Valentine's Day: the new Christmas?

I'm not gonna hate on V-Day even though Nate and I really don't celebrate it apart from hand-made cards. And I'm not gonna be all predictable and decry the media-induced frenzy, the Hallmark guilt machine, the ridiculous expectations that lead to long lines of men shifting their weight back and forth in the line at the flower shop and throngs of women feeling short-changed or, worse, lame because there is no one to call them Valentine. Nope. I'm far too excited for the first hand-made card darling C brings home from school for us, the first chance we have to surprise her with a little Valentine of our own. Celebrating holidays as parents is all about making it our own, starting our own traditions, doing it our way, so I'm just not gonna bitch about how you all do it.

But.

I got lots of strange mail that made me feel like I was reliving another recent holiday. Is Valentine's Day the new Christmas? Three bits of evidence to support:

1. A card with a long, newsy hand-written note from my stepmother's sister-in-law (how do you get further removed than that?). It mentioned my Christmas card, so I imagine she's feeling guilty that I sent her one but didn't receive one in return (at least I think I didn't--I SO don't keep track). My sister got one too but hers came with pictures. It was a lovely sentiment, but it hardly screamed VALENTINE! Be Mine! It just didn't jive with the holiday...at least not what I think of as the holiday.

2. A Christmas letter (or a Valentine's letter?!) which detailed a family friend's year in review, including updates on their travels, medical histories, children's lives and the chorus of "We're going to be grandparents!" Again, lovely, I'm glad to be included--I love gossip and talk about hip replacements as much as anyone and am happy to see such talk liberated from the Christmas season. But for Valentine's Day?

3. An actual Christmas card with no explanation whatsoever. Hardly a signature beyond "Warm wishes." Dude, I'm a mom so I get it that the post office sometimes seems like a luxury vacation destination you can never quite get to. I sent most of my Christmas cards on December 21st and just knew people would understand. But February? It would actually be kind of funny, one of the stories you tell other moms and get in return a knowing nod IF there had been any kind of explanation on the card. "A little late this year but just as sincere!" "Hope your holidays were good--our were obviously hectic!" "You think you're confused? You should see our kids under the tree as I write this!" But there was nothing. I checked the postmark to see if maybe it had been lost, misplaced. I checked the envelope for a note about how she found the card under her front seat just the other day and thought she'd mail it anyway. Nothing. Could it be the guilt factor again? Am I just so low on the list that I'm lucky I get one at all?

Maybe Valentine's Day is the slacker Christmas. In a way it makes sense that a holiday dedicated to exchanging cards would be the time you send out your family photos, your Merry Medical family updates, your letters. Hell, it would make those weeks I'm wheeling around the crazy malls just a little bit less hectic and god knows there's nothing on TV worth a shit at the end of January--a perfect time to address the envelopes.

Now I'm just wondering what St. Patty's day will bring.