Thursday, February 7, 2013

School Valentines

Valentine's Day is coming up soon. At school, the hallways and classrooms are blossoming with hearts and cupids and all things Valentines-y. Did you take those little Valentine's cards to school when you were growing up? Like these--





 My favorites were the teacher cards. Like this one:


And I have no idea why. Other than I was a suck-up. Or a geek. Probably a little of both. 

Did you make those big envelopes to put your Valentines in out of the long construction paper, decorate and tape it to the front of your desk? You just folded a long sheet of white construction paper to within 2 or 3 inches from the top, staple up the sides and write your name on the space at the top.

And then you hoped you would get Valentine's cards.

Because students were not required to give them to everyone in the class. Well, most students weren't. I was required to give one to everyone in my class because my mother said so. And I didn't mind. Until I realized that there was a kid or two who didn't give me one. That sucked.

As the lovelies were growing up, class lists were sent home with the message that your child must either send a Valentine for each of his/her classmates or not send in any at all.

Their receptacles depended on the teacher they had. Some made the envelopes some decorated shoe boxes some covered and decorated cereal boxes and so on.

The Valentine's themselves changed. You could still get those little ones that you stuffed inside those little envelopes that always ripped because they were made of such cheap thin paper. But now, we were sticking a lolly or a heart shaped chocolate to them. OR buying the little candy boxes or the Fun Dip.


And then there were the parties at the end of the school day because, let's face it, they weren't getting enough sugar from the Valentines their friends gave them. We didn't have those parties when I was in school. I guess they didn't want us to have sugar at all. Maybe teachers were smarter back then. Students on a sugar high are a challenge.

I give out Valentine's cards to my intervention groups, my morning monitors and my 5th grade helpers. If I gave one to every student I have, well, that would be close to 600 Valentines. NOT going to happen. I give out 24. That's enough. I don't give them out in front of everyone. They get them only when they are in the lab.

This year, they're getting these:


I give the candy out before sending the students back to their classrooms. Because I'm smart too. 
 
What do you remember about school Valentines?


11 comments:

  1. Fun post! The Air Heads valentines sound great to me. :-) I hated it when Valentines got really cheaply made and were in those, as you said, cheap thin envelopes. I think before that we made them out of construction paper, along with red and white construction paper chains. And all I cared about was that I got those yummy little conversation hearts. LOVE those things. A handful of them puts me in a coma (almost). It wasn't until years later that I found out the same company made my other favorite candy, NECCO wafers!

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  2. We would use shoes boxes and wrap them with aluminum foil and cut a hole in the top. And we could choose who to give them to.

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  3. My memory of the card exchanges are fuzzy. The tiny candy hearts with little to no taste were popular. Do they still pass those around? Hey thanks for the Valentine post - I'll put it in my virtual collection. Happy Valentine's Day.

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  4. I hardly remember but I'm pretty sure we did a decorated shoebox. Don't you just love those Vintage cards?

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  5. I think that school days ruined any love for Valentine's Day. I was very aware that this was an unequal celebration and hated it.

    I did love those books of Valentines that we cut out, though. Cutting out was always fun.

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  6. You know I forgot about those giant envelopes we would hang from our desks and I remember praying that I would get Valentines in them. My Mom made me give them to everyone too.
    I think of the poor kids would wouldn't even get a few. Gosh how horrible would that be?
    I loved all of those Valentines you have pictures of, It still is one of my favorite holidays.

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  7. Ah, being back in the school must make Valentine's Day so much more fun! I remember doing the store bought Valentine's as a kid and then with my kids, so fun :)

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  8. In the cities we never did the valentines but when we moved up here to a small school we would make our own and hand them to everyone. We did paper plate holders and then covered them in those lacey really thin paper hearts.
    Now with the daycare, we do exactly the same thing or use the brown lunch bags all decorated and then we make valentines for each other and the mama and daddy's.
    I'd like to find those candy hearts with words on them in those little pink boxes to give to my bus drivers. Haven't found them yet.
    Thanks for the good thoughts. Take care Pam. Blessings!!!

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  9. I guess I remember about the same things you do. Now that I work in the office at a school I can give out as much candy as I want and send the darlings off to class on their sugar rushes - ha! ;)

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  10. I only remember Valentine's at my secondary boarding school, and when the mail would come, hoping there would be one for me! I think I got a few over the years, but of course there were the usual "popular" girls who got loads!
    All celebrations now seem to involve sugar, and I'm not sure that's good. As you rightly say, maybe teachers back then were more clever!

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  11. Judy- I love those conversation hearts too. I had to get a few boxes of those too because I have a couple of students who can't eat chewy candy.

    Bill- Are you talking about the hearts with the comments on them? They do still make those. You just reminded me of those tiny little red hot hearts. Those were good! Thanks for including me!

    Debby- I do love vintage cards! For every season and reason! :)

    Stephanie- I was well aware of it too. What are these books of which you speak?

    Kim- I know. And, my mom made me take a few extra in case I accidentally left someone out.

    Lucy- It is fun because, with kids around, everything is fun!

    Julie- Walmart has those little pink boxes of hearts with words on them. I bought some for my students who can't have chewy candy.

    Martha- Hahahahaha! Smart woman!

    Mimi- Popular girls always got loads whether they came in the mail or straight to school. There will be TONS of sugar at school on Thursday. It's ridiculous.

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Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! It makes me feel connected to everyone even though we may live far apart! Have a wonderful day!

 
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