Happy Valentine's Day!!

 

Happy Valentine's Day!! 

I know this may not be the most popular of holidays, and I get that it's largely associated with girly things that most guys aren't in to, but it's a pretty cool day if you ask me.  It's a day to celebrate the love we have for not only our significant others, but everybody we hold close to our heart.  Whether it's your Mother, Father, Brother, Sister, Son, Daughter, Friend, Cousin, Wife or Husband, today is a day to remind them how much they mean to you and let them know how much they're appreciated.  Candy, teddy bears, and balloons are great and they're one way of symbolizing that love and affection, but a simple word or warm embrace can do the trick.  You don't have to go out and spend money on the materialism that drives this site, but rather put the extra thought, that runs this site, behind your gesture to create an unforgettable memory or experience that lasts a lifetime.  It's not about what you do, but how you do it.  As is the case with everything, it's about going the extra mile to show somebody how much you care.

To commemorate this February 14th, here's a Valentine's Flashback Friday

In 2009, money was tight, but I wanted to create a memory for my girlfriend that would not only surprise her, but make her feel as special as she is to me.  So, we went down the shore on a cold February 13th and I went out to gather all the ingredients I needed to make some type of Valentine's Day breakfast.  The first thing I bought were a dozen roses and the biggest box of candy I could find.  I bought Valentine's Day cookies and donuts, made waffles and sandwiches because, honestly, I'm not much of a cook and that's about as good as it gets.  I picked up a box of cherry Pop-Tarts and Dr. Pepper Cherry to compliment the flavor and give us something red to drink.  To top it all off, I made her a bowl of Lucky Charms cereal.  But the kicker?  I picked out all of the heart-shaped marshmallows so that it would be her very own Valentine's Day cereal.  It was a huge hit and, of course, I scored some major brownie points for going the extra mile.  It cost me nothing but time but earned me the most beautiful smile I could ask for.

Looking back, I'm surprised General Mills hasn't released an all-hearts Lucky Charms cereal!  What are they waiting for?  That's perfect for V-Day and I'm speaking from experience.  Until then, start picking out those hearts, gentlemen!  She'll appreciate it!

Whether you're single, mingling, flirting, talking, in a relationship or not interested at all - you have somebody in your life that loves you and you love them back.  Use this day as an opportunity to embrace that feeling and show them how much they mean to you.

For all my Holidaze readers, I have two more Valentine's Day posts on deck to help commemorate the day and the connection I have with all of you.  After that, all this mushy gushy stuff is being put aside for green beer and shamrocks :) 

Red Velvet Valentine's Day M&M's

I had no problem finding Cherry M&M's, but the Red Velvet M&M's were a different story.  Whenever I can't find a product, I need to drive out to a Wal-Mart much further away because, for some reason, they always seem to carry more than my local retailers.  Over the years, they're to thank for Halloween and Christmas Crunch cereals, Oreo Cookies, and a few cakes and candies that have been unattainable elsewhere.  In this case, they're to thank again because they're the only location to offer me these highly sought after Red Velvet M&M's.

Red Velvet cake and cupcakes have been all the rage for quite some time.  I think the Food Network deserves the credit, especially Duff from Ace of Cakes and his TLC rival, Buddy the Cake Boss, for creating masterpieces with Red Velvet ingredients.  To be honest, I can't remember anybody mentioning or wanting the flavor before it hit the TV screen.  When I was a kid, I didn't even know what Red Velvet was.  Outside of some type of sensual cloth, I had no idea that it was something you can taste.  Now, and especially over the last few years, everything is being flavored in Red Velvet!  Candy, ice cream, cake - you name it.  But hey, I can't blame them.  When something is that popular, you have to cash in before it crashes down. M&M's are no exception and leave it to Ms. Green to lure us in with her freshly baked cupcakes topped with, what I can only assume are, crushed Red Velvet M&M's.  Some imagination, eh?

The M&M colors are nearly identical to that of the Cherry bag.  If not for the white M&M's thrown into the mix, I don't think you would be able to tell the difference.  The white makes sense, though, because it represents the icing on Ms. Green's cupcakes.  The only color I would have liked to see more of is a deep purple.  Why?  Just because I like the color and think it would work.  Does it matter?  Absolutely not, I'm just being picky at this point.

Just like the Cherry M&M, the Red Velvet version is chocolate on the inside with less of an impact when it comes to flavor.  This one reminds me more of the Pumpkin Spice and Gingerbread M&M's because there isn't much taste to it.  To me, it was still basically a chocolate M&M with very little Red Velvet in the mix.  To a degree, that's not a bad thing because, unlike the Cherry, it's far from overwhelming.  But, at the same time, a little bit more punch would have been appreciated and might have worked better.  Either way, It's a good pick-up and a welcome addition to the line of Valentine's Day M&M flavors.  Believe it or not, there are more than just these two bags that I've reviewed today, but these are the hot shots that deserve all the glory and acclamation.

It's the day before Valentine's Day, so if you're still behind and need to get something quick for that special someone in your life, then these are worth the money.  If you can find them, I'd recommend purchasing both.  I know they'll receive mixed reviews, as they have on The Holidaze, but they represent the season so well that they deserve a shot.  Throw them in with a bag of 3 Musketeers Strawberry Dark Chocolate and you're well on your way to sealing the deal.  Or a stomach ache, whatever comes first :)