Ghosts of Valentine's Days Past

Yesterday, I wrote about a really great Valentine's Day with Jason.  That said, I'm really not a fan of the holiday.  I don't like spending money.  I don't like the consumerism of it ($70 for 12 roses?  Really?!?).  I don't like jewelry companies telling men that all women want diamonds.  That, and I've been scarred by some not-so-great years.

So, without much further ado, my countdown of my three worst Valentine's Days.

#3 -- I was about 8 or 9 and wanted to buy something for my "boyfriend" (aka, boy I had had the "I like you, do you like me?" conversation with about 6 months earlier, and we hadn't talked since).  My sisters were buying stuff for their people, so I wanted to as well.  I picked out a chocolate "I <3 U" (3 3" pieces of chocolate) and shyly gave it to him.  Well, 1) he apparently didn't know we were giving each other stuff, since I definitely didn't get anything back and 2) he and his friends made fun of the "I <3 U" the rest of the day.

Ok, not heart-breaking, and yes I'm over it now.  That's why it's number 3...

#2 -- Junior year of high school.  Valentine's Day was on a Thursday, so my boyfriend (who lived one town over) had suggested we celebrate on Friday instead.  He calls me up that Friday (the 15th) and breaks up with me.  Oh, so THAT'S what he meant by "celebrate Valentine's Day."  I was kind of bummed, but immediately called a guy friend, asked him to the prom (since I certainly wasn't taking V-Day guy!), came out of my room and announced to my parents: "**** and I just broke up.  ******* and I are now going to the prom together.  Goodnight."

Wow, what's worse than being broken up with?

#1 -- Sophomore year of college.  Valentine's Day was on a Saturday, and my boyfriend spent the day volunteering.  He didn't know what time he'd be done, so I got ready around 5:00 just in case.  He picks me up around 8:30.  We had discussed how I didn't want to go out and that maybe we could cook something together at his apartment.  He seemed to like that idea as well.  Seemed like a good idea at the time.  I get over to his place and ask what we're having for dinner.  He smiles, pulls out a cookbook and says, "Let's pick something out and then we'll go get the groceries."  What?  It's almost 9:00!  I'm starving (because I'm always starving), so I ask can we go get something instead.  After we go get DRIVE-THROUGH from WENDY'S, we go back to his apartment and watch a rented movie -- SWAT.  (I can't complain about that part, though, because I think I picked that out).

Wow.





I'm not claiming full innocence here.  These weren't horrible guys, and I'm sure I readily agreed to eating something off the dollar value menu.  I'm just saying these were horrible Valentine's Days.


How about you?  Do you have a Valentine's horror story?  Did you get stood up?  Did something catch on fire?  I'd love to commiserate with you!