Special dates tend to sneak up on me. For instance, I know that Valentine's Day is February 14, but I fail to realize that I must be ready in advance. So, with the arrival of a valentine card in the mail on Friday (Feb. 11), I realized it was time to buy and send a few cards. Arriving at the local Dollar Tree, I was startled to find the open stock valentines depleted. Gone. Empty slots. Labels denoted that there had been cards for sweethearts and lovers and also for mothers, fathers, daughters, sons, granddaughters, grandsons -- well, you get the picture. Ironically, the few remaining cards were for husbands and wives. Probably half a dozen shoppers stood staring at the empty rack, trying to comprehend how it was that three days before Valentine's Day the shopping was virtually over at this place. Since I still needed a couple of cards, I went on to Albertson's. I was amazed by the Valentine's Day displays of decadent desserts, varieties of cookies frosted pink and white, strawberries dipped in chocolate, roses, plants, and heart-shaped boxes of chocolates. More chocolates were located on aisle 11, said the sign. Again I found the cards picked over. Selecting one from the rack, I found it was priced at $5.00 and put it back. I'm philosophically opposed to paying that much.
On to Jo-Ann where once again I found a nearly empty rack. So I went to WalMart where I played shuffle with other shoppers before the rack of cards. I was able to find the cards I needed. There were plenty still available but they were going fast.
Some years ago, I used to buy and mail quite a number of valentine cards, but one year Mike balked. As we were signing the cards, he asked, "Do I have to ask Doug [grandson] to be my valentine? Men do not ask men to be their valentine. Only one person is my valentine -- you!" Well, I had to admit it was food for thought. The children were still home at the time, and I moved to providing a gift of candy for each instead of a traditional card that was tossed over the shoulder at first glance.
These days, we celebrate Valentine's Day simply. Mike and I exchange cards over a simple supper I have prepared and share a heart-shaped cake. There will not be expensive gifts -- not even a box of candy, thank goodness. Just a comfortable evening shared after Mike's hard day at work.
[The card is a mid-'70s Hallmark sent to Mike and me and signed from my mother and dad. On the back is noted: "From the Hallmark Historical Collection. The cover design is a reproduction of an antique Valentine in the charming style of the Gay Nineties era." This is a flat reproduction of a card that no doubt had a 3-dimensional element. Price: $1.25.]
5 comments:
Thanks for the vintage card, Kathy. From what I've heard, people that lived in the Victorian era made a big deal out of Valentine's day. They sent cards to everyone!
My Albertsons was overflowing with Valentines gift choices, just like yours. I walked in the door Friday, stopped short and said "Good grief!" There was so much candy, flowers, chocolates and cards at the front of the store that I wondered if they hadn't overestimated how many customers come into that store.
Happy Valentines Day to a great couple...Kathy and Mike.
Thanks, Leah. So I guess we have confirmed that the directive from Albertson's head office was to build those displays at the front door. And you know -- that store bakery stuff just isn't as good as it looks. It's not!!!
A few weeks ago Dan was looking for our college diplomas and dug into the space under the stairs. One of the boxes he brought out had my old scrapbooks from elementary and high school and I had a fun few hours turning pages. My point? Valentines cards, pages of them from elementary days (too bad I glued them down and didn't write who they were from, but I was nine or ten...) and ones from you and Andrea in high school. Of course those were "real" cards from Hallmark and American Greetings.
I only give Valentines cards to our grandsons these days--Dan and I quit exchanging cards years ago--even for birthdays. We'd rather have a hug and a kiss. :-)
Happy Valentine's Day!
Not exchange cards? I could totally go for that. I just never thought of it. Hmmmmmmmmmmm.
And with the price of greeting cards today, a home made card sounds pretty good. Cut out a heart from fabric scraps, Glue a smaller heart on top with the message. Glue a cardboard heart on the back to give it stability. No fair buying anything.
Another good idea would be a heart cut out of a brown paper bag for a guy. Glue an old key to the heart and say something like "You have the key to my heart." The Ideas are endