Ahhh..Valentine’s Day! No pun intended, but I love this holiday! It gives me warm fuzzies and good vibes, especially from the memories of grade school in the mid-1970s. 

Deciding what Valentine’s you chose to give your classmates was a big deal! I wanted to be different and not buy the same character or style as other girls, but I didn’t want to get something too babyish. They had to be just right. 

It was a warranted trip to either Hills, Kmart, or Ben Franklin to pick them out. In my early years at school, I recall my teachers neatly copying all our classmates’ names on mimeographed paper so we knew how many cards were needed and that we spelled our friends’ names correctly on the envelopes. If we needed to buy two boxes, it was a bonus for me because I used the extra Valentines when my friends and I played school down our basement.

The next tough choice was deciding what specific card to give to each person in my class, especially the boys. You had to be careful what the message said or else they might think you liked them. You couldn’t be too cautious with this part of the project. 

I always took my time writing my classmates’ names, as well as, my name on the back of the Valentine. I remember one of my sisters suggesting if their name contained the letter “i” make the dot into a little heart! It took days to finish my cards. And who can forget the special teacher Valentine that was included in each box? That one took the most time and concentration to complete.

Over the years, I remember choosing Holly Hobby, Ziggy, and Hallmark Critter Sitters Valentine’s Day cards. Do you remember what cards you picked out? The week of February 14 in grade school was always one we looked forward to! The anticipation of the day and the simple gesture of passing out and receiving Valentine’s Day cards was such a treat! Enjoy all things heart-shaped and red next week!