Monday, February 15, 2010

Happy Singles Awareness Day!

I was called in to work on the most dreaded day of the year. Worse than Thanksgiving, Christmas or even New Years Eve. For any restaurant employee Valentines day sends shivers up your spine and causes you to break out in a sweat. In my restaurant we were expecting over 400 guests and the tension amongst my co-workers was so thick you could have cut it with a knife. For this evening we rented small tables and squeezed as many people as we could in every nook and cranny of our restaurant, both inside and outside. Once the carnage was over I couldn't help but wonder why people are so keen on this "holiday"? Why do men pay three times more for flowers? Why do people come out to eat on a night where they are going to be squeezed at tables 6 inches from each other? How is this romantic? I've heard several theories from my friends. One suggested that because Valentines day typically falls upon the man in the relationship (and many men don't feel comfortable cooking) they feel this to be the best way to treat their significant other to something special. Another suggested that it is the women who are urging their male counterparts to take them out so that they can get dressed up and be seen. Whatever the reason is, I have to say that a romantic night to me is staying as far away from the restaurants as possible and simply staying in with a good movie or game. I guess that I'm just out of the loop somehow.

5 comments:

  1. Totally agree with you! I think it's like a challenge or a quest: to go out on Valentines Day and have a "special" romantic dinner and movie... It's like a competition to prove to all those other people that you deserve that table just as much as they do. We are validating our own importance when we go out and fight the crowds and win. Keep posting your perspective!

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  2. That's an interesting idea too. Perhaps it is some sort of competition between couples? Or perhaps it's just an opportunity to declare that you are NOT single.You ARE in love with this other person. Either way, the whole concept of Valentine's day disturbs me greatly. You'd think that the state was being evacuated due to a natural disaster with the traffic and crazy driving. We even had a fatal accident occur on our main highway. I just can't help but ask WHY?? Why is this day so important that we empty our wallets and sometimes even our brains of common sense to celebrate it?

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  3. Travis and I rarely do anything for Valentines day. Even being married, I think the holiday is pretty stupid. We have enough material things. We should be showing love any time, not just one day out of the year. I only get our boys something small.

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  4. I absolutely agree alissa! Even when I was married we didn't usually go all out. I'd just cook a nice dinner or something. It's just crazy how large this "holiday" has gotten.

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  5. Completely agree with you, anyway why should the romance and the going out for a meal be special on only that day of the year. To me it would think it would be more special if I were to take someone out for a meal or buy flowers etc spontaneously or as a surprise, but I guess that's just me

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