THAT day.

I’m sure everyone is banging on about Valentine’s Day today.

Yes, it is the one day of the year that you simply cannot eat out…

At a restaurant, people!! Grow up. You simply cannot eat out at a restaurant because instead of an intimate night out with the person you love, you’re sharing dozens of tables with pairs of people staring longingly at each other’s eyes.

She’s thinking, this is so romantic.

He’s thinking, I’d better be eating out later…

Discussion has been made on news.com.au regarding who should be paying on a first date, and whether this whole notion of men paying is so far outdated that Corey Haim is the spokesperson for the cause.

Naturally, the battle of the sexes steps in and shows its ugly mug.

And then there’s the mob paraphrasing, or at least subscribing to, Lisa Simpson’s philosophy that romance, and indeed the idea of Valentine’s Day was “… acquired in a hostile takeover by Hallmark and Disney, homogenized, and sold off piece by piece.”

Oh and let’s not forget the high-horse sitters who claim that there are far more important things than material possessions and presents and the sort. Yep, I love those seeking higher moral ground… I trust they have very happy birthdays when no one gives them anything.

Now, I previously was of the impression that people shouldn’t need a single day of the year to be reminded that they should treat their other halves, as I would surprise my former partners a few times during a year… just ‘cos

However, doing something on Valentine’s Day seemed to pack a fair bit more wallop than usual. I’ll be fucked if I knew why… pun intended. There must be something in the air on the day… Hallmark probably sprays the air with pheromones or something.

Now I just think that this whole she-bang of treating your partner on Valentines Day is a bit of fun that we can all indulge in. It’s harmless. It takes very little effort. It makes an impact.

Her friends ask “Oh what did you do on Valentines Day?”

She responds, “We had a sumptuous dinner at a silver service restaurant. The wine was impeccable and went well with the medium scotch fillet in raspberry jus. Afterwards we went for a stroll along the river, and it was beautiful the way the fountain lights up at night time and the Convention Centre casts its reflection across the water…”

The friends swoon – the single one secretly plotting to seduce and usurp the boyfriend.

His friends ask, “What’d ya do for the missus?”

He responds “We went to a restaurant. I ate out.”

His friends applaud and buy another round of beers before putting some dollars on the trots.

Valentines Day. Sure, it may mean nothing except dollar signs at card companies and florists. Sure, the idea that denoting a single day in a year to show your love for someone is moronic.

But it’s just a bit of fun, with wine, romance and eating out. Where is the harm in that?