Elizabeth Estrada (left) helps Lonell Williams find a bouquet of flowers for his wife, Kathy, at Cynthia¿s Flower Connection in El Centro on Monday. Williams, who decided upon a ¿Love Bouquet,¿ said of his purchase, ¿I give my wife flowers every Valentine¿s Day.¿ (Joselito Villero) |
Neglecting to find a special way to express his feelings for his significant other on Valentine’s Day would never occur to San Francisco resident Eric Street.
Although a business trip brought him to the Valley and away from his wife for the date, more than 20 years of Valentine’s Days have left him a little jaded.
“It’s the guy that usually puts all of the energy into it,” he said. “We give all year long and then still have to do something special on Valentine’s.”
Like the time Street spent a considerable amount of money and nearly two hours spreading 16 dozen roses in a path that led to a diamond bracelet. Street said his penchant for always doing “something out of the blue,” has earned him a reputation.
“People think I’m crazy,” he said.
Americans will spend nearly $18 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, according to a survey released by the National Retail Federation.
After 15 years of marriage, Laura Hanna said that it became challenging for her and her husband to do something for each other on Valentine’s Day that hadn’t been done before.
And although the romantic dinners and the elaborate gifts aren’t as forthcoming for the El Centro couple as in prior years, Hanna said her marriage contains more than enough daily reminders that she hasn’t lost anything.
“We tell each other every day that we love each other,” Hanna said, “and to me, that’s enough.”
Along with millions of others expected to commemorate Valentine’s Day with a special gift or heartfelt gesture, Hanna said her trip Monday to the Imperial Valley Mall was prompted by one of Cupid’s arrows.
While she said she assumes her husband will likewise have something for her to commemorate the date, “If I don’t (receive a gift) I wouldn’t be heartbroken.”
Even though 32-year-old Brian Lewis also could be found at the mall Monday doing some Valentine’s Day shopping, he said such gifts aren’t a sufficient way to express one’s love. It’s the daily cherishing of time spent together and the reminiscing of moments past that make him and his girlfriend of nine years happy, he said.
But one surefire way to spoil their happiness would be for him to fail to provide his girlfriend with some sort of romantic anecdote that she can share, Lewis said.
“If you don’t get her something and her friends at work all have (gotten something),” Lewis said, “you’re gonna get it.”
Valentine’s Day, along with Christmas and Thanksgiving, is also known as a holiday when feelings of loneliness may creep into the minds of otherwise happy singles, Lewis said.
No matter how active a bachelor’s or bachelorette’s lifestyle may be, there is no escaping that moment when they say to themselves, “I’m lonely,” Lewis said.
Indeed, companionship is something 38-year-old Armando Villalobos finds highly desirable. Although the Seeley resident said he won’t be celebrating Valentine’s with anyone special this year, for him the holiday has always been about giving rather than receiving.
During his romantic heyday, home-cooked meals were a staple of his romantic repertoire, said Villalobos. While his previous relationship lasted five months, a prior 10-year relationship ended “pretty much like a divorce.” He said that he is in no rush to get into a relationship.
“If it happens it happens,” he said.
Staff writer, copy editor Julio Morales can be reached at 760-335-4665 or at jmorales@ivpressonline.com
Although a business trip brought him to the Valley and away from his wife for the date, more than 20 years of Valentine’s Days have left him a little jaded.
“It’s the guy that usually puts all of the energy into it,” he said. “We give all year long and then still have to do something special on Valentine’s.”
Like the time Street spent a considerable amount of money and nearly two hours spreading 16 dozen roses in a path that led to a diamond bracelet. Street said his penchant for always doing “something out of the blue,” has earned him a reputation.
“People think I’m crazy,” he said.
Americans will spend nearly $18 billion on Valentine’s Day this year, according to a survey released by the National Retail Federation.
After 15 years of marriage, Laura Hanna said that it became challenging for her and her husband to do something for each other on Valentine’s Day that hadn’t been done before.
And although the romantic dinners and the elaborate gifts aren’t as forthcoming for the El Centro couple as in prior years, Hanna said her marriage contains more than enough daily reminders that she hasn’t lost anything.
“We tell each other every day that we love each other,” Hanna said, “and to me, that’s enough.”
Along with millions of others expected to commemorate Valentine’s Day with a special gift or heartfelt gesture, Hanna said her trip Monday to the Imperial Valley Mall was prompted by one of Cupid’s arrows.
While she said she assumes her husband will likewise have something for her to commemorate the date, “If I don’t (receive a gift) I wouldn’t be heartbroken.”
Even though 32-year-old Brian Lewis also could be found at the mall Monday doing some Valentine’s Day shopping, he said such gifts aren’t a sufficient way to express one’s love. It’s the daily cherishing of time spent together and the reminiscing of moments past that make him and his girlfriend of nine years happy, he said.
But one surefire way to spoil their happiness would be for him to fail to provide his girlfriend with some sort of romantic anecdote that she can share, Lewis said.
“If you don’t get her something and her friends at work all have (gotten something),” Lewis said, “you’re gonna get it.”
Valentine’s Day, along with Christmas and Thanksgiving, is also known as a holiday when feelings of loneliness may creep into the minds of otherwise happy singles, Lewis said.
No matter how active a bachelor’s or bachelorette’s lifestyle may be, there is no escaping that moment when they say to themselves, “I’m lonely,” Lewis said.
Indeed, companionship is something 38-year-old Armando Villalobos finds highly desirable. Although the Seeley resident said he won’t be celebrating Valentine’s with anyone special this year, for him the holiday has always been about giving rather than receiving.
During his romantic heyday, home-cooked meals were a staple of his romantic repertoire, said Villalobos. While his previous relationship lasted five months, a prior 10-year relationship ended “pretty much like a divorce.” He said that he is in no rush to get into a relationship.
“If it happens it happens,” he said.
Staff writer, copy editor Julio Morales can be reached at 760-335-4665 or at jmorales@ivpressonline.com
