What happened to Valentines Day?

When I was a child in elementary school I loved Valentines Day. I loved decorating my shoe box with pretty hearts and Xs and Os. I loved making my valentines or choosing out my cards. And I was always very careful to give the appropriate card to the appropriate person. Remember how a box of valentine cards would come with 2-4 special cards that were bigger? I was always sure to give those to the people I liked the most... meaning a best friend, a teacher, and the two boys I was sure I was in love with.

Over the past 4 years as I have watched Sage experience Valentines Day, I have come to the realization that cards and notes are no longer as popular as suckers and nerds. Last year when my kids brought home their Valentines Day loot, they showed me what they had received, and honestly it looked more like a bag of  pink and red Halloween candy than a bag of sweet cards. How are you supposed to know that a boy likes you from a simple box of nerds? It seems as though the point of valentines day has been lost. The simple joy of opening an envelope and reading a card is no longer existant among our children. Instead its how much candy you can get.

So this year I am going to find cards that actually come with envelopes and have room for my kids to write a sincere note to their classmates. And I am going to teach them that valentines day is not just another holiday to get candy candy candy. And hopefully as they grow up, they will realize that you do not have to purchase chocolates and presents for valentines day. It is not Christmas. Its a time to express your love even if its with a simple letter of admiration or adoration.