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[bertall]

I've been doing a lot more reading lately and in turn it's been making me think a lot about something coming up. I know other places have different holidays and some of them have happened here, but I've never actually celebrated this one before - I think it was called "Valentine"? The one focused towards



couples and stuff like that


I was hoping I could ask what people normally do on that day because some of these books aren't exactly clear or they all seem to involve something really over the top and flashy which isn't quite my 'thing'. I know chocolates and things like that are involved too and I want to make something myself, but I'm also not sure what I could do.

_{[Which is ironic considering he does most of the baking for FCAB, but this is different.]}

Does anyone have any suggestions? Some of it'll probably be sold at FCAB too.

Comments

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[tookashirototheknee]

Well, traditionally it's when people give their significant others presents and take them out to dinner, and celebrate their relationship. Yeah, a lot of times it's flowers and chocolate, but it can be anything!

One of my friends was allergic to chocolate, so their significant other got them cookies shaped like hearts. Someone else I knew tried to give their girlfriend flowers, but the girlfriend didn't know what to do with it, so they got her a journal instead.

Really, it just comes down to what you and the person you're with like. It's about a relationship, not... specific things, if that makes sense.

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[bertall]

Are there any particular flowers that are the best for this sort of thing? I know they have roses in shops, but I think avoiding something so popular might be better since they'll probably be in high demand the way it is.

[neverstudied]

oh boy

did your home dimension not have valentines day at all or did you just never celebrate it?

either way; chocolate and flowers and candy are the traditional staples of the holiday but what matters more is intent and what the other person (or people) actually like

i've had valentines days with fancy dates at expensive restaurants, valentines days at home eating takeout food on the couch, and valentines days exploring a sewer system to take notes on the rat population and collect mold samples

and yea the second and third one arent really romantic in the traditional sense but the first one was with someone i didn't know all that well and was more stilted. the second one was just us hanging out and being comfortable together, and the third one made them happy. so thats what actually mattered and what made those dates good.

[That said, now that he's actually able to take Egon and Ray on a real romantic date, that's the plan for Valentine's day this year. But they're still going to the Goldenrod sewers afterwards because Egon is hard to say "no" to when he's actually excited about something.]

[bertall]

We didn't have a lot of the holidays here back where I'm from. Halloween and Christmas were brand new for some of us when we first got here and I'm still trying to figure the second one out. I think I did okay this year with it.

_{[Halloween though, that was... that sure was something, and he still has no idea how or why his Tyrannitar didn't go on a rampage. Usually she's so angry...]}

The second one sounds a lot like what we do normally, but that was before we

sort of fessed up to each other.

For the expensive restaurants, do you have to dress fancy for them? Like a prom?

[neverstudied]

whats difficult to figure out about christmas- you've got consumerism, religion, old fat dude crawling down your chimney, presents, maybe some mistletoe and a tree...

let me guess- you're still new to this relationship you're in?

i mean, its sort of implied that you dont just show up to a fancy restaurant wearing your work coveralls. which doesnt stop some people i know. you dont necessarily have to go all-out and extravagant with your outfits, though; something on the business side of business-casual can work in a pinch

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[plasticasshole]

I've never experienced Valentine's Day myself, but I think the most important thing is to make your partner happy. So I would suggest focusing less on what is traditional, and more on what you think your partner would enjoy.

[Of course, chocolates and flowers are good gifts. But Connor fully intends to get Hank a good book for Valentine's Day along with those things.]

Sometimes the best gift is simply to spend time with someone, doing something you enjoy. At least, that's what I've found.

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[bertall]

It's pretty easy to make him happy, I think. I mean, even when I mess up cooking something and it sets the fire alarms off he always finds the bright side of the situation which is really

really nice.

Did your home not have Valentine's Day either?

[plasticasshole]

That does sound nice. As for Valentine's Day back home, we do have it. I'm only a few months old, however. I was created in August. I wasn't human until I woke up here.

In any case, it sounds as though it'll be easy to make your partner's day. Maybe you should leave the cooking for another day, though. A nice meal out somewhere seems like it would be pleasant.

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[icecastlemadonna]

Well, where I'm from we celebrate that day a little differently from most other countries. On Valentine's Day girls will give chocolate to boys they like, and then a month later we have another holiday called White Day where the boys will give the girls gifts in return.

Of course, nowadays it doesn't have to be quite that strict, and people can make chocolate for their friends or family or whoever they want.

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[bertall]

What about boys giving other boys chocolate? Or is that something that doesn't usually happen? Do they allow that sort of thing?

