Valentine's Day

I know there are a lot of Valentine's Day haters out there, some may think it is a fabricated holiday for card companies to make some extra cash. I will admit I was shocked to find while shopping for a card for JH, I flipped one over to find it cost $6.79, it wasn't gigantic in size, it didn't sing or record your voice, it was just a card, a little pricey in my opinion. I won't bore you with the history of Valentine's Day but if you're interested you can find it here and for those of you who don't want to click through, Hallmark didn't invent the day.

Valentine's Day has always been my favorite, even as a kid I wanted to volunteer for that party above all the rest, I would carefully pick out my valentine's cards and put a lot of thought into who would get which one and delicately decorate my shoebox that turned into my personal mailbox for all the special valentines I would receive.

One of my favorite memories with my friend Calista is we were supposed to be studying for a Marketing test we had on Valentine's Day and instead spent all hours of the night making homemade valentines and decorating cookies so we could distribute them the next day to our boyfriends. We obviously did something right because we both passed the test and married the valentine we had that year.

Another reason Valentine's Day was always so special is we would wake up to find a Valentine's Day poem written for each of us and posted on the door from my dad. Now that I am not living at home, I still receive a poem via email from my dad each year. Don't go thinking my dad is some romantic sap, he would never admit to it, but his poems always rhyme and are short and sweet.

Even today, I love sending cards to my friends and family, baking treats and making others feel special and loved on this holiday. The day is about much more than chocolates, cards, flowers and gifts, it is about letting those around you know they are loved.

Happy Valentine's Day! xoxo