I love you! (the day after)

I remember Valentine’s Day as a day of extreme stress. When I was younger, in the first grade, it wasn’t so bad. Everyone filled in these cards and everyone had one sitting on their desk. It was in later years that you were made to think that those cards measured how loved you were – and not everyone got a card (I am of course trying to put this delicately, but hey – let’s just say it like it is – I didn’t get any!)
Valentine’s Day is a relatively new thing in the Netherlands and Belgium. It came in along with the commercialization of some other holidays (Mother’s and Father’s Day, Christmas and even Halloween recently). So now everyone is told that they are only good people if they buy their loved one something special (and preferably expensive!) on that special day. And of course we drown in the reports in the media of how often men forget this day instead of caring for and thinking of their wives.

Well, you can believe it or not, but I have never really liked this day (as opposed to some of the other holidays) since I have always considered it commercial. Our family tradition is that we have a very special dinner together. Stephan usually helps Shirley cook a part of it, Sean makes a handmade menu and placecards, and we set the table. Sometimes I serve as a waiter. Mostly we just enjoy the dinner and evening together as a family, knowing and expressing how much we love each other.

And the nice thing is that the next day, when I am in a bad mood and biting heads off, I still know that my family loves me. And when I’ve cooled down and we’ve talked things out, we still express how much we love each other and are thankful for our family. And we don’t even need a card!

- Snuffles enjoying her first Valentine's day with us -