"Valentines"
Feb. 13, 1999
"Valentines"
Valentine's Day stands as one of those non-holiday observances which bring in tons of money for florists, chocolatiers, and greeting card companies. Lovers shower each other with tokens of affection, school children bombard each other with gushy love notes or gross joke cards, and spouses celebrate each other with champagne and dinner. It's fun and harmless, and the day gives businesses a chance to hold onto red displays for an extra month after Christmas.
Unlike traditional holidays, Valentine's Day has its biggest celebration in the school classroom. In the years that I taught grade school my students always spent the week before Feb. 14 creating highly decorated gargantuan heart envelopes to hang on the fronts of their desks. I cut out simple lavender hearts, attached a stick of peppermint gum to each, and wrote "Valentine, I 'chews' you!" on each one. It was a neat idea from my mother-in-law and one that always won favor. I steered clear of fancy parties. Parents often volunteered to come in and run the show, but experience taught me that only three things mattered to the children: passing out valentines, opening valentines, and eating candy. It was the easiest, cutest party of the year, and the children read and re-read each and ever valentine a dozen times or more.
Interestingly enough, moving to junior high did not eliminate the Valentine's Day rush from my school life. True, we no longer make decorations and devote class time to the preparations, but the excitement still fills the air, and the cards, flowers, and candy still rule supreme. It's amazing how hyper the young teens get on the school day closest to Feb. 14. This year it was the Friday before a week's vacation, so you can imagine how little work got done in my class. I didn't have parties (there were plenty in other classes), but I gave out candy and so did many students, so no one escaped the sugar high. Girls received flowers and teddy bears from their best friends, and a few lucky ones even received them from adoring boys. All in all it was a nice way to end the week and begin our much-needed break from studies.