We have had heart-shaped meatloaf on valentines day since the 70's. Cannot imagine Valentine's Day without it. When the girls were younger, they made me make pink mashed potatoes to go along with it.

How fun! I cook in heart shapes all year long. I collect hearts and much of my collection is in my kitchen. It's been probably 5 years since SO has had a homemade biscuit,pancake,pot pie or cake that's not shaped like a heart......

I would celebrate even when I was single. I would not hesitate to buy myself flowers and a new heart shaped whatnot to add to my collection every Vday.

No. Not really. At least not with gifts. I dislike going out to eat on holidays. I do have a meeting that night and it will most likely have a Valentine theme. Also going to a Valentine lunch ( Red Hat group) tomorrow. Some will dress to the nines with fancy red dresses and lots of bling. It's raining. I will wear jeans, red boots and a Valentine sweatshirt and put some hearts on my hat or just wear a deely bopper heart headband. That way after I can get on with my day afterwards. I don't do dress up.

We are hit and miss with these types of holidays. Some years we do something and other years we don't. Looks like this VD is occurring during an on year. Hubby bought me a box of heart shaped chocolates the other day. Tomorrow I am making his favorite breakfast ( biscuits and gravy with scrambled eggs on the side) and tomorrow night we are going out for dinner (weather permitting - big snow storm on the way according to the forecasters).

Dawn-

HEART SHAPED BISCUITS?!?!?!?!?!

Oooooooh yea, if i had a heart shaped biscuit cutter! Maybe I'll try to cut one into a heart shape with a knife.

I use a cookie cutter. I think if I served SO a biscuit that wasn't shaped like a heart he would think i was mad at him and would be afraid to eat it!

That's a good idea; i'll keep an eye out for a heart shaped cookie cutter, they should be around this time of year.

Ha! You should prank him out for April fools day and serve regular biscuits, but that might be too mean. Practical jokes are a know your audience kinda thing. :-)

Dawn, I've used an empty tin can bent into shape when my kids were little and I was desperate (before there was a $ store on every corner). If I recall correctly, an empty Dole pineapple tidbits can is a great size for biscuit hearts.

As Muffin has joined our other dogs in abandoning the house to run wild outside like a heathen,we STILL dont have an inside dog

Instead of getting a new dog each time your existing dog abandons your house, you might consider some training as a Valentine's gift to you, for one or all of your outside dogs that would teach them acceptable house manners. I think both people and dogs enjoy living in a home together but it is one of those things where initial effort repays itself many times over.

There are even big active hairy dogs like labs and German Shepherds that enjoy romping outdoors but also can be wonderful companion dogs inside.

I like every holiday and while growing up we did a little something for each one. My mom made sure we had at least a little chocolate heart, cherry pie for washingtons bday, shamrock cookies for st pat's day etc. Not much money while growing up but there was always a little something. Now living alone those days go by without much notice. I do like the idea of buying myself a little something. Maybe I'll do just that.

Years ago when the kids were young, I bought a small box of chocolates, not for the chocolates but it was a plastic box, just the right size to make heart-shaped cookies with. It became my cookie cutter. I no longer make the cookies, but have still have the cutter. Use a heart-shaped cake pan for the meatloaf.

Last year I had a blast for Valentines day. I invited single friends, and to top it off I ended up having an around the world cyclist that evening.

I am not sure, about this year. I don't want to invite the guys... but I might ask the ladies again.

Moni

I always cooked a special meal for Valentine's with wine and candles. We bought each other a card, but not a gift.

I've never gotten very excited about Valentine's Day, probably because my DH disliked "Hallmark holidays." I've been a widow for 14 years, and if I think of Valentine's at all, I think of it as a celebration for other people. I do buy Valentine's cards for my kids and grandkids though.

We paint rocks for every occasion, also get cards and candy, hopefully, haha

I send a card to one friend who enjoys all holidays and excuses for cards, and I admit I look forward to hers. Have been single all my life and can not recall ever receiving flowers or a box of candy for Val.Day or any day. Well, candy for Christmas maybe from relatives. ha

Nope. What's the point? One day a year you show your significant other you love them? Shouldn't you be doing that every day? I do get my grandson a chocolate heart. He's five. He's a child. That's different. My kids and husband know every day I love them by me not killing them. :) yet........... although there have been times but that's another thread. ;)

We don't celebrate V's Day because we have three birthdays in the middle of that month. That's more than enough celebrating! I always did give the kids chocolates, though. Hubby? A big, fat nuthin'. :) Well, he doesn't like chocolate.

