Unless you live in Spain and can’t handle another holiday with more sugar…

In Spain, February is not for lovers, for Valentine’s Day, but for Carnival! It is a fun tradition where kids dress up in costumes and participate in a parade at school. I like this as they don’t celebrate Halloween locally in Spain. Some ex-pats like myself have gladly purchased the grocery store pumpkins for carving and participated in anything Halloweeny happening. But for most, Carnival is the time to create and wear exciting costumes.

There are so many holidays in Spain that I am often amazed if I have two weeks of uninterrupted work time. From local city holidays to religious holidays, national holidays, school holidays to random holidays that seem to come out of nowhere, not a month goes by without some kind of celebration.

And if you are Catholic? Or know someone who is, then you get to celebrate their Saint Day and their birthday, so they have two personal holidays. It’s a lot.

Now, put a Canadian chronic and habitual lover of Thanksgiving, Halloween, and Christmas into the mix. Don’t forget North American Father’s and Mother’s Days and their Spanish counterparts, and…you might explode in confetti!

So, We do not celebrate Valentine’s Day. We can’t take it.

We are overwhelmed and near tears with overstimulation. My advanced skills in gift research and giving can’t keep up – what else could I possibly buy the same two people in such a short period of time?

Especially since there is a day for love in April called Sant Jordi — at which point the streets come alive with roses and books on offer to your special someone. So, nope, the shop is closed, can’t do Valentine’s Day.

I love my husband dearly, but after all the desserts of previous holidays — pumpkin pie, candy, Christmas cake, then my birthday cake, chocolate, Yule logs, and a Roscon de Reyes, he puts on his gym shoes and whimpers, “Make it stop…”

So, there will be no candy hearts, boxes of chocolates, or cards of adoration in this casa. Just a run-of-the-mill month, with one costume and one parade for one small child.

Work will be done on time as usual with no candy-coated exceptions or inconveniences. Our workouts will be maximized, and sugar spikes and crashes will be avoided.

But to anyone reading… I wish you all a wonderful February, and Valentine’s Day, however, you choose to celebrate.