Valentine’s Days Revisited

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It’s almost here, folks–that over-commercialized holiday called, Valentine’s Day!  I knew it was “officially” almost here when I began seeing the commercials for “Hoodie Footies” and “Vermont Teddy Bears”…  I wonder how many women will receive those pajamas with a hood and feet?!  How unromantic!  I personally overheard Jennifer telling Brad that he better never buy her any of those!  

 

As for me, I could go for that HUGE Vermont Teddy Bear, but I already have a HUGE one sitting in the bedroom.  He takes up an entire chair, or half of the bed–depending on where he is sitting!  It wasn’t a gift from Ed, but from myself, one Valentine’s Day.  Yes, I actually bought myself a teddy bear–because I loved him when I saw him…I’m funny like that sometimes.  I came home with it riding in the back of my PT Cruiser, about five years ago!

I still remember Valentine’s Day as a child.  I loved addressing those cards, and I loved opening the envelopes containing the funny little valentines.  Back in my day, valentines actually still came with little white envelopes!  I don’t like these new valentines that fold and have a sticker holding them closed.  Has anybody else noticed that the stickers DON”T STAY STUCK?
Ed and I were married before we ever got to spend a Valentine’s Day together.  It never worked out for him to be around on that particular day.  I don’t remember my first Valentine’s Day gift from him, but it was probably a box of candy, because that was what people gave in those days–before Valentine’s Day became so commercialized.

My daddy always gave mama a box of candy, and Ed’s daddy gave his wife the same.   I remember Ed’s mama’s was always one of the lacy, frilly boxes of candy.  Now that I’m thinking back, I think I remember Ed’s parents buying me a box of candy one Valentine’s Day while he was overseas.  They did a lot of sweet things like that.
I remember getting my first flowers from Ed, for Valentine’s Day in 1974.  Ed didn’t like to spend money on flowers, and had never bought me any before.  That year, I strongly hinted that I would love to receive a bouquet of flowers…  Ed and I were both working at the same hospital, in the radiology department, at the time, and he had the flowers delivered to the little office where I worked.  I was absolutely thrilled!

I remember Valentine’s Days with each of our three children, while they were growing up.  Sitting there at the table with them while they addressed their valentines for school…then later, sitting and watching them enjoying the valentines they’d received!  Of course,  I enjoyed giving them little Valentine’s Day surprises from Ed and me, too…(sorry no photos handy)
Flash forward many years, past the raising of our three children, and I was working at school–in the first grade.  Valentine’s Day is a BIG DEAL to first graders!  We would spend days making Valentine’s Day decorations for the classroom, then finally we decorated those little white Valentine’s Day bags to hold our (yes, I had one, too) valentines.  A day or two before Valentine’s Day, the students would bring their cards to school, then carefully drop them in to each other’s bags.  It was so much fun to watch!  On Valentine’s Day the students could hardly wait to tear into those cards, and the level of excitement equaled that of Christmas time!  As for me, I always came home with a bag full of sweet valentines, and usually a few gifts, too.

It was while I was working at school that I realized just how commercialized Valentine’s Day had become!  I can’t begin to tell you how many “gifts” are delivered to school for the students for Valentine’s Day!  It’s way past the point of ridiculous.  It’s more than enough to keep several adults rolling several carts filled with flowers and stuffed animals, and making deliveries ALL DAY LONG!
What ever happened to exchanging sweet cards and giving boxes of chocolates–and just enjoying the simple pleasures of life?  Everything has gotten way too complicated, don’t you think?  Wishing everyone an uncomplicated weekend, filled with life’s many sweet simple pleasures!