Doing something special on Valentine's Day for your spouse, SO, kids, whoever, doesn't mean you are not showing them love every day. We never made a really big deal out of it, but we always got each other a nice card, some 'special' chocolates, something to just kind of reinforce the everyday love and kindnesses. I'm a widow now, so I just send cards to the Great-Grands. There are too many to send cards to everyone, so I send Valentine's texts to the kids & grandkids. They all know how special they are to me!

I used to put out some decorations for Valentine's Day, (and other 'minor' holidays, too) but haven't done that since I've been alone. Not sure why. . . . .

Rusty

Other than occasionally getting my wife flowers, it's a mutually agreed day like any other in our house. We observe few "holidays" anyway, not much other than birthdays and even those are done with little fanfare. V Day was different when our kids were little but we did what we did for them.

It's maybe the worst night of the year to try to eat dinner in a restaurant. When we do decide to have a Valentine's dinner, we do it several days before or after.

We don't exchange gifts in general. Sometimes we get chocolate on VD for an excuse, but it's not really a thing.

I'm happy to adopt any unwanted chocolates that may have been forced on anyone.

Lucille,all my dogs are housebroken and know how to behave in the house. They do not lack training. And they come in when they are told. They just prefer being outside,where they have fenced in acreage to romp on. But every one of them is welcome in the house. And they know it. Muffin gets tired of the house and paces in front of the door that leads to her part of our property whenever she is in the house for more than an hour or two. So i let her out. She was a rescue, from the end of a short chain after being dumped. So she enjoys running free.

Sammy was a true house dog. And he was a big pit bull. He enjoyed the occasional romp session outside but in the end was an inside dog/mama's boy through and through. It's still odd not having him in the house with me. He will be gone for a year on the 25th of this month.

I didn't ask for another dog. I never do. I just suspect I will be getting one. SO knows that I will never turn down or turn away another fur baby. He actually wants a dog in the house. I am good with what we have now. But he has been talking about it more and more lately,and Vday would be a good excuse I guess,even though he doesn't need one.

I'm part of the 51%

Usually flowers, maybe chocolate. I just get DH a card as the candy is enough for both of us and the flowers are enjoyed by both of us.

No need to double up.

Pretty sure that with chocolate, there is always a need to double up :)

Don't celebrate - used to, some, when the kids were young.

Don't remember whether I did for them after we parted, when they were 9 and 6, probably something to reassure them that Dad still loved them.

Just dug out the fourth last chocolate mound, one of the box of cookies that my neighbours gave me for Christmas, cut it into about six thin slices that I've been enjoying while reading your stories.

What's that? It isn't Val Day yet?

Oh, well - that chocolate (those slices) sure tasted good!

Think I may be able to leave at least one alone till next Thursday?

ole joyful

Well, heart shaped or not, those were the best darn biscuits I've made in a long time. Hubby raved and went back, not just for seconds, but for thirds too!

We like to have a special dinner for Valentine's Day. Sure we love each other every day but it's sweet to have a special meal with good conversation.

Dawn,must have been all the LOVE (or as SO says it "lurve") you put in them. Love tastes better than buttah!!!

We don't celebrate any holidays. That is not to say that we don't do nice things for each other. When it comes to making a special meal for him, I always ask him what he wants me to cook. Sometimes he says it doesn't matter and sometimes he makes a suggestion and when he does, that is what I will cook.

Yep, those biscuits were definitely made with love - it was the main ingredient although the buttah didnt hurt either!

Valantine's day is also our 24th anniversary this year. I got DW a nice surf and turf dinner of KC strip streaks and lobster tails that I will grill on Thuresday weather permitting. If not we will have it on the weekend. She loves chocolate dipped strawberries so I will pick up a box of those too and probably a flower arrangement or roses.

We are trying to decide on a vacation trip to somewhere warm next year for our 25th. We tied the knot in Vegas so we might go back there or on a short cruise.

Usually buy my husband and kids candy, and a card. Sometimes add something small. DH and I pick a date later in the month to go out for a nice meal. No interest in joining the masses eating out on Valentine’s Day.

I love celebrating Valentine's Day. It is very low-key around here though. We basically say Happy Valentine's Day and then perhaps go out for breakfast together or have a nice dinner at home. We generally don't buy each other things.

I really wanted us to get married on February 14th and DH thought it was too soon to plan the wedding on time. I was sad about that for quite a while.