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How Chetek celebrates love
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| By: Amber Gieseke |
February 11, 2009 |
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Wine plays a huge role in romance, especially romantic Valentine’s Day meals. Brad Knickerbocker is pictured pouring a glass of the holiday drink.
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According to a survey conducted for the National Retail Federation, 62.8% of adults nationwide plan on celebrating Valentine's Day this year.
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The economy isn't affecting how many people plan to celebrate the holiday of romance, but the survey says it is affecting what presents are given and how much is spent.
In the last two years, the average American spent $88 on a significant other or spouse, but for 2009, the planned amount to spend has decreased to $74.
In Chetek, these numbers don't seem to hold true. 14-year-old Westly Billon, of Chetek, is planning to hang out with friends to celebrate. He will possibly be buying flowers and a gift for a special girl. Billon isn't the only person who is celebrating the holiday.
A single 27-year-old male from Chetek, Jason Butterfield, definitely plans on celebrating the romantic holiday. He'll get cards and flowers for his mom, sister and female friends as well as a gift he knows they will appreciate.
Betty Roberston, a single 64 year old, plans on going out for a nice dinner with her sister. It's the same as they did last year and she says the economy will not affect how or where they celebrate.
One single female says she has scoped out singles events in Eau Claire that she will probably attend. She doesn't want to meet someone, but wants to go out to have fun and be around other single people. She will also celebrate by buying herself truffles.
Couples are bound to celebrate, and if the survey is correct, this year's celebrations will be more limited than in the past. It doesn't seem as though the survey talked to the single men in the area, though.
A couple of guys shopping on main street said they were going to celebrate with their girlfriends. The two agreed a "dress-up" dinner was an absolute. One of the girlfriends will receive a Harley Davidson jacket as a gift and the other will be given jewelry and flowers. Both guys plan to spend more on their significant others this year than they did last year.
Brad Knickerbocher's girlfriend will be celebrating with a romantic dinner followed by relaxing and talking in front of the fire. Knickerbocher says he'll buy her flowers and a card, but hasn't decided on a gift yet. Overall he's doing what he did last year and plans to spend about the same amount.
Whoever said married life was monotonous hasn't been around Chetek during Valentine's Day. Cheryl Johnson, of Menomonie, expects her "hubby" to take her out to a nice meal. They exchange cards and gifts as well. She says she usually receives flowers, but her gift to him is usually more personalized.
Ruth Picknell has been married for 31 years and still has fun celebrating Valentine's Day with her husband. This year they are spending the day at the International Motorcycle Show in Minneapolis, Minn. Her and her husband exchange cards each year and she can usually count on a bouquet of flowers. For his gift, she fills a little basket with his favorite candy and ties balloons to it and leaves it in his office at work.
Ann Zimmerman's husband has passed away, but she still loves to remember all the sweet, romantic things he did for her, like going out dancing.
One Valentine's Day in particular stands out to her-a friend and he secretly hired a quartet for a singing valentine for their wives. That night the husbands cooked supper while the quartet serenaded the women, which was like heaven to them. The rest of the night, the friends enjoyed wine and talking. Romantic and thoughtful.
But not all married couples feel Valentine's is a special day. Matt Sprague, of Hillsdale, says Feb. 14 is just another day. His wife, Erica, plans to go shopping with a friend while Sprague goes snowmobiling. "We discovered that every day is Valentine's Day when you are married," he says. He does special things for her throughout the year to show he cares.
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©The Chetek Alert 2010
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