I will not be celebrating Valentine’s Day this year. I refuse to be sucked into the vortex of sappy cards, overpriced chocolates, and outrageously priced floral arrangements. Not gonna do it!
I liked Valentine’s Day when I was in elementary school. We would bring an empty shoebox from home and decorate it with hearts, doilies and little Cupid silhouettes. Before the actual holiday, I remember walking to Woolworth’s to buy paper Valentine cards, to put in the decorated box of each of my classmates – even the ones I didn’t like. These were delivered before the start of school, although most of the kids waited until a couple days before – or even the day of the Valentine party.
I remember some of the mothers coming into the classroom to help out with the party. Cupcakes, cookies, and punch were the standard fare, with those candy hearts or other Valentine candy. It all came together in the last hour of the school day, when we would rip off the tops of the boxes.
Now that I am an adult, I appreciate those innocent times.
