7 - Kristina G: Valentine’s Day Was Better In Elementary School

A few days before you had to create a mailbox where you could store all your Valentine’s day treats and gifts. All you need is a shoebox, Elmer’s glue, tape, glitter, and construction paper to assemble your very own, one of a kind Valentine’s day mailbox. By the end of Valentine’s day in elementary school, every sugar hungry child was drowned in candy. Whether it was conversation hearts to the addictive fun dip, parents knew their children weren’t going to sleep that night. 

Honestly, Valentine’s Day back in elementary school was worth cherishing. There was a designated time where students had to pass out store-bought treats, sodas, candy, fake tattoos and those valentine’s day stickers from the dollar tree no one really wanted. Most schools require every student to pass something out. Everyone was guaranteed a pile of gifts and what could be any better than that? 

I have a vivid memory from the 2nd grade of making all of my classmates a handwritten card. It was on the average 8.5x11 white printer paper and of course it was folded in half, hamburger style. I drew myself and the other person on the front and it said “To: (person’s name), From: Kristina” as I tried to use my very best handwriting. When you opened it, a paragraph was written. In this short paragraph, I wrote about my favorite aspects of each person. Whether we were close friends or only acquaintances, it didn’t matter because I always found something positive to say. It ranged from “I really like your hair” to “You are really good at the monkey bars”. Then, I would draw my favorite memory I had with the person. It always depicted me and the other person playing on the playground or in the grass. The amount of effort this took was astonishing. I remember being up the night before trying to complete the very last ones, skimming through the alphabetical class list making sure I didn’t forget anyone. I knew this wasn’t candy or something you can play with after school, but it came from the heart. To this day, I wonder if anyone kept theirs and even still have it today. 

My love for Valentine’s day is rooted in the joys of elementary school. Valentine’s Day in elementary school just meant treats, movies, and arts and crafts. No worries, just pure wholesomeness. It was always fun spending time with your classmates and showing each other what you guys got. Whatever you had planned this year, it’s always fun to reminisce about the simpler times where a box of conversation hearts and a Hershey’s kiss was enough to make you feel loved on Valentine’s Day. 

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