Carving Out A Holiday

It’s Valentine’s Day. It’s kind of like all the other holidays that the card stores have concocted, exploited, and made lots of money off of. Now, I’m not a cynic. I’m all for flowers (although Dave isn’t… and told me he thought the florist was somewhere one buys floors)… In fact, someone at work got a dozen long-stemmed roses yesterday. I was happy for her – albeit appropriately jealous (isn’t that WHY men send flowers to their ladies at work?). In fact, the women at work got kind of fussy when they saw the flowers. It wasn’t that they were unhappy that my co-worker got flowers. It was just that they didn’t. It was raw commentary on the state of relationships… And I’m guessing it happens every year.

(To battle the enmity – I found TWO e-roses on my e-mail this AM.)

Anyway, my current celebration of the holidays isn’t all that extravagant. I got Dave a little present – and if the weather permits, we’ll see each other tonight (A guy was quoted in this morning’s local paper as saying, “We got snow for Valentines Day!!!”). On our first Valentines Day, Dave, always the romantic – bought me a microphone. Before you think, “How weird. How cold,” consider this – he thinks so highly of my singing – that he expects me to sing and be heard. It was one of the nicest gifts ever.

I don’t think I really get all that “into” any holiday. I’m not really into huge crowds, so last minute Christmas shopping, 4th of July Weekend beach trips, or New Years’ Eve in Times Square don’t appeal to me. My life is pretty full without decorating – so at Christmas, I put up a tree, and either decorate the mantle above my fireplace or send cards. I alternate years. This year – was about cards.

I’ve been quite shamed by my friend Stephanie. She’s a decorating wizard. She hangs hearts in the window. She sends Thanksgiving Cards. She’s probably related to Martha Stewart. Her big holiday, however, is Halloween. From the yard to the basement, no surface in her September-through-October home remains undecorated. She puts gravestones and fog machines in the yard. She hangs cobwebs. Witches, Ghosts, Ghouls, Bats, Rats, Cats, and Jack O’Lanterns adorn the house. She carves. She gives candy to hundreds and hundreds young Irish kids (Get it? Trick O’Treaters… groan.). She not only sews her costumes, but anyone else who wants one. One year, I decided I’d wear an old bridesmaid dress to one of her parties. She made me a sash that read “Miss Understood.” – so I could be a pageant queen for a night.

She’s amazing. When Halloween is over, she simply spins the Jack O’ Lanterns around – and has a lovely Thanksgiving display – nearly ready made.

Me? I haven’t carved anything in a long time – unless you consider the people I love – whose images are carved into my heart.

Happy Valentines Day To All – and To All A Good Night!