Valentine's Day

I know Valentine's Day is cheesy and commercialized these days, but in elementary school it is as pure as it ever has been. I remember how exciting it was to make valentines for everyone. You get a list of their names and pick out one for everyone.

I don't know if it is just because I lived in the Middle of Nowhere, Montana growing up, but I remember making my cards by hand. None of those $3 boxes of premade cards with cheesy cartoon characters. HOURS of cutting hearts and hearts and hearts, and putting lace around the edges of the fancy ones.

When I got a little older, I started *customizing* the gifts. I would buy a big bag of those candy hearts and divide them up among my classmates. I actually picked the messages that the people would get...Thinking back on it now, it might be a little stalker-ish of me....

Nowadays, you just get those Disney Princess or Cars valentines, but the principle is still there. Making gifts for everyone in a non-denominational holiday. And then the big day arrives, and the teacher lets you bring your 24 gifts to school, and everyone passes out their valentines. SO MUCH CANDY! So many cards! Everyone gets some, and no one is left out.

Sometimes I miss being a little kid, on days like that.