Valentine's Day? Bah! Humbug!
Friday, February 14th, 2003 02:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
robinturnerAs a Western-looking Muslim country, Turkey gets a double dose of festivals. We have the traditional Muslim ones, but also Western ones which aren't too obviously Christian. No Christmas or Easter, but New Year, Mother's Day, Father's Day and even Valentine's Day, though they call that "Lovers' Day" to avoid referring to the saint. All of these provide excuses for ripping off the public. A rose which would normally cost a couple of dollars is more like ten on February the fourteenth, and every club in town is hosting Valentine specials with ridiculous door prices.
When I was in the UK, Valentine's day just meant that if you fancied someone you sent them an anonymous card. I often used to send them to just about every woman I knew, irrespective of whether I fancied them, just so they'd have something to feel good about. here, though, it's a big thing. You're supposed to present your loved one with roses, champagne, cuddly toys etc. etc.. And this is not just for some girl you fancy, you have to do it for your wife as well. I pointed out to my wife that this ws illogical. "Since it's called 'lovers' day', surely I should be buying flowers for my lover, not my wife," I said (sometimes, like in that romantic comedy that's just come out, I delight in saying absolutely the wrong thing).
Still, I caved in to an extent. I have a bottle of champagne hiding in my wardrobe, and on my way to the office I stopped at Toys'R'Us and bought her a Shelly doll (Barbie's little sister - for some reason she has a Barbie fixation). This is only fair, since she's promised to buy me some Lord of the Rings figures. This will probably end up with Bilbo succumbing to the dark influence of the Ring and molesting Shelly.
When I was in the UK, Valentine's day just meant that if you fancied someone you sent them an anonymous card. I often used to send them to just about every woman I knew, irrespective of whether I fancied them, just so they'd have something to feel good about. here, though, it's a big thing. You're supposed to present your loved one with roses, champagne, cuddly toys etc. etc.. And this is not just for some girl you fancy, you have to do it for your wife as well. I pointed out to my wife that this ws illogical. "Since it's called 'lovers' day', surely I should be buying flowers for my lover, not my wife," I said (sometimes, like in that romantic comedy that's just come out, I delight in saying absolutely the wrong thing).
Still, I caved in to an extent. I have a bottle of champagne hiding in my wardrobe, and on my way to the office I stopped at Toys'R'Us and bought her a Shelly doll (Barbie's little sister - for some reason she has a Barbie fixation). This is only fair, since she's promised to buy me some Lord of the Rings figures. This will probably end up with Bilbo succumbing to the dark influence of the Ring and molesting Shelly.
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Date: 2003-02-14 09:35 am (UTC)And it makes me smile.
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Date: 2003-02-14 12:52 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-02-14 12:59 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-02-14 04:51 pm (UTC)Ooops...
Date: 2003-02-14 05:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2003-02-14 11:09 am (UTC)HA! Romantic comedy, indeed :)
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Date: 2003-02-14 11:48 am (UTC)How lovely..
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Date: 2003-02-14 11:51 am (UTC)Ha ha ha!! *L* :D Maybe she should use that magical disappearing robe. Oh wait... that's Harry Potter. Heh heh.