Sweet Corners

I have . . . ambivalent feelings. . .about Valentine's Day.

Oh, I partake in the chocolates.  And I send a few Valentine cards.  But I tend not to like special days that create expectations and pressure.  And I especially don't like "holidays" that make people feel bad or lonely or somehow. . . less than.

Valentine's Day is fine . . . when you have a Valentine.  But it's pretty darn miserable when you don't.  Who needs a special day that celebrates "couple-dom" . . . when it's perfectly acceptable (and often times preferable) to be . . . not a couple!  (And don't get me started on how miserable Valentine's Day can be for couples . . . when one member of the couple expects Valentine surprises. . . and one member would rather demonstrate love in other ways. . .)

So, personally, I tend to downplay Valentine's Day.  Tom and I usually find fun cards for each other, and we always, Always, ALWAYS buy each other chocolate.  But we don't do gifts or go out for a Valentine dinner, and Tom doesn't send me roses.  We just decided, together, that we don't need that type of pressure.

But now. . . back to the chocolate!  This week, Carole asks us about our Ten Favorite Chocolate Treats.  Mine . . . tend to the more basic of the genre:

1. Brownies (the chewy kind)
2. Chocolate Chip Cookies
3. Chocolate sauce on plain vanilla ice cream (or peppermint!)
4. Chocolate-covered dried cherries
5. Chocolate-covered caramels
6. Chocolate malts
7. Hershey's Kisses
8. Frango chocolate mint candy
9. Hot cocoa (with whipped cream)
10. Nearly any high-quality chocolate tidbit (because it really does need to be worth the calorie intake!)

Mmmmmm.  Now I'm off to raid my new Valentine box of chocolates!  Happy Valentine's Day . . . however you do (or don't) celebrate!

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Join the fun!  Sign up for Ten on Tuesday here.

 

 

Comments

[Carole]

I'm lucky in that my mom always said Valentine's Day was about love - any kind of love - so we always celebrated as a family. My brothers and I always got presents from my parents and my mom made a special dinner for us. I think they had a romantic celebration on a different day but it never interfered with our family time on the holiday. Hooray for chocolate!

[Marilyn]

I remember dreading Valentine's Day because of the pressure of creating a Valentine's box for school and then wondering if anyone would put anything in it! Not fun.
But the chocolate part is a good thing! :)

[margene]

Valentine's is about love for anyone, imo. Smith and I give cards, maybe chocolate, but don't do much to acknowledge the day. On this day I make sure my friends know how much they mean to me, too.

[Vicki]

Mmmmm, chocolate!

[Patty]

We do the cards and chocolate but that's about it! My b-day is close by so we generally make a special out to eat about that! Have a wonderful day Kym!

[Chiko]

I'm with you on how I feel about the V-day.
I often buy a pot of mini rose for myself.
Great for your garden and HE doesn't have to buy me any roses.
And, I do thank him! ;o)

[Diana Troldahl]

I've morphed from celebrating coupledom to just celebrating the people in my life I care about.

It's hard to pick my fave chocolate treat, but I think it's hot chocolate made with Scharffenbarger cocoa