Valentine’s Day is my all time favorite holiday, and the reason for this comes from my grade school days. A week or so before February 14^th, each year our teachers allowed us to make a large valentine box where we placed our valentines to be given out in the afternoon to our fellow classmates. The box was just an ordinary thing to start out with, but when the decorating was complete, it was an absolute work of art, or at least we believed it was. The outside of the box was usually covered completely with crape paper. Tiny hearts and other frilly valentine decorations adorned the sides and top. There was usually a party in the afternoon with some of the mothers providing Kool aid and cupcakes. That was such fun!

Every year as Valentine’s Day approaches, I always look in various stores that carry Valentines to see if, just by chance, one of the companies that produce Valentines come to their senses and start making them like those we had in the 1950's. They simply can’t be found today, and I have a terrible time understanding why. Those that are available I wouldn’t be caught dead with. They have absolutely no taste. Their terrible! Somebody bring by the 1950's valentines!

I have managed to collect a few old Valentines from the ‘50's and earlier. There are lots available on Ebay, and I have bought some that way, but I prefer to hold them in my hand before I pay for them. Once in a while, I have run across some on the 127 Yard Sale. Nothing today compares with those of my grade school days.

To complete my journal entry this week, someone shared the following with me, and I, in turn, will share it with you. I thought it is just very special and I believe you will too.

"What Does Love Mean?"

"A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds. The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. Here are some of the answers:"

"When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love." Rebecca - age 8

"When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth." Billy - age 4

"Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out together." Karl - age 5

"Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your french fries without making them give you any of theirs." Chrissy - age 6

"Love is what makes you smile when you feel tired." Terri - age 4

"Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him to make sure the taste is okay." Danny - age 7

"Love is when you kiss each other. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that." Chloe - age 8

"Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas when you stop opening presents and listen." Bobby - age 7

"If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend you don’t like very much." Nikka - age 6

"Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, and then he wears it everyday." Noelle - age 7

"Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well." Tommy - age 6

"During my piano recital, I was on stage and I was so scared. I looked at all the people watching me and I saw my Daddy waving and smiling. He was the only one doing that. I wasn’t scared anymore." Cindy - age 8

"My mommy and daddy love me more than anybody else. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night." Clare - age 6

"Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of the chicken." Elaine - age 5

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy all smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford." Chris - age 7

"Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you’ve left him alone all day." Mary Ann - age 4

"I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones." Lauren - age 4

"When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you." Karen - age 7

"Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn’t think it’s gross." Mark - age 6

"You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget." Jessica - age 8