Sweetest day? Forget it or Celebrate it?

Many people think that Sweetest day is a holiday created completly by the greeting card industry. But that doesn't mean that you have to buy a card to celebrate it.

What do you all think?

(personally I'll be a little upset if I don't get a sweetest day kiss or flower from my hubby, I plan on filling his car full of balloons with a little I'm so happy to be with you it makes me ba-loony har har har)

Okay - ignorant Brit alert - what the heck is 'Sweetest Day' when its around? We don't have us one of them over here.

I haven't heard of this pseudo-holiday either. What's the jig?

Me too I'm afraid, my first thought was "Such a thing exists????"

I first heard of this farce of a holidy when I lived in Dayton, Ohio, and I believe it is something unique to the upper midwest of the country. It's really not celebrated or even advertised anywhere else in the States, let alone the world.

It was created by the greeting card companies to drum up more business. I believe the day falls after Valentines, if I'm not mistaken, and it gives the card companies a way to get rid of their unused card stock. Of course, if my dates are off here, please forgive me . . .I never sent my wife anything on this date. Our anniversary is on Valentines day, so I get a double whammy that time of the year anyway, and she's quite satisfied without the sweetest day cards or candies, than you very much!

http://www.holidayorigins.com/html/sweetest_day.html

It's the third Saturday in October.

During America's Great Depression, a man from Cleveland organized many people in an effort to provide a small token of friendship to the underprivileged, shut ins, orphans, and homeless. Today the holiday has expanded to include small tokens of appreciation to friends and neighbors too. These tokens of appreciation can be small gifts or small acts of kindness. This event is repeated on the third Saturday in October.

http://www.theromantic.com/sweetestday.htm

Origins and Facts About Sweetest Day

Observed the 3rd Saturday in the month of October, Sweetest Day observance originated in Cleveland in 1922. Herbert Birch Kingston, a philanthropist and candy company employee wanted to bring happiness into the lives of orphans, shut-ins and others who were forgotten. With the help of friends, he began to distribute candy and small gifts to the underprivileged.

On the first Sweetest Day, movie star Ann Pennington presented 2,200 Cleveland newspaper boys with boxes of candy to express gratitude for their service to the public.
Another popular movie star, Theda Bara, distributed 10,000 boxes of candy to people in Cleveland hospitals and also gave candy to all who came to watch her film in a local theater.

Primarily a regional observance celebrated in the Great Lakes region and the Northeast, Sweetest Day is gradually spreading to other areas of the country. People tend to take the Sweetest Day tradition with them when they move. Ohio is the top state for Sweetest Day sales, followed by Michigan and Illinois. Texas, California and Florida are among the top 10 states in sales.

Over the years, Sweetest Day has evolved into a time to express romantic love and also to show appreciation to friends.


I celebrate it, why not? Just another good reason to express love and friendship. (and get and give stuff)

I can't believe that no one else has heard of it, weird... I guess up here in Wisconsin we are looking forward to a cold winter spent indoors "keeping warm" with love.

WOW! I sure thought it was in February!!!

Shows how wrong I can be about such sentimental things, Huh???

I guess I can't use the "You already got two presents this month" approach, Can I? I better get her something, I guess!

I have never heard of this holiday either. But, now that it's been explained it seems to me it's a shame that the good will intended with this event has been turned around into a "What do I get" or "What do I have to give" kind of thing. Maybe a more appropriate celebration would be more like what my mother used to do every May 1st. She would give us kids a mess of flowers and send us all through the neighborhood giving flowers to all of the elderly people. One year she even sent us to the retirment home with flowers. (only the one year, it's amazing how many people in a retirement home are deathly allergic to flowers!) I had not thought about this in several years, but now that I recall it, I think next May 1st I will send my kids out with "May Day" flowers.

Perhaps if this holiday is actually important to you, then maybe that moeny you would have spent on a gift and or card would be better spent on boxes of candy that you and your spouse could both take to the local retirement home, or senior center, or welfare center, or homeless shelter, ect. and pass out.

Just an alternative to the idea's in your poll. Take it or leave it as you like. I personally hate Valentines day as I feel like it is just a "Guilt" holiday, and has nothing to do with love and everything to do with "Gimmee" and $$$$$$$$$$$ so my opinion of anything called "Sweetest day" may be a bit jaundiced!

My husband got to have this conversation with a coworker-

So, what are you getting your wife for Sweetest Day?

Nothing, she doesn't want anything

Sure, she SAYS she doesn't want anything, but she'll be really mad when you actually don't get her anything

No, seriously, she doesn't want anything

Yeah, that's what she SAYS!

You're right! Our entire relationship is built on a foundation of lies! :bursts into tears:

That sounds suspiciously like my Mum on Mother's Day.

'Now don't you be wasting your money buying me stuff' etc, etc -

But sheesh, I know exactly what would happen if I didn't get something