Valentine’s Day and Beer ~ A Match Made In Heaven

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Unusual Valentine's Day Traditions, Valentine's Day and Beer, Valentine's Day Beer Contest, writers, writing

Valentine’s Day is upon us. How do I know that? While I was making dinner last night, a bell pepper told me. Who knew oracles come in the form of vegetables.

Be still my bell pepper heart.

Many traditions and symbols are associated with Valentine’s Day . . . a naked flying baby who is armed to the teeth, giving tacky heart-shaped boxes filled with inedible chocolates that are more lard than cocoa, and gifts of red roses that cost more on Valentine’s Day than what it takes to run a developing country.

Here at the Coyle house we have a long-standing Valentine’s Day tradition, and well folks; it is that time of year again.

For the third year running (perhaps three years doesn’t exactly qualify for long-standing status . . . but my blog, my rules), my husband sends each of our girls a bag of See’s chocolate hearts, cold hard cash, and issues a challenge.

In years past, the challenge read thusly:

“Take some of this money and buy a cool beer. Submit a photograph of you drinking said beer. Entries are due Valentine’s Day. No sooner. No later. Mom’s blog readers will determine the winner because they know a good beer when they see one.”

This year, because my husband is a man of few words, the challenge was this:

Nothing says Happy Valentine’s Day better than a cutthroat competition.

I will humbly submit the entries for your vote in a few days.

This Valentine’s Day Beer Challenge is soon to go viral. Click on the links below to my previous brilliant posts and you will learn how to impress your friends by starting it in your community. If I do say so myself, I’m not the brilliant one . . . the competitors are.

Valentine’s Beer Photo Contest

Valentine’s Day Traditions

Maybe I Should Write a Beer Blog

One final thought. What is up with the See’s Candy uniforms? I couldn’t work at See’s because I don’t look good in a nurse uniform and bow tie.

Robin, all ready for work!

Valentine’s Day Traditions

Tags

Valentine's Day, Valentine's Day Beer Contest, writers, writing

Aren’t holiday traditions grand?

Like leaving Christmas cookies out for Santa, and carrots for his reindeer on Christmas Eve. Santa always stops at the Coyle house because we also leave him a shot of Jack to warm his cockles, whatever those are.

Or dying two dozen Easter Eggs, staging an Easter Egg hunt in the backyard, and recovering only 23 eggs.

Then there is always the bewitching evening of carving Halloween pumpkins at the kitchen table and my annual fear of having to make a trip to the emergency room to reattach a severed finger or two.

Around Chez Coyle, Valentine’s Day is also rich in tradition. Ever since our three girls could say “Balentime’s Day,” my husband would get up before anyone was stirring and put together a breakfast extravaganza. The family party included heart-shaped pancakes, flowers and balloons at every place at the table, the candles lit, See’s candy, and a book. The books were always a classic. I love that man for good reason.

When our oldest daughter went off to college, she said in a wistful voice with a far-off look in her eye, “You know what I’m going to miss most about home?”

My mind raced through a myriad of possibilities.

1. My warm embrace.
2. Sleeping in her own bed in her room that looks more like a war zone than an inhabitable space.
3. My home cooked meals.
4. Gas money.
5. Being grounded for two weeks after going to a beer bash.

Nope . . . none of the above. She said (cue far-off look), “Dad’s Valentine’s Day breakfasts.”

Now that the girls are scattered in three different states and because heart-shaped pancakes don’t ship well, my husband sends them a mini-celebration that always includes See’s chocolate hearts and cash.

Last year he started a new Coyle Valentine’s tradition. In addition to candy and money, he issued a challenge.

“Cool beer in cool places . . . take some of this money, buy an interesting beer, and take a photo of yourself drinking the beer in a cool place.  Submit your photographs and I will judge the competition.”

My husband is the only guy I know who can take the day to celebrate love and romance and turn it into a cutthroat competition.

What do the girls make of this? They are all over it. The deadline to enter the contest is next weekend and I’ll post the photos once the battle is over.

I thought you might like to see last year’s entries.

Daughter One: On stage at a comedy club in Los Angeles. No, she isn’t a stand-up comedian but was dating one at the time.

Daughter Two: Snowboarding in Vail. Yes, she is a snowboarder.

Daughter Three: Fishing the Snake River in Boise. Yes, she is an angler. And beer brewer.

Husband: Striking a goofy pose in the backyard of Chez Coyle.

Happy Valentine’s Day folks!