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[icecastlemadonna]

It does happen, and there isn't really any rule against it as far as I know. People have their own expectations for the holiday where I'm from, but personally I think you should celebrate Valentine's Day in whatever way makes you happy.

[forsaintcecilia]

In my world, on Valentine's Day, girls give boys they like sweets, and a month later on White Day, boys return the favor to the girls they like. Sometimes couples will go on a date or have a special day, but it's never anything that flashy.

There's giri-choco too, where you give something smaller to all your male or female friends, depending on if it's Valentine's Day or White Day but you're not romantically interested in. Just to be nice.

[bertall]

This is definitely uh

of romantic interest.

someone else mentioned this white day too, but why are there two separate things?

[forsaintcecilia]

Oh! White Day is just a thing in Japan, I think. I think it started because chocolate making companies wanted to sell more chocolate, so they made up a second holiday... In the west, it's all packed into one day.

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[adandyinspace]

oh for crying out loud, you make out a little more than usual yeesh
this aint rocket science, stop embarrassing yourself and get your smooch on.

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[bertall]

What's

more than usual

_{[Bertolt no.]}

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[adandyinspace]

...uh, what's your usual?
take that and then, like, do more of it? is this a kid, i cant get anymore straightforward than "do more"???

i mean, you've made out with em yeah? tell me if im wasting my time here, i dont wanna get too deep if im talking to someone who considers unprotected hand holding scandalous or whatever

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[pkemeter]

Valentine's Day is a capitalistic sham created by corporations to further the heterosexual lifestyle while exploiting couples for their money by forcing them to engage in shallow rituals, such as purchasing increasingly elaborate and unnecessary material goods, to demonstrate the strength of their supposed bonds. However, anyone with a basic knowledge of biology knows that these bonds can be broken down to base chemicals are frequently meaningless in the grand scheme of things and that purchasing material goods is a poor way of demonstrating the true presence of these chemicals.

At least, those are my impressions of Valentine's Day in my dimension.

[....Sorry if you wanted real advice.]

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[bertall]

heterosexual lifestyle?? wait hang on

i'm

base chemicals? what? I|
sorry, I'm a little lost, I think.

_{[EDUCATE THIS POOR SOUL...]}

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[pkemeter]

Chemicals such as dopamine, norepinephrine, serotonin, and oxytocin assist in the "bond making" experience of what human beings would call "love". Frequently, I've found that one or more of these chemicals are absent from heterosexual relationships--at least, the ones that are forced and frequently the result of the constraints and expectations that society places on these couples.

...This is not always the case, of course. There are heterosexual couples that display all the healthy signs of a thriving romantic bond and the presence of all of these base chemicals. I am merely remarking on a phenomenon I happen to see frequently in my dimension.

[...Wait. This guy also asked for advice.]

If I were you, instead of participating in these commercialized rituals, I would attempt to tailor a gift specifically suited to someone's interests. For example, if one were interested in mycology, the study of fungi, one may give them a sample of the rare and endangered Hygrocybe flavifolia.

Avoid heterosexual rituals, if possible.

action;

[notvaljean]

[Jean can only assume Bertolt is talking about him, and after feeling warm and fuzzy for awhile after reading this, he goes and seeks him out. If he can, and their positions are conducive to it, Jean is going to hug him from behind and try to put his chin on Bertolt's shoulder.]

You know, last year Krieg sent me a card with a bloody, anatomically correct heart on it. Pretty tough act to follow.

action;

[bertall]

_{[Is it reverse cuddle time? It's reverse cuddle time. Bertolt still isn't used to getting these sort of hugs from behind like this, but it's nice. Very, very nice, and he even tries to make himself smaller to make it easier.]}

I don't think you want an anatomically correct heart from me, do you? That's more of Krieg's style, not mine.

action;

[notvaljean]

[What Jean hasn't noticed yet is that he really doesn't have to straighten up that much to reach Bertolt's shoulder with his chin. They're getting fairly close to the same height, which means either Bertolt is shrinking or he's getting taller.]

Nah, it was a little... unsettling.

[Sweet! But unsettling.]

Do you want to go on a date or anything for it? Or just stay in and watch a movie?

[Text]

[maybeitsmabelline]

You give candy and cards and gifts to the people you like! Your boyfriend or girlfriend or your husband or wife or you can give gifts to your friends!!

All sorts of fun stuff!

[Text]

[bertall]

i don't have a girlfriend but|





oh my gods I never told you yet did I??