60+ year-old couple disagree over Valentine's Day etiquette: 'Valentine's Day is... not for your coworkers'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Feb 12, 2025 5:00 PM EST

How do you react when your spouse tells you to "quit being so dramatic"? For many people, being told that phrase immediately sets them off. But this person actually is being rather dramatic, for rather confusing reasons, over an office Valentine's Day party. 

Some offices celebrate every holiday with snacks or games, while other workplaces choose not to focus on holidays. It can be a nice break for the employees to snack on cupcakes or win a little prize. Everyone knows it's just a little break to have fun for like 15 minutes before heading back to your laptop to write emails. 

This person is pushing back against their office's planned Valentine's Day festivities, and her reasoning is that the holiday is meant for couples only. That's basically her only reason for not wanting to celebrate: she thinks that "Valentine's Day is for couples… not coworkers to express their affection." But she also mentions that all of her colleagues are married, so… what's even the problem? It's not like some pink cupcakes are going to spark a torrid office romance, it's just good innocent fun. Commenters told her as much, but she didn't want to hear it. In her mind, they don't "comprehend the concept of Valentine's Day." Okay, whatever you say! 

After that, some experienced travelers shared their biggest red flags while they're at hotels, like one person who wrote that 'When it's advertised as "family friendly," that means noise.'

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    dsgrī
    via sheri silver on Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    "Office Valentine Party?"

    My husband (M 68yo) and I (F 62yo) are currently in a stalemate concerning an upcoming "Valentine Day Office Party" planned by the women who work at his office (7 women all under the age of 40yo). There are only
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071
  • 03
    six men (all married) who work in the office. He told me "no big deal..... the girls use any excuse to spend company money on decorating and ordering in expensive lunches". I have worked as a secretary, an office manager and an executive
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071
  • 04
    assistant for a Fortune 500 company for many years. Never have I seen or heard of an office Valentine Party. I asked him how he would feel if I came home with an arm full of chocolates and conversation hearts reading "I'm Yours"; Be My Valentine"; "Kiss Me"; "You're Sweet" from the men at my office. He just
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071
  • 05
    shrugged and said "quit being so dramatic". He doesn't know I have worked very hard planning an entire romantic weekend (02- 14-25 is on a Friday!). So am I the ahle for canceling my very romantic Valentine Day surprise?
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071
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    Cheezburger Image 10466999296
    via Natalie Behn For Unsplash+

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

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    This person asked what we were all thinking

    shyfidelity Why would you cancel all your hard work because some strangers want to eat candy and order Jimmy John's on a Friday? Seems like a waste. Anyway, YTA and the best part of this post was learning the 14th is a friday
    via u/shyfidelity
  • 08

    This worker pushed back

    Frequent Comment9071 OP They are not strangers. Valentine Day is for lovers... not your coworkers.
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071
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    Frequent Comment9071 OP Obviously, you did not read the entire post. Or maybe you do not comprehend the concept of Valentine Day. It is not Christmas, or the Fourth of July or the company summer picnic.
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071

    Her logic only applies to Valentine's Day apparently, but she seems to think every other holiday has a place in office culture. 

  • 10
    Conscious_Spor... That would definitely make YTA. It's a work party.. not a date. Heck I'd tell my fiancé to try and bring some candy home for me! Why are you so threatened by the women your husband works with?
    via u/Conscious_Sport_1038
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    Frequent Comment9071 OP Explain the reason it should be a "work party"? It's not Christmas. It's not Memorial Day. It's not the Fourth of July. It's not Labor Day. It's not Halloween. It's not Thanksgiving. It's a special day for couples, lovers, and significant others. It's a special day to say, "I LOVE YOU!". How is that appropriate for the workplace?
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071
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    This person has a reasonable approach: Valentine's Day can mean more than one thing!

    Conscious_Sport_1038 Why shouldn't it be a work party? Look.. some people have different views on holidays than you do. You see it as exclusively a couples holiday. I see it as a holiday celebrating everyone In my life worth loving. Office friendships included. Of course there will always be way more significance and attention for my fiancé, but I would also take candies and pass them out at the office with a smile on my face not even thinking about the possibility of it irritating someone's wif
    via u/Concious_Sport_1038
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    whoop_a You should tell him about the surprise. Even though it won't be a surprise anymore, he will know the reason why you want to spend time with him that day.
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071
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    Frequent Comment9071 OP Thank you! Best advice I've received!
    via u/Frequent_Comment9071

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valentines work coworkers wife husband Valentines day aita marriage AITAH valentine Party
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