Valentine's Day Is Coming - Yikes!

You can't miss it. The sea of red and pink cards filling half an aisle in the grocery store. The heart-shaped chocolate boxes that popped up everywhere the day after Christmas. Your favorite restaurant's advice to make your February 14th dinner reservation now. The red lingerie and silk boxer shorts. Even everyday items like socks, pens, and toilet paper have joined the party.

Valentine's Day is clearly big business. And for many, it's also big emotion.

If you and your partner have conflicting ideas about what this day means and what to do about it, please read my post from 2013 about whether or not Valentine's Day is special.

If you're in a new relationship and aren't sure how to handle V-Day, take a look the article I wrote last year about how to reduce Valentine's Day pressure. Although this article was written for men, the tips really apply to both men and women.

If you are planning to celebrate by going out to dinner with your loved one, don't forget that many restaurants have "special" holiday menus that are much more expensive than their usual fare. My solution is to enjoy a Valentine dinner on a different night. I also suggest saving money on overpriced Valentine's roses by shopping for an alternative. You need to know your partner very well to do this, though. Just as with Thanksgiving and many other holidays, some people don't feel right without the traditional items.

Many years ago, Hubby and I made the mistake of trying to go out to dinner on Valentine's Day without reservations. It looked as though we were out of luck, until a surprise solution saved the day.

Whatever you end up doing this Valentine's Day, don't forget that it's about love and kindness. Be gentle and understanding with the ones you love.