Red roses, fine chocolates, an expensive restaurant, a pair of sexy undies with hearts on them...?

Do you feel that Valentines day has gone the way of Christmas?

Show that you care by spending your money, feel obliged to do so because not spending means you don't care.

Is there really romance to it when the seasonal goods aisles in shops are stocked with overpriced, loveheart emblazoned tat and tastless cheap knickers?

It is only right to show your loved one how much you care, but to be pressured by commercial interests kind of takes the passion out of it.

Wasn't it once traditionally a day when a lonely heart could sent out an anonymous clue of their amorous intentions without embarrassment,

and petulant brides 'to be' could pop the question to their less forthcoming partners?

To be expected to do something 'special' seems much less of a gesture.

I totally agree with you Rob. We (my wife and I) don't do any of these 'forced' events. Valentines, Christmas, Easter etc.

i remember a number of years ago (2000? 2001?)

i was in BKK for a few mths starting beginning january, and there were reports in the papers that several 100's of 1000's worth of roses from rose providers up north were NOT going to be ready in time for valentine's day.

Made me smirk.

i don't like the whole commercial aspect of it either. If I have a loved one, I will show her love and/or romanticism at totally random moments as and when the mood grabs me. It's just another one of those religious holidays gone commercial.

Now that I have a girlfriend, I may send her a small email/sms stating, "happy valentine's day sweetheart" but the fact is, I'll probably be sharing my lovin' with some random punter at the bar.

- I really shouldn't be in a relationship - I don't feel like a c*nt when I'm single. But that's probably a whole other debate

Of course, there are some women who go for the event in a rather big way; no chockies or flowers, in the least, would be red rag to a bull and many also require some expensive nosebag with equally expensive grape.

Of course, there are some women who go for the event in a rather big way; no chockies or flowers, in the least, would be red rag to a bull and many also require some expensive nosebag with equally expensive grape.

That's true. I remember telling a girl that we didn't do Christmas and she was appalled! each to their own I suppose!

My missus says it's a waste of money, and I agree with her... however.. it could be a trick, so I'm buggered (not literally) either way

My advice is to take the cheapest route out of this commercialised mess, if questioned then reply the same as or similar to below...

This day is insignificant compared to the love and affection I have for you over the other 364 days (be careful of leap years)

Totster

however.. it could be a trick, so I'm buggered

I took the route of the cheapest option and damage limitation, but I still could be walking myself into a trap.

I was just in town and the card shops are heaving with options, but do you know how hard it was to find a card that didn't mention the word love?

Very, very dificult I can tell you, but my perserverance paid off.

Thing is, she will also realise how much effort it must have taken me to find a card that doesn't mention love.

Either way I'm screwed! Lets hope it's in the most enjoyable way.

Mmmm maybe I should go for the tastless knickers with the lovehearts after all, who says romance is dead?

I have about as much romance bestowed within me as Atilla the Hun, so I hate this day with a passion, it is just another pay off to the Western dollar making hype of big business.

However, if you do nothing you are dam_ned, if you do and you get it wrong, you are dam_ned, so you are D'med if you do and you are D'med if you don't, so what to do?

This year, instead of flowers, cards etc etc I am going to put the details of a family trip into a plain white envelope:

Eurostar, St Pancras and the newly refurbed station, meant to be spectacular, quick detour to the longest champayne bar in the world apparently, off to Paris for a few days, then off to Bruges for a few more days to see one of her best friends.

There is supposed to be a particular bar with a multitude of different liquours just waiting for me to sample.

Romance!! rubbish, we all get a family holiday, we both see Paris, Sacre Coeur with its magnificent stone architecture and a myriad of other sights to see and then off to historic Bruges, supplemented by an assortment of bars.

She sees her friends, gets to visit Paris and Belgium, we both get a holiday and if she wants to wrap that up in a Ribbon of romance, so be it, hopefully I can't lose.

Moss

hopefully I can't lose.

Got one thing to say to that..

The female of the species is more deadlier than the male

Totster

hopefully I can't lose.

Got one thing to say to that..

The female of the species is more deadlier than the male

Totster

That seems to be the case in every species!

I don't know; have you ever been eaten by... never mind.

For all those who don't have money for valentine's day ......

I made a plan ..................

Sorted!!!!

It's about time somebody shot the little sh*t!

For all those who don't have money for valentine's day ......

I made a plan ..................

Sorted!!!!

It's about time somebody shot the little sh*t!

take that stupid, i mean, cupid

Well done, Pete. Let that be a lesson to the little perisher! Who was he working for - Tesco? Woolworths? Maybe Nestlé, or even that little florist shop down the corner?

I totally agree with you Rob. We (my wife and I) don't do any of these 'forced' events. Valentines, Christmas, Easter etc.

Same same.

hopefully I can't lose.

Got one thing to say to that..

The female of the species is more deadlier than the male

Totster

I Know, I know.

I was just being optomistic! I didn't even have a glass of single malt in my hand, I guess it is just like I tell my guys at work, ensure you drink whiskey and not Vodka, that way at least clients know you are drunk and not just plain stupid

Moss

From today's Guardian

12.15pm GMT

Saudi Arabia bans sale of red roses

Rosalind Ryan guardian.co.uk, Tuesday February 12 2008

This article was first published on guardian.co.uk on Tuesday February 12 2008.

It was last updated at 12:23 on February 12 2008.

The sale of red roses and red gifts has been banned by Saudi Arabia's religious police in the run-up to Valentine's Day, reports a local newspaper.

Officials from the Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice warned flower and gift shops to remove all red items, including roses and wrapping paper, from their shelves.

"They visited us last night," an unidentified florist told the Saudi Gazette. "They gave us warnings and this morning we packed up all the red items."

In Riyadh, the ban came into force on Sunday and will remain until after February 14.

The authorities believe celebrating Valentine's Day is un-Islamic and encourages relations out of wedlock, which are strictly forbidden.

The crackdown has pushed up the price of the flowers on the black market, with some florists making deliveries in the middle of the night, says the paper.

Couples defying the ban placed orders for red roses weeks before the deadline. Some are sending online Valentine's cards, and others are planning to celebrate the day in neighbouring countries, such as Bahrain, which has a more liberal approach to Islamic law.

Saudi Arabia imposes a strict code which prevents unmarried men and women from socialising together. Relations outside marriage are banned and punishable by law.

I heard this on the radio today. What's so wicked about red?

It's not green.

12.15pm GMT

Saudi Arabia imposes a strict code which prevents unmarried men and women from socialising together. Relations outside marriage are banned and punishable by law.

Fekkin retards

12.15pm GMT

Saudi Arabia imposes a strict code which prevents unmarried men and women from socialising together. Relations outside marriage are banned and punishable by law.

Fekkin retards

Keep it in the family.

Here you are you fckuing cheapskates, print this off & give it to the missus

^^^

Unbelievable.

You haven't got an Asda's version have you Boo. The mrs doesn't like Tesco's and her hormones are all over the place at the minute. I don't want to risk the wrath

You joke but here it is

/\/\/\

Go on Boo, complete the set with a Morrison's one

That's funny, too late now though... or is it!?

It's bloody Valentines day!

Just received a text from my Thai lady reminding me of the fact.

Am I in the shit, or can I claim I thought it was only a western shopping promotion?

or can I claim I thought it was only a western shopping promotion?

That should do it OC

NOT

/\/\/\

Go on Boo, complete the set with a Morrison's one

To complete the set requires one from ALDI