Valentine's Day

Valentine's day isn't the same today as it was when I was a little girl. Now a days all of the kids sign there name to a bunch of Valentine's cards and give them to the teacher who then hands them out to every kid in class. This is both good and bad. It's bad in that there is no creativity in the process and it's very generic. However, this process is good because every kid gets a Valentine's card and no one is left out.

Back in the day we would decorate large boxes and place them at the edge of our desks. Throughout the day, we would secretly slip a Valentine in the boxes. This was quite nerve racking because some of the kids would get 20 or more Valentines while the "my mom sucks at cutting my hair" kid would get 3 pitiful Valentines. If you weren't aware of your social status before Valentine's day, you certainly were on February 15th.

Further anxiety came with the hope and anticipation of getting that one special Valentine from the cute boy in class. In my 5th grade class that cute boy's name was Danny. I had a crush on Danny for quite a while and was sure he had a crush on me as well. I mean come on, I wore 10 black plastic bracelets (the same ones Madonna wore), a black lace glove, and blush. No, my mom didn't let me wear any of that. I would sneak it out of the house and then doll up in the school bathroom (sorry mom).

Anyways, Valentines day came and we exchanged Valentines. I eagerly searched my Garfield decorated box for that special Valentine I waited all day for. And then... I found it! With anxiety and excitement I opened it and searched it. NOTHING!!!! No heart to dot the i, no heart candies that say kiss me, no clue what so ever of any reciprocation of mutual cuteness. Now his Valentine that I gave him... well... let's just say I was teased for the rest of the school year.

Jamie