13 February 2009
Patron Saint of Singles: San Faustino
Yeah yeah yeah, Valentine’s Day is tomorrow. As if you could escape *that* tidbit, thankyouverymuch Hallmark et al.
Am I bah humbugging the day of San Valentino?
Well, maybe just a bit.
You *know* I’m all about the love (and, by the way, if you want to know why the heart symbolizes love, go here), but the commercialization of the holiday really irks me. I’m part of a couple now, but except for the past three Valentine’s Days, I wasn’t, and I remember those other 20-some February 14ths very well.
Sure, I always made it a point to celebrate and appreciate *all* kinds of love in my life on Valentine’s Day (and I hope you do too!), but every now and again, some of the commercialism of the holiday would seep into my subconscious, and I’d just want someone to buy me chocolates dammit.
Ahem.
So I’m here to tell you what you singles can do this Valentine’s Day:
First of all, go buy your own chocolates. They really do taste just as good.
Then save up your partying for February 15th–the feast day of San Faustino.
Several years ago, a group of Italian singles decided it was time to celebrate singles–and also to address issues that adversely affect singles from paying higher taxes to difficulties adopting children.
So they chose the day after Saint Valentine’s Day, the feast day of San Faustino, to celebrate single life.
Indeed, if you happen to be in Italy, be sure to check out VitadaSingle.net for what’s happening on February 15th near you; and if you can read Italian, at SanFaustino.info, you can find books, movies, music, recipes, and more–all for singles!
As for P and me this Valentine’s Day?
We’ll be having a quiet evening at home making homemade pizza. Plenty romantic for me even though I know some onions are going to be on those pizzas….
What are your Valentine’s Day plans?
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28 beans of wisdom »
Gil on 13 Feb 2009 at 6:35 am #
Happy Saint Valentine’s Dy to you two! My wife and I will be driving daughter to JFK Airport and then eating somewhere on the way back.
OK well the airport thing doesn’t sound too fun, but the dinner does
anne on 13 Feb 2009 at 9:32 am #
Happy Valentines to you both. I am not sure what we will be doing. My hubby will be flying back from Spain tomorrow, arriving home in the evening.
He has been working out there, and very hard..so he might be fit for nothing. Never mind, it is our anniversary in two weeks, can do something then.
anne’s last blog post..Chocolate Treat!
Eh, there’s always time to celebrate! Hopefully you’ll have a nice relaxing weekend at least
joanne at frutto della passione on 13 Feb 2009 at 10:01 am #
Pretty much the same thing we’ll be doing (add a nine year old, Kung Fu Panda dvd, popcorn and homemade cookies!) then on Sunday we’re heading to chocolate heaven (Switzerland) to spend a day hanging out and having fun away from all our responsibilities … and to pig out on chocolate!
joanne at frutto della passione’s last blog post..Nutella truffles
Oh yum…sounds great to me!
casalba on 13 Feb 2009 at 10:53 am #
I didn’t know about this. Why not, I say. There’s a contrada near us called Faustino – wonder if they’ll be holding a sagra. (Just realised it’s Friday 13th – off back to bed now.)
casalba’s last blog post..Guests
Hee hee…indeed it is! Yikes!
Kim B. on 13 Feb 2009 at 11:05 am #
Michelle — I think I too am imprinted forever by so many solo Valentine’s Days. So much so that it’s a bit of a relief to be in a couple now for V Day, and that is enough for me. My husband works in a restaurant, so we certainly can’t ever go out together (and from his experience in restaurants, I now know that it’s a day to AVOID going to a restaurant anyway!).
I remember in college — I went to a big state university and was a member of a sorority. You know, the kind of place where there were 100 young women all living together in a big house. If you could begin to imagine the literally hundreds and hundreds of bouquets that would arrive on Valentine’s Day — from boyfriends or secret admirers, or hopefuls . . or who knows, even parents wanting their girl to have something. Even though I never had a boyfriend (and never really had anyone interested in me) and knew there would be nothing for me, I somehow hoped against hope that someone had surprised me . . of course it was never the case and it was somehow still disappointing. Why did I let myself *do* that to myself?!
So just to have that feeling lifted from me, that is enough. I love how my friend wrote me the other day: “Are you and Marco doing anything for the Fascist Holiday Invented by Hallmark to Make People Miserable?”
tee hee!!!
Kim B.’s last blog post..A Walk Around the Neighborhood on a Rainy February Day
I wasn’t in a sorority, but it sure sounds like we could’ve been sisters, Kim
LOVE your friend’s note too!
Marla on 13 Feb 2009 at 11:33 am #
I’m with you about the commercialization of love, and agree that buying your own chocolates and flowers isn’t such a bad idea and hey, who needs to wait till Feb 14th!
Marla’s last blog post..A Brief Winter Reprieve, Time to Work on the Ramie Vines
So true Marla! We deserve chocolate and flowers every day!
Scicchi on 13 Feb 2009 at 12:30 pm #
The two of you making homemade pizza sounds like a PERFECT Valentine’s evening. Cards, presents, expensive dinners, Bah! What for?
Enjoy!
I’m pretty excited actually…hope you and the missus have a lovely weekend as well
Scintilla on 13 Feb 2009 at 12:34 pm #
First thing I’ll do, is ring my father in Australia and wish him a happy name’s day!
Scintilla’s last blog post..Stregata.
Oh how fun! Great name
anna l'americana on 13 Feb 2009 at 12:45 pm #
Warm cozy fire? Check.
Adoring dog? Check.
Nutella? Check.
Spoon? Check.
I’ve got everything I need to celebrate……!
anna l’americana’s last blog post..Zuppa Patrizia, The Prequel….
Oh that sounds so lovely to me
Kim on 13 Feb 2009 at 1:03 pm #
My daughter and her friends have dubbed Valentine’s Day, Singles Awareness Day. Personally, I always thought this was one of those Hallmark Holidays, meant to fill the giant void between Christmas and Easter.
Kim’s last blog post..The Letter R
Cute “other” name for V-Day! I think the idea behind it is nice, but it’s just a bit (a lot) overblown….
nyc/caribbean ragazza on 13 Feb 2009 at 1:20 pm #
I hear you. I’m single yet again on V. Day. I bought some chocolate today not even thinking about tomorrow. ha. I was just jonesing for some.
An Italian friend is having a dinner party on Sunday. I think all the guests are single. She’s a great cook. Cannot wait.
You and P have a great weekend.
Sounds like great fun! Good food is always a good thing
xo
nyc/caribbean ragazza’s last blog post..Flashback Friday – All About Eve
Rebecca on 13 Feb 2009 at 1:30 pm #
Awesome….sounds just like the holiday for me!!
Rebecca’s last blog post..And the Wheels Go Round…..
Woohoo! Celebrate!
Kalee on 13 Feb 2009 at 2:30 pm #
My husband is working from 10 am to 10 pm today, Saturday and Sunday, so Valentine’s Day is kind of a bust…..which is no big deal, I am not into the whole show your love one day a year thing! Garret makes sure to leave me love notes and flowers around the house. Today he e-mailed me from our computer before heading to work so when I woke up I already had a message from him saying he didn’t want to leave me that morning. Today I am hoping to make him a valentine’s day card but other than that….we do cute things every day, tomorrow is just an ordinary one.
Aaaaaw how cute! Happy Love Everyday
milanese masala on 13 Feb 2009 at 3:01 pm #
I hear ya sister! I’m a big romantic but not a big fan of Valentine’s Day. Give me flowers or chocolates any other day of the year and I’m a happy camper. But there’s something about love being forced down my throat that just irks me. But my daughter wants to celebrate so I’m making her a card and we’re going to cook molten chocolate fairy cakes for the boys. Then I’m going out with my pals for drinks and combat rock.
milanese masala’s last blog post..Becks: Milan forever, Galaxy never?
Valentine’s Day with kids is the best…and it also teaches them about love in general–njot just romantic love–being a great thing
stacy on 13 Feb 2009 at 3:13 pm #
Im with you! I don’t buy into the huge Valentine’s deal. All I want is chocolate. ha Stefano and I are staying in. No crazy crowds and jacked up prices for me. He’s going to cook a nice dinner and I am expecting chocolates. sounds like a perfect evening to me. =)
stacy’s last blog post..Discovering Italy
Me too Stacy! Yum!
Anait on 13 Feb 2009 at 4:41 pm #
what am i doing for valentines day?? going out with my girlfriends!! i have yet to have a real valentines day date….but men come and go, friends (the good ones) are forever!
after eating five (gasp) ferrero rocher chocolate candies last night, i can definately attest to the fact that chocolate you buy yourself tastes just as good
Anait’s last blog post..How Very Appropriate…….
Hah, love it Anait! Enjoy your Valentine’s Day!
shibori girl on 13 Feb 2009 at 5:08 pm #
Amen! Happy Hallmark Holiday to you, too.
I always feel a bit insulted that my Honey and I are told we should do something special for each other on this day. I mean, if you are a couple, shouldn’t EVERYDAY be Valentine’s Day? Otherwise, what’s the point?
And if you are single, this day just rubs your nose in it.
We’ll be cooking up a nice dinner, staying home, and spending quality time with each other.
Kate
shibori girl’s last blog post..Winning Announcement
Sounds lovely to me, Kate
lucy on 13 Feb 2009 at 5:13 pm #
Tonight we are going to RED LOBSTER (my daughter’s favourite restaurant) and I want CRAB LEGS! We’ll take my mom too. Marina’s nonna loves Red Lobster too.
After we will take her home and we will go home and all cuddle on the couch to watch a movie. It’s less busy the night before Valentine’s day to go our for dinner!Tomorrow actually being Valentine’s day (Hubby is working) we will go visit my sister in law who is in hospital and my other sister Nell who is in another hospital. Then home, make a little dinner to watch by the fire while watching the hockey game!
Happy Valentines Day XO
lucy’s last blog post..
Oh my, someone *please* have the clam chowder and several of those biscuits for me at Red Lobster. YUM! Sounds like a nice V-Day ahead–visiting family is a great plan
Christina Arbini on 13 Feb 2009 at 5:48 pm #
Ah, yes, another V-Day single. Actually, I’m not losing sleep over it. LOL! I do love that there’s a holiday for singles. But even though I don’t have a special valentine this year, I’ll still treat myself. I’m planning on ordering a heart-shaped pizza at the place down the hill from my house, renting a couple of movies, picking up a few gourmet chocolates at the chocolate shop also down the street, and opening a bottle of wine.
Hey, I deserve it!
Christina Arbini’s last blog post..National Wear Red Day!
You most definitely do! Enjoy bella
Willym on 13 Feb 2009 at 7:00 pm #
Having friends in for dinner – a couple who have lasted almost as long as us and two chaps who aren’t a couple but act like it. And I’m going to see if I can make a creme a la coeur – first I have to find the pan I bought to make it in almost 20 years ago. I honestly don’t think I’ve used it since. And a chocolate rose on the pillow case tonight… just like in all the better hotels….
Willym’s last blog post..Sharing
Sounds so lovely Willym, right down to the chocolate rose! Che bello
saretta on 13 Feb 2009 at 8:04 pm #
Well, I bought some chocolates for my hubby, but I’ll be very surprised if he even remembers it’s a holiday of some sort tomorrow! LOL!
saretta’s last blog post..Oops!
Yeah P isn’t so good at remembering dates/days either. I had to remind him that yesterday was his mother’s birthday
My favourite screen kisses « Milanese Masala on 13 Feb 2009 at 11:53 pm #
[...] Now, I’m not a big fan of Valentine’s Day. The idea of “love” being forcefed down my throat like a foie gras goose really triggers a gag reflex in me. In fact, to counter all the sappy, chocolate-filled twee, I’m going out to listen to some combat rock tomorrow night. I’m also a big supporter of San Faustino, the patron saint of singletons. You can read all about him at Bleeding Espresso. [...]
tracie b on 14 Feb 2009 at 4:30 pm #
don’t worry about the onions, as long as you BOTH eat them! staying at home sounds faaaaaaaaabulous
And indeed we are both onion lovers
Hope all is well with you bella!
Anali on 14 Feb 2009 at 4:47 pm #
Happy Valentine’s Day to you and P! Your evening sounds great to me. ; )
Anali’s last blog post..14 Things That I Love
Thanks Anali; hope you had a lovely weekend
jen of a2eatwrite on 14 Feb 2009 at 6:18 pm #
I’m so with you on EVERYTHING in this post. Celebrating love should be enough. And that can be self-love, family-love, friend-love. We’re doing something similar – C, his gf, D and I are making dinner together and then watching Baron Von Munchausen – how’s that for romantic?
jen of a2eatwrite’s last blog post..What’s Cooking Wednesday: Parisian Roquefort Walnut Salad
Hah, sounds great to me Jen!
Diana Strinati Baur on 15 Feb 2009 at 9:49 am #
We turn into Jehovah’s Witnessesses for 24 hours on V-day — that is, we don’t celebrate. We do the same thing we do every Christmas and Birthday as well — we look at each other and say, “I bought you this farm, do you need any more proof that I think you are awesome? You want a card, too?” Then we laugh and go for a walk or cook something.
Diana Strinati Baur’s last blog post..Eating Like a King (for Pennies) In Italy
Very cute
Murasaki Shikibu on 16 Feb 2009 at 12:13 am #
Don’t care much for Valentine’s Day personally but your cookies are gorgeous and I love them!
Murasaki Shikibu’s last blog post..Spicy Winter Squash Soup with Fresh Basil
Ah I wish I could take credit for the cookies, but if you click on them, you’ll see where credit really lies. Thanks for stopping by!
Susan & GG on 16 Feb 2009 at 6:06 pm #
I wish I had seen this on Friday, Michelle. It’s a holiday in the US today (Monday, 16 feb), as you probably remember, & I’m just catching up today on some blog reading. I didn’t know about San Faustino…I plan to investigate. I buy my own chocolates, I take care of myself (& others) & I am tired. You just made me feel a whole lot better. xoxo, Susan
Well Susan, I say you take next weekend to celebrate San Faustino…or any day that’s convenient for you