Valentine's Day ... New male bonding ritual??

With this blog, my intent is to talk about my experience...not nesessarily to lump all guys into this amusing stereotype.

So, it's Valentines day, and I got the babysitter to come over because I thought I would run to the local Publix and pick up ingredients for my husband's favorite meal and grab him a Valentines card from me and the kids, since I hadn't had time to do so earlier in the week. I'm not big into the whole Valentines thing...some times I do things, other times I don't, and I never expect to get anything. I think that's just rediculous behavior for a Hallmark Holiday anyway.

So, I get to Publix, and honest to God, it's more packed than it was when I went on the days before Thanksgiving and Christmas! I had to park all the way in the back of the lot even! Two out of three of every person coming out of the store was a man carrying some type of gift, ie: flowers or candy.

I'm in the store now and there are literally men walking around with these confused looks on their faces, as if they've never been inside a grocery store before. There were men talking to themselves as well. I over heard one man saying to himself, "No, if I get that I'll be on the couch." Are you SERIOUS?? Do some of you women out there put that much pressure on your man for a stupid holiday??

At any rate, I go and do my shopping and get over to the card section where there is literally 5 people standing in front of a rack of cards that probably had 15 cards left on it. It looked like a tornado had blown through only one section of the store...the Valentine's Day card section! So I'm standing there looking at the cards with the 5 other people and I saw groups of about 10 more people coming from each end of the isle, so I basically grabbed my cards and ran before I was attacked!

I go to check out, and that was ok, and I head out to my car. I of course, happen to be walking behind 2 (approx 45+ year old) men. They happen to be parked right next to me and suddenly I overhear, "Hank, them are some nice flowers you got there!" and the other says, "You got nice ones too, we did good buddy!"..."Well, I have to get home and give these to the wife before she kills me."...."Ok, see you next year buddy!"

OK OK....let's break this down. 1: Here we have two grown men in the parking lot congratulating themselves on a job well done...when all they did was buy pre-packaged flowers from a grocery store ON Valentine's day! 2: Are there wives out there who would freak out if they're husband's didn't come home with a gift on Valentine's day?? SHAME on you ladies! Do you really need a fake love fest day to feel good about yourself?? What's wrong with just having a celebration on your anniversary!? 3. See you next year buddy!? Is this time kind of new male bonding ritual? Go out ON Valentine's day with your buddy to the local grocery store and pick out the cheapest pre-made bunch of flowers, in a color your wife probably doesnt even like, and then congratulate each other in the grocery store parking lot?? C'MON! Are you serious? Don't get me wrong, its cute, but kind of disturbing at the same time! LOL

Well, all this being said, my Valentines was great, BECAUSE I didn't expect anything, and I got more than I could've wanted. Hubby came home fairly early and was so greatful for me making his favorite dinner and then not nagging him that he wanted to watch the race he missed on TV, he came and held me and told me how much he loves me in a very sentimental and emotional way, which is something he in particular, has a tough time with.

Hope you all had the best Valentine's Day ever!