Valentine's Day is a lovely idea but what has romance ever done for us?

THERE’S no point in railing against tomorrow’s satin red lovehearts and cutesy cards with their saccharine verses. They’re harmless, often heartwarming — and sometimes even fun.

For instance, the lines from Lisa Swerling’s little book Me Without You would give anyone the warm fuzzies: “Me without you is like sky without blue, foot without shoe, hair without do, cow without moo, kung without fu… and on it goes).

And, of course, there’s also the matter of Lent. Surely anyone who has sworn off chocolate, wine and/or merrymaking will be granted something akin to a plenary indulgence during the annual celebration of yearning.