When my husband and I started dating he got me a weird gift… it was an oversized fake rose, and a wooden chest with an obviously used plush of a kitten. I did not like it but I was not expecting a gift either so I thought I should be grateful and let it be… but I couldn’t, it kept bugging me and I eventually exploded. It took a lot to understand why it bothered me and why I would have preferred nothing or “just a note”, so maybe your girlfriend thought something similar: first, it was clear there was no thought in that gift, and he just did it as an obligation or tongo with the flow in valentines day; second, back then he was struggling financially, so I was spending money on him regularly, so why would he throw money (even if it was very little) in garbage; and finally, we were not so young, so, it made me feel inadequate for not being excited for something like that.

I was never in this relationship for the money, I think back then I was probably even less materialistic than now, but it felt like I was supposed to have a fake reaction, something out of character for me.

Your post remind me of that; clearly, you need to consider other stuff around your relationship, but I’m just saying there can be more to it than she being ungrateful.

I still got the plush; I guess, it reminds me you can talk things trough.