Toe-up socks in Holly, MI

Are these xmas socks or VD socks? While I was knitting them at the February spinning guild meeting, someone asked me if they were Valentine socks. Given the name of the colorway, I think not. But they could be used for either.

Pattern: Short-row Toe and Heel Basic Socks, by Wendy D. Johnson
Yarn: Simply Socks Yarn Company Poste Yarn Striping, colorway 'Holly, MI'; toes, heels, cuffs (probably) in SSYC Simply Sock in 'Natural'
Needles: US1
Modifications: None

One of my pet peeves is patterns that direct the knitter to "bind off loosely". Sometimes you just can't get that bind off loose enough without producing ripples. Leslie Ann Bestor's book Cast On Bind Off contains many ways to "bind off loosely". My favorite one for socks is Jeni's Surprisingly Stretchy Bind Off. Basically, you introduce an extra stitch between each stitch on the needle, using yarn overs or reverse yarn overs. Works like a charm!