The Snowflake Chronicles

Valentine's Day

NOTE: This is a compilation of what I know or think I know about Valentines Day.

Valentine’s Day

Valentines Day is one of those holidays that has always fascinated me. To begin with it is a secular holiday that is based on a holy day. St. Valentine was martyred for his belief in Christ. I remember hearing a story about St. Valentine sending a letter to the daughter of his jailer. That’s about all I remember about the history of Valentine’s Day.

I remember when I was in grade school on Valentine’s Day we would take Valentine Cards to school. The day before the entire class would decorate cardboard boxes with red and white hearts, then on Valentine’s Day we would take Valentine’s cards to school and put them in each box. Then before we got out of school, the teacher would pass out cup cakes (usually chocolate) decorated with red and white frosting hearts and we would have milk and cup cakes. After that we would open the valentines boxes and read our cards. I remember one year, I must have been in the first or second grade, not getting very many valentines from the other members of my class. I got one or two but I didn’t get any from the group that was considered the “in crowd”. I had brought enough cards for everyone in the class. The teacher was upset and gave a lecture to the entire class about the adequate of giving cards to everyone in the class. Anyway after that no matter what class I was in the entire class brought enough cards for each individual.

My favorite part of Valentine’s Day is the candy hearts and the chocolate candy in the heart shaped boxes. I especially like multicolored candy hearts; when I was younger I liked them because they were sweet and had cute sayings on them. As an adult I like them because I have no bad memories associated with them. All of my memories that are associated with the candy heart’s are good and pleasant memories. I can’t say the same thing for the heart shaped boxes of chocolate candy.

As I was writing this I realized that, while I’ve always associated the heart shaped boxes of chocolate candy with gifts from lovers, boyfriends or significant others none of the guys I’ve gone out with or had a relationship with ever once give me a box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day. I have had heart shaped boxes of chocolate around Valentine’s Day, but I’ve usually bought them for myself or they came from a family member or someone I worked with as thank you gifts rather than anything else.

(6 Mulk 162 B.E.)