Friday, February 8, 2008

valentine



I noticed something last September. It was Dave's birthday. And, as according to years past, I did not have much planned. But, it was a special day and I thought maybe I should do a little something fun. Even if it is really just for Andrew. Andrew would get a kick out of balloons and cake and the normal birthday stuff that sort of gets pushed aside once you're an adult. So I did. I told Andrew it was Daddy's birthday and we went and got a cake and a little present and we made cards and decorated the dining room with balloons.

Well, of course Andrew loved it. But it so happens that Dave and I loved it too.

The same thing happened at my birthday and then again at Christmas. It always seems to be life's basic lessons that take me most by surprise. In this case the lesson was: it is fun to celebrate holidays.

Normally in our home Valentine's Day comes and goes without notice. I usually send a few cards to family and close friends. And of course, when I was a teacher Valentine's Day was a Big Deal. In Kindergarten the excitement of Valentine's Day is like taking the excitement of the full two weeks before Christmas and packing it into one wild day. I would always leave school with armfulls of flowers and chocolates and mugs. And I'm sure my students would head home and pass out on their beds or couches. It was great!

Well, this year we are going to celebrate. We've decorated a little. I've baked some and will bake more and end up baking too much...as usual. And I will send out some cards. I think I might get Andrew a book or something and wrap it up in red paper.

Valentine's Day gets such a bad rap. But there is something about it that is kind and sweet and funny and um, sweet.

So I think a little celebration is in order.

2 comments:

Melissa Belmonte said...

I love Valentine's Day- maybe because I love chocolate and flowers...maybe because cutting out red and pink hearts for crafts is the limit of my artistic ability. I hope to do something fun with Atticus, too...please share ideas! You're the creative one!

Marti said...

I love Valentine's Day. In the 31 of them I have experienced so far, I think I have only had an actual Sweeheart on the holiday twice. So, I don't really associate it with chocolate and flowers. I associate it with making love letters for all my friends--like a grown-up version of Kindergarten. I've always wanted to make the real-deal Valentine to mail out--a frilly-as-all-get-out, Victorian confection with doilies and hearts and a high Romantic quote. Maybe next year.