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| (Picture by Jill Wellington on Pixabay) |
I grew up in a family with three daughters. While you might
think that this would mean our home had an excess of shoe boxes pass through
it, that never seemed to be the case in time for Valentine’s Day. More than one
year we had to search for enough boxes for all three of us girls to decorate for our
Valentine’s parties. I recall once even removing all the Kleenex from the box
in the bathroom, in order to decorate it for my class party. (My father may
have been less enthused to later discover the piles of Kleenex I left askew on the back of the toilet.)
For me it was always such fun to cut construction paper
hearts and draw my Valentine’s decorations. Looking back, my creativity paled
in comparison to the masterpieces you can find posted online these days. Nevertheless,
it was a special treat to get to let my creative juices flow while making a
mess of art supplies at the kitchen table.
I also remember the joy in signing notes that I planned to
distribute to each of my friends at school. Although the later the night wore
on, as I grew tired of writing, my enthusiasm may have started to dwindle
temporarily.
Then on Valentine’s Day morning I would proudly tote my Valentine's box
to compare with my neighbors as we all waited for the school bus. Once we
arrived at school, oh how we would wait with such anticipation for our class
party! We could hardly contain our excitement until it was time to go around
the room placing our Valentine’s in each other’s uniquely crafted boxes. Then
how we loved getting to see what kinds of Valentines we received that
year—would there be any with candy attached or from a secret admirer?
Growing up, each year my sisters and I were blessed to always
know how special we were. In addition to bringing chocolates and flowers for my
mother, my dad always gave each of us girls our own small boxes of chocolates or
candy hearts. He also included a card telling us how much he loved us. As an
adult I now recognize just how fortunate I was to have my father. He set the
bar high for what I should expect in my future spouse!
Now I look forward to celebrating Valentine’s Day by sharing
dinner with my husband. He often gifts me with flowers too. Then we look forward to buying discounted candy the day after Valentine’s Day.
What are your favorite Valentine’s Day memories? Did you
ever give a card to your secret crush? Have any of your family members kept any
vintage Valentine’s? Do you know anyone who has gotten engaged or married on
Valentine’s Day? What is the funniest Valentine pun you remember? How did your parents or your family celebrate Valentine's Day in years past? Please enlighten us in the comment section below.
At LifeBio we love to help people reminisce and record
their favorite memories. We value you and believe your story should be told. We can assist you in sharing the memories of your loved
ones too. Or perhaps you have your own Love Story to tell. (We can also help, if you're looking for a unique Valentine's Day gift for a loved one!)
Happy Valentine's Day!
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