Valentine’s Day: Those who serve also find time for love — here’s how they do it

Do you ever wonder how the florists, baristas, e-commerce delivery guys — in short, all the people who make your Valentine’s Day celebrations special — manage to celebrate their own day of love? We find out.

You’re gonna floor your bae with flowers, take him out for a coffee date he won’t forget, and get the most beautiful gifts delivered to her, all to declare your love on Valentine’s Day. But, have you ever wondered that behind every flower decoration, delicious cappuccino, and gift is a hero who made all that happen without any real effort from your side? These heroes work a minimum of eight to 12 hours a day, even on the day of love, to ensure that you have your perfect date. What’s more, after setting up your perfect date for you, they find the time to celebrate Valentine’s Day with their own special person. How they do it is superhuman, but we decided to find out what they do to make their Valentine feel special despite the long, long work day.

Valentine’s Day heroes: Here’s how the people who make your V-Day celebrations possible themselves mark the special day. (Sarang Gupta/HT Photo)

Pyaar ki koi umar nahi hoti, aur naa koi time: Ram Babu, florist

Ram Babu, 62, is a florist near Palika Bazaar, Connaught Place, Central Delhi. He says that Valentine’s Day might keep him busy all day, but that doesn’t mean he cannot find the time to gift things to his Valentine. (Photo: Sarang Gupta/HT)

At 62, Ram Babu still has a rocking sense of romance — and humour. The florist, whose stall is near Palika Bazaar, Connaught Place, Central Delhi, says that Valentine’s Day might keep him busy all day, but that doesn’t mean he can’t find the time to gift things to his Valentine — that’s his dear wife. He says with a flourish, “Pyaar ki koi umar nahi hoti, aur na koi time. Poora din yahaan logo ke Valentine manwaate hain, aur phir ghar jaake apna Valentine’s Day mana lete hain (There’s no specific age for love, and no specific time. I spend all day here, celebrating other people’s Valentine’s Day, and then I go home and celebrate my own Valentine’s Day).” Every year, he gifts his wife roses and something she loves. After finishing work by 11pm or so, he goes home bearing Valentine’s Day gifts. And if it gets too late? “Kayi baar, jab zyada kaam ho toh wife ko hi yahaan bula leta hoon,” he says. “In chhoti cheezo se hi pyaar badhta hain, aur yeh hum saalon se karte aa rahe hain.”

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Sabke chakkar mein apna Valentine nahi chhootna chahiye: Amit Badhana, florist

For Amit Badhana, a florist near Palika Bazaar, Connaught Place, Valentine’s Day celebrations are as important as getting customers. (Photo: Sarang Gupta/HT)

For Amit Badhana, another florist near Palika Bazaar, Connaught Place, Valentine’s Day celebrations are as important as fetching customers. “Yeh saal ka sabse busy din hota hain, par sabke chakkar mein apna Valentine nahi chhootna chahiye (This is the busiest day of the year, but one shouldn’t forget one’s own Valentine in one’s rush to deal with all the others),” he says. Since Amit is in the flowers and gifts business, he doesn’t have to worry about finding the time to shop for some. “Aur agar zyada busy ho gaye to kisi bhi ladke se packing karwa lete hai (And if it gets too busy for me, then I get it packed by another chap),” says Amit, the wise one — he knows that while business is important, the special one in his life is very important, too. “Valentine’s Day pe customer bahot aate hain, par life mein jo hai woh bhi to utna hi important hai na,” he says with a smile.

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Morning shifts are ideal for meeting your Valentine: Jyoti Rawat, barista

Jyoti Rawat, a barista, says that working on Valentine’s Day is hectic, but she finds time for romance. (Photo: Sarang Gupta/HT)

She has made many a coffee date perfect for couples, and does the same when it comes to her own life. Jyoti says that working on Valentine’s Day is hectic, but she finds time for her bae. “Morning shifts aren’t as busy, so we find time to celebrate then. But if it’s a very busy day, we head home after work and treat each other to goodies. Some of us do take an off day to meet their Valentines, but work is work, too. Sometimes, it’s flowers, other times it’s gifts, but it’s a special day that’s meant to be celebrated in each other’s company, so who’d miss a chance to do so,” she says.

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Din mein to kuchh time nahi milta, shaam ko free hoke hi celebrate kar lete hain: Mohammed Shahid, delivery executive

Mohammed Shahid, a delivery executive, says that he always tells his wife that she is a special person, and that something special has to be done to mark Valentine’s Day.

With e-commerce booming, Valentine’s Day is one of the busiest days of the year when it comes to deliveries, as most people now choose to get gifts delivered well in advance for their dates. But that doesn’t keep Mohammed Shahid from finding time for love. “Poore din mein to kuchh time nahi milta, shaam ko saat-aath baje tak hi free hoke celebrate kar paate hain. Par celebrate karte zaroor hain (There’s never any time during the day, so we celebrate when we’re free after seven or eight in the evening. But we certainly do celebrate),” he says. Asked how he celebrates Valentine’s Day, Shahid replies, “Gifting aur phool har baar ho na ho, wife ko yeh bata dena ki woh special hain, ya kuchh special kar dena hi bahot hota hain (Even if there are no gifts or flowers every time, it’s important to tell one’s wife that she is special or to do something special that day).”