Happy Celebration of L-O-V-E Day…

By Shana Karn, Co-Owner of The Second Knob

In just a week and a half, we will be celebrating Valentine’s Day. The 14th is a celebration of L-O-V-E. From a retail perspective, it is observed by an exchange of cards, flowers, chocolates and gifts. While the truth about Valentine’s Day is “shrouded in mystery,” there is some historical significance which relates the holiday to a Saint—however, exactly which Saint is unclear.

While, this holiday doesn’t pack the retail punch that Christmas, Easter and even Halloween do, it manages to hold its own- securing a couple of seasonal aisles in big box stores. During the last couple of centuries, Valentine’s day has increased in popularity and increasingly gained the attention of retailers. Immediately after Christmas this year bigger box stores hit us with their Valentine’s day displays– a nice pop of pink and red in an otherwise gray and gloomy retail season.

It was that pop of red and pink that made me want to put together my own display this year. Well…that AND the fact that we have a lot more space this Valentine’s day. Choosing what to offer customers in a Valentine’s day display was a tough call. Chocolate is ALWAYS good but last year we didn’t do so well with our gourmet chocolate hearts, nestled in a shiny red box and tied with a gold string. This year, we’ve toned it down. No red boxes with gold strings. This year, we are sticking with our [available everyday] single serving fudge and Lust Bar confections (yes, it is really called a Lust Bar– filled with whipped peanut butter, marshmallow, crispies and pretzels). We also have our always dependable and delicious pretzel barks in milk and dark chocolates. I did pick out a few small “hearts and love” gifts– a cute picture frame, a couple of small signs, some delicious smelling candles. My entire Valentine’s day themed gifts take up approximately one table and I am okay with this.

To me, everyday should be a celebration of love. We don’t NEED the cutesy red and pink hearts to designate a gift worthy of being a Valentine’s gift. Any gift that sends a message of love is perfect. And, by “gift” I don’t mean just store-bought, money-costing merchandise. A gift can be anything—handmade, homemade, written, spoken or sung. Love isn’t about getting gifts, afterall. It is about showing someone that you care for them– not just offering the sentiment in a $3.00 card– but really looking someone in their eyes, taking hold of their hand and telling them that you love them and why you love them; it is making someone feel wanted, special and appreciated. This applies to anyone you would give a gift to– a child, a parent, a friend, a love. Everyone needs to feel the sentiment, feel loved, feel wanted, feel special and appreciated. Don’t you want that?

Now, if you also want to offer a little, store-bought gift, by all means do so– afterall, I am the co-owner of a gift shop; I would be nuts not to mention that buying a gift is okay, too! But, without the heartfelt, spoken sentiment, the gift won’t mean nearly as much. Trust me on this. I have yet to come across a gift as special or as worthy of giving and I have looked at a lot of merchandise during these last two years. Nothing even comes close. And, until I do manage to find something THAT special, I am sticking with my one small table– a pop of color in an otherwise gray and gloomy time of year in retail… Happy celebration of love day to all of you!