DEAR ABBY: I have to admit, Valentine’s Day has become a bit of a sore spot for me, and I’m not sure if I’m overreacting or if my feelings are justified. To me, it has always been a holiday meant for couples — something private, romantic and shared between two people — not something that belongs in the workplace.
However, at my husband’s office, things have taken a very different turn. His department is made up of eight young women, all under 30, who go all out for Valentine’s Day every year. I’m talking full decorations on every office door — hearts, cupids, pink and red everywhere — like something out of a school party rather than a professional setting. They also organize a catered lunch with all the trimmings: chocolate-covered strawberries, fudge shaped like hearts, and those little candies stamped with messages like “Be Mine” and “I Love You.”
What makes this even more puzzling to me is that my husband has worked at this company for 30 years, and we’ve been married for 15 of those. For decades, there was never even a hint of Valentine’s Day being acknowledged at work. Then suddenly, about four years ago, this elaborate tradition appeared out of nowhere and has continued to grow ever since.
I spent more than 20 years working in a Fortune 500 corporate environment, and in all that time, I never once saw Valentine’s Day celebrated in an office like this. Christmas parties? Absolutely. Fourth of July events? Of course. But Valentine’s Day always felt like a line that simply wasn’t crossed in a professional setting.
I can’t help but feel uncomfortable with the whole situation, and I’ll admit it’s caused some tension between my husband and me. He brushes it off as harmless fun, but to me, it feels a bit inappropriate — or at the very least, unnecessary. I find myself wondering why a holiday centered around romance is being played out in a workplace, and why it bothers me as much as it does.
So now I’m left questioning myself. Am I just showing my age? Have workplace norms really changed that much? Or is it reasonable to think that some celebrations just don’t belong at the office?
— NOT LOVIN’ THAT IN TEXAS