Mostly Brave

“We don’t stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing. – George Bernard Shaw

Remember when we were kids and we would decorate our Valentine boxes for school? I would get out foil, markers, construction paper, scissors, and then go to town making my box. I would get so excited to pick out my Valentine cards to give to each classmate. I wanted to make sure that the card was not too gushy because I didn’t want any of the kids to think I was trying to say that I liked them in any special way.  For example, giving a card that said, “Let’s hang out Valentine” was a much safer sentiment than “I am crazy for ya, Valentine.”

When I was in junior high there was Carnation Day for Valentine’s Day. You could buy a white carnation which meant friendship or a pink carnation which meant secret crush or a red carnation which meant love. For me, the pink carnation, because it was so secretive, was the most exciting carnation to receive.

I don’t know when the tradition started but somewhere along the line I thought it would be fun to recreate my childhood Valentine’s party.  Every year is the same.  On the menu: lasagna (which my mom’s recipe is the best in my opinion), a big leafy salad, and yummy garlic bread.  I also make several sweet treats to enjoy after dinner:  chocolate dipped strawberries and white iced cupcakes with conversational heart candies that say, “Be True,” “Cutie Pie,” and “You’re sweet.”

I ask every guest to bring a Valentine box that they have decorated. In the earlier years, the boxes were simpler but my kids are adults now and a fun-spirited competition soon began. Once everyone arrives, we take photographs of all the boxes and post the pictures on Facebook, asking all of our friends to vote on which box is the best, all while we’re having our party. At the end of the evening, the box that gets the most votes at the end of the party gets a prize.

I have each name over each plate so that everyone knows where they are sitting for the evening. I ask that each guest bring a Valentine for each person attending the party. The card can be homemade or it can be from a premade box of Valentine’s. As people arrive they go around the table and put their cards and candy treats on each plate of the person that the card and treats are meant for.

I am so happy that I decided to start this tradition years ago and I am thankful to all my kids that go a long with it and invest in the evening with boxes, cards, and lots of laughs. What childhood memory do you have that you could recreate in your own life?  If you can think of a memory, I encourage you to recreate it.  The kid in you will thank you.