I'm not quite willing to throw out Valentine's Day, as Roland Martin suggests, but I agree with the basic points he makes. 1) Husbands should show love to our wives (and vice versa) on a regular basis, and attentive spouses should not feel pressured to go overboard on Valentine's Day simply because our culture says we are "bad" if we don't up the ante on that day. 2) Showing affection and appreciation should not be a competition.
Unlike Roland, I like having a particular day of the year devoted to romance, even though it's primarily driven by retailers, because I think many people need a reminder to treat their spouse or significant other in a special way. In fact, I think many men need an excuse, given the peer pressure that exists in society to appear non-romantic -- until Valentine's Day, when everyone is supposed to be a combination of Romeo & Cassanova & Brad Pitt.
I think the key is moderation. We should not give in to the pressure to outdo others with the gifts we buy or events we plan. In fact, I've felt pressure to outdo myself, but I realize that type of escalation is self-imposed; Sherry doesn't judge me based on gifts or plans getting bigger, better and pricier each year.
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Photo from the Flickr photos of clarescupcakes. Don't they look yummy?
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