Anyone who knows me, knows I don’t like a lot of ‘stuff’. But when you get to know me better, you’ll realize that I’m also not a big fan of holidays that encourage the buying of a lot of unnecessary ‘stuff’. Mother’s Day, Fourth of July, Easter, Secretary’s Day, and, of course, Valentine’s Day. I’m not talking about the celebratory aspect of religion or national pride, I’m talking about the conspicuous consumption and incessant ads pressuring people to buy things. It’s bad enough when it’s about buying things for themselves but when they inflict things like bobble head dolls, talking stuffed bears or footie pajamas for grown women, I feel like beating my head against the wall.
Do you have any idea how much of this crap stuff I see at my client’s houses? And the guilt they feel when they realize that they don’t want it but don’t know what to do with it because they don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings?
But back to me. I don’t need a ‘special day’ for someone to feel obligated to go out and get me something because society says they have to. If someone feels that strongly about me, then tell me. Show me. Do something nice for me or in my name. But when they want to. Not because they have to. Plus I don’t want any things in my home that I don’t love or don’t use.
Life is too short to spend it dusting plastic heart figurines.
It’s a combination of feeling coerced and feeling manipulated. Is it really saying “I love you” if it is done on the same day everyone else in the country is saying this? Or is it really saying “I love you” when it is said spontaneously and with feeling at your kids soccer game?
Every time I hear the ad on the radio about sending your loved one footie-hoodie pajamas, I cringe. So if you were thinking of getting me some for Valentine’s Day. Don’t. Really.
