Clash of dates puts Valentine's in jeopardy

I FIND myself surrounded by romantic types on a daily basis here in the office and the howl of pain from one when they discovered that this year Valentine's Day falls on Ash Wednesday was something else.

Okay, that's a rather large exaggeration. It was more of a chuckle that people like me, and seemingly him, find the clash of dates a bit amusing.

Lucky lads, I found myself thinking. Now you only have to buy the missus one chocolate because she'll be no doubt fasting and it would be so unfair to taunt her with a big box of sugary nibbles.

This clash of significant dates could cause a bit of a dilemma for those who are true to their Catholic faith. There goes the big romantic dinner out the window in favour of some watered-down cuppa soup and a crust of stale bread.

My old friend Mr. Google tells me this is the first time since 1945 that Valentine's Day and Ash Wednesday will fall on the same day.

A website in the States tells me of at least one diocese that is sending a 'recommendation' to local Catholic schools that they move Valentine's Day parties to another date that week as a way to keep the day solemn.

The calendar gets a little quirkier still with the realisation that Easter Sunday falls on April Fool's Day this year. Lots of potential there for some Easter egg hunt tricks.

So will Valentine's be a day of penance and fasting and reflection, or will it be all about the lovers?

I have a feeling that Valentine's will win out as Ash Wednesday is not, certainly in my world, what it was. A day when we ate smoked haddock, more scrambled than fried, usually with red skin potatoes and tinned peas. A day that kicked off the following how many Fridays in the run-up to Easter with a dinner diet of more smoked haddock, spuds, peas, and The Sullivans, I think it was, on the television to add to the depression.

If you really want to do penance, I suggest you look up this '70s/'80s TV series that told the story of a Melbourne family and the effect the World War II had on their lives. It enjoyed consistent ratings success in Australia, and also here in Ireland and the UK. I can't say I missed it when it ended.

* By Moany Lisa – a weekly column featured in our print edition every Tuesday