So, did you get a Valentine then?

[Patrick Thistle]

Cards, gifts, whatever? Did you get anything?

I got given a a pair of pigeons. Not real pigeons though (thank God!) - one of those virtual gift thingies where someone in Bangladesh is given their starter pair to start a pigeon-breeding business.

Also a couple of books, but mainly the pigeons.

[DCI Harry Batt]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

No.

[Rogin the Armchair fan]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

I'm married, so, you know.

[WOM]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

I drew my daughter the "I choo- choo- choose you" card.

"What the heck?" was the official response.

I've been married 17 years, so, you know.

[Bored Of Education]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Is this one of those threads where we are enticed in and then get lambasted for being smug marrieds or whatever?

[Felicity, I guess so]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Ms Felicity is in that Norwich for half-term, but she hid a card in my sock drawer (she must be totally convinced of my personal hygiene in her absence).

It was a weird vintage valentine card, with the big bad wolf in bed as grandma, saying to the girl (NOT Red Riding Hood, as she is not wearing red at all) 'I just want to feast my eyes on you'. The girl is clearly under age and sort of half raising her skirts. On the back in pencil it says (in a descending diagonal): 'beverly'. Ms felicity didn't write that, I hasten to add.

[MsD]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Those were different days, to be sure.

I like this one:

[Jah Womble]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Just the one this year...

[Southport Zeb]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

I got a Valentines Day card from the entire Everton ladies team. It is possible that it might just be a marketing thing and they don't actually all fancy me.

[Felicity, I guess so]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Do the dog's farts smell of Limburger?!

Is that an ad for the cheese?

(Thanks MsD- I may well download that for next year- 'you thought YOU found a weird one'!)

[MsD]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

I don't think it's authentically old, tbh.

[Benjm]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

We, or rather our house, received a card with chocolates attached from a local estate agency.

It felt special but it turns out that they sent one to everyone in the street. The house has been crying all afternoon. No new instructions for you, Love Rat & Co.

[Bored Of Education]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Erm, they still sent you chocolate.

[Benjm]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Good point, Bored. Who am I to begrudge the neighbours their share of the treats?

[Femme Folle]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Who am I going to get one from, my dog?

[Bored Of Education]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

No, he's a selfish little sod.

[Femme Folle]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

To be fair, he doesn't have any money.

[DCI Harry Batt]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

I thought he had a job.

[Femme Folle]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

He does, but it's unpaid volunteer work.

[Amor de Cosmos]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

La Signora is still in Houston. I got a photo of her and her daughter flaunting margaritas.

[blameless]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Nah, mrs b and myself don't do Valentine's, for two very important reasons:

1. we were both single for quite a while before we met, and Feb 14th always made us feel like shite.

2. Our anniversary is earlier in Feb, and that's waaaaaaaaaaay more important (and means we're not having to dodge Valentinesers for a decent restaurant reservation)

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

I found one in my suitcase upon arrival back in Nairobi, after a week at home. So I lied at check-in when I said that I knew the contents of my baggage.

[Toby Gymshorts]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Of course I got one, I'm a bloody stud.

(TLMG gave me a card. I gave her a card too, and a cupcake with heart shaped biscuits on it. Who says romance is dead?)

[pebblethefish]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

I sent several hundred bunches of flowers.

Admittedly that's my job, which does take some of the romance out of it, but at least I got to have a laugh at some of the cheesy card messages, and also get some good blackmail material for those who sent two bunches but to different women.

[Sam]

So, did you get a Valentine then?

Nothing here, we don't do it in our household (fnar). We did head out for a bit in the afternoon and laughed at all the macho latino guys on the underground trying to look manly whilst carrying big red heart-shaped balloons. Why do people buy that crap? Flowers I can appreciate, but who shows their affection by giving an adult person a fucking balloon?

A funny thing is that a decade ago Valentine's day basically didn't exist as a thing in Argentina, and now the place is absolutely packed with people given gifts and (cause and effect here) businesses trying to sell them stuff.

Weirdest is businesses, football clubs etc. wishing everyone happy Valentine's day (something I see upthread isn't exclusive to Argentina). Or the oddballs on Twitter I saw earlier wishing all their followers a happy Valentine's day. If the point of the day is ostensibly to be about the private love you have for another individual, why wish anyone apart from the person you fancy a happy one?

Hmm, bit ranty, that. It wasn't meant to be - I just increasingly feel this is the weirdest 'celebration' day on the calendar.