agonyaunt | (no subject)

DEAR ABBY: I have conflicting feelings regarding Valentine's Day. I believe it is a celebration for couples rather than co-workers. My husband's office staff (eight young women under the age of 30) insist on celebrating Valentine's Day with decorations on all office doors, complete with hearts and cupids. They have a catered lunch with specialty treats of chocolate-covered strawberries, fudge hearts and the customary heart candies that read "Be Mine," "I Love You", etc.

My husband has been with this company for 30 years, and we've been together for 15 of them, but this Valentine's Day celebration began only four years ago. I am 65 and have worked 20-plus years for a Fortune 500 corporate office and NEVER has Valentine's Day been celebrated in the office. Christmas, yes. Fourth of July, yes. But Valentine's Day? Am I just old and cranky? This has been a source of contention between my husband and me since it began. -- NOT LOVIN' THAT IN TEXAS

DEAR NOT LOVIN': I have heard of some people loving their jobs; perhaps this is their way of showing it. It may also be the employer's way of showing appreciation for their (largely female) support staff. Unless you have gotten a "whiff" that there is more than that going on, let it ride.

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I'm not really clear on who, exactly, is funding this Valentine's Day party, but if it's the management of the company then I have no idea what LW wants Husband to do about it, and if it's the staff themselves... well, I guess Husband could be a massive buzzkill and tell them to knock it off, but it seems like he'd be generating a lot of ill will for himself without much benefit. Perhaps it's best if he simply stops telling his wife about it?

(Also, I gotta say, as somebody who doesn't date and who helped raise two niblings, my first association with Valentine's Day is class parties. This is an office party. It's not a romantic date, and it's not blowjobs for the boss, so what the heck is LW's problem?)

Valentine’s Day in a non-romantic environment is precisely why you can find those hearts, cupids, red and pink crepe paper, and 10-packs of inexpensive cards at every local Walgreens. I’m partial to the Snoopy-themed cards. And also chocolate strawberries.

Some people just love decorating and celebrating every possible holiday as a way to make the workplace fun. I wouldn't be surprised if this started when a new person joined the company who is one of those types.

Really not sure what the LW even has a problem with. Does she imagine one or more of these women are after her husband or something?

I believe it is a celebration for couples rather than co-workers.

Unless LW and Husband don't celebrate Valentines Day as a couple at all, Husband gets to enjoy a romantic Valentines Day with LW and also a Valentines Day office party with his staff. This almost sounds like either jealousy or insecurity to me. LW needs to have a heart-to-heart with her husband about it so it stops being a point of contention.

This is such a ridiculous complaint, what exactly is her problem??