hang out. Well we’d be hanging out anyway, BFFs right? I still send her a card each year. TBH I think she did it for me rather than loving it for herself, oh well. It’s nice to get a card.
This year I’m going to buy myself a present (hardly need a reason but it’s fun), no I’m going to buy myself TWO presents.
One will be a fragrance, obviously, and I’ve been thinking long and hard about what it will be.
Bracken Man by Amouage
Fragrantica gives these featured accords:
Top: Bergamot, lemon, cypress, lavender, nutmeg, cloves
Heart: Geranium, sandalwood, cedar, cinnamon
Base: Patchouli, musk
Yeah, I spritzed it, bought a decant, spritzed that, now i want the FULL BOTTLE! Yes, greedy boy .com. Oh well YOLO. So hopefully it will arrive before Valentine’s Day 2017 and I will spritz myself lavishly and lay around in a fog of fougere.
Surrender To Chance has samples from $5/ml
Ferrero Rocher
The second is my FAVOURITE chocolates of all time… and eat them ALL BY MYSELF. So there. MMMMM That crunchy exterior of nutty chocolate and biscuit with the soft, rich, lavish centre. My bloody favourite. Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero Rocher MMMMMMMMM
So how will you celebrate or ignore Valentine’s day 2017?
Portia xxx
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Howdy, dear! Very late to the party, but must say I agree a little with Jin. It is so highly commercialized, but we still do a little something for each other and for my son, since he’s a teen (but still a kid at heart). Enjoy your Ferraro Rocher (yum!) and the Bracken! Must try that ASAP.
I received a Purdy gift certificate at Christmas and bought a heart-shaped box of cherry cordials since it was the same price as the regular box, but cuter.
Not such a fan of Valentine’s Day, but it kind of coincided with a trip to DC for a conference, so my friend and I plotted a perfume sniffing trip, and…
THANK YOU, PORTIA!!! Based on your recommendation, we went to Arielle Shoshana’s, and we had the best time. The associate, Kate, was completely geeking out with us and let us smell ALL THE THINGS. I had Valentine’s permission to get myself a treat, so I got Neela Vermeire’s Ashoka — my friend got Bombay Bling, and after I made him try it on, her husband fell in love with Arquiste Nanban and bought that. And then Kate made us loads of samples, AND THEN ARIELLE HERSELF CAME IN. She’s adorable, and was so visibly thrilled with our pleasure and that you had sent us there, and sends you lots of love. It’s probably a good thing I live halfway across the country or I would be at her shop all the time. <3
Oh HeidiC,
That is one of the BEST stories ever. How freaking gorgeous is Ashoka? Great choice. Isn’t arielle the bomb? What a wonderful day.
Portia xx
After a long hiatus, bought myself a bottle of Au Coeur du Désert for myself for V-day.
Delicious.
My husband and I don’t usually do too much, a card exchange is good; what we love is the day or two after Valentine’s Day when all the chocolate goes on sale at the drug stores! However, I saw that STC was doing a chocolate and roses event, so I just ordered some decants that I’m very excited to sample: Malle Portrait of a Lady, L’Artisan Voleur de Roses (which I previously tried and loved, though it may be too subtle for me; giving it one more chance), Dawn Spencer Hurwitz Dark Moon, and 3 SLs – Borneo 1834, Santal Majuscule, and Rose de Nuit. I can hardly wait!!! 🙂
Between my guy & I, we uaually pick up flowers from the grocery store and by this time of year the Easter candy might be out. We love those Cadbury MiniEggs, so thinking that will happen.
Years ago I would make his cards, am thinking of doing that again this year. We have construction paper somewhere, and I bet I can find a cute poem online.
The cats might get extra treats, too 🙂
I resent the massive increase in price for everything, but I never miss a chance to celebrate love; my husband is a romantic, and while we don’t make a huge fuss, it is great fun to remind each other how wildly in love we still are, and how blessed we are to have each other.
This year I’m going to replenish his absinthe supply, and he usually gets me some sort of rose-scented something, or rose bush. I have the loveliest garden, all full of love!
Have a wonderful Valentine’s day, Portia. My son and husband think Valentine’s Day is a commercial huckster thing, too, but neither of them complain if I get them a card-lol. I think my son may have been reformed by his new girlfriend who loves all holidays. She even made the grinch get a Christmas tree. Love her!
I am the romantic type and I wish Valentine’s day were the top or the crown of the 365 days of mad love…but meanwhile I’m too old for this concept. Besides, this year I have no Valentine after many years and I think I’ll do what I did before this period: invite my single girlfriends for a drink on that evening. That was always a lot of fun.
…and yes, I’l buy something nice for myself. I’m thinking of a dark red lipstick which I miss in my lipstick wardrobe.
Enjoy your perfume+chocolate (+ Jin ;-)) combo on Valentine’s day.
We buy cards for each other and I get some of my favourite marzipan heart chocolates from Godiva. Not interested in restaurants or flowers. We show our love every day but it’s still fun to exchange cards and who doesn’t love an excuse to buy good chocolate? LOL.
Every year I buy my kids and grandkids a Valentine. I still think that holidays are commercial inventions ,unless they are religious, but lately I’ve also been thinking that maybe some people need reminders to let the people in their lives know how we feel about them.
When I was young, I thought it was SO important whether or not I had a boyfriend. Now that I have been married forever, I’d rather have the other 364 days instead of 1 where love is expressed just because some industry said to do it. We acknowledge that it’s Valentine’s Day, but that’s about it. Bracken Man…my youngest son wears it and wow, does he smell good!
My dietary downfall is See’s candy. So I’ll treat myself to some milk Bordeaux and there IS champagne in the fridge…
Can’t go too overboard cause I got a blood test in a couple weeks! Lol
OH, OH, Claudia! See’s milk bordeaux are my ever-lovin’ favorites! Bought myself a box before Christmas and have been rationing them out, one a week. Can’t have them more than that because they are so many points on Weight Watchers!
My partner is teaching until 9:30 and I crash at 11:00, so we will barely see each other on the day. Normally I would get him a box of Mozartkugel, but he watching his sugar intake. Ah the joys of aging. We will probably open a bottle of bubbly when he gets home and toast the day.
LOL! I hate Valentine’s Day SOOOO much. Always have. Dunno why – prolly the same reasons everybody already gave. I also hate Mother’s Day, Christmas, New Year’s Eve…pretty much any day that demands a certain mindset FOR THAT DAY. Crisps my ends, I tell ya!
But! were I to indulge, I would probably indulge myself with a box of Recchiuti Fleur de Sel caramels. OMG. Okay – maybe TWO boxes!
for scent, I would treat myself to a train ride to Chicago to try that new Armani (Ford?) Iris Patty was talking about yesterday – or…even better? A plane ride to NYC to Osswald to try the new niche irises!
xoxoxoA
We don’t bother much with Valentine’s Day- 19 years married and a teenager in the house. Who has time? Maybe cards. I may buy myself some of Trader Joe’s 12.99 roses just to brighten up the house. I am saving my pennies for a big purchase by the end of the school year, but I haven’t decided which scent on my wish list will win out!
Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero Rocher, Ferrero Rocher MMMMMMMMM!!!!!!! Oh my god, I haven’t had one of these in ages. If I hadn’t already bought a 9 piece box of handmade chocolate for “the day” I’d be buying some of these.
While we like to do something nice for Valentine’s Day we don’t feel the need to do it “on” Valentine’s Day. Especially since restaurants are over crowded and rushed on that day and the food and service at even the best establishments seems to suffer. And don’t get me started on how most florists around here jack up their prices that week. Most of the time we go out and celebrate a weekend or two after when things are quieter and calmer. If Dear Husband can pull himself away from the office for dinner one day that week, I will make a special dinner at home and something chocolatey for dessert. Not sure if it will be cake, cookies, pot de creme or a soufflé. Dear Daughter ought to show up as well, since she’s holding on to the box of chocolates for me (otherwise I would have eaten them all by now).
Dear Husband says he shouldn’t have to celebrate a day just because it’s on the calendar and someone markets cards and gifts for that day. My response to that is, then why bother with Father’s Day, Mother’s Day, Easter, Christmas, Thanksgiving or any holiday at all. I sorta guilt him into holidays.
Hey Tatiana,
Since I wrote this piece I’ve realised BOTH of us are working on Valentines Day night. Oh Well.
I love that you do it later, great idea. I think Jin & I will start doing that. Thanks for the tip.
Portia xx
I mostly ignore Valentine’s Day and it’s not because I am single. I think that it’s overrated, if your not being attentive to your SO for the other 364 days, you have problems. Right now, I am saving up my pennies for Amouage Epic bath stuff, my dogs needed their meds and food before I could buy something fun.
Hey Eldarwen22,
That Epic bath and lotion are aptly named. Great choices.
Yes, you’re totally right about the 364 other days.
Portia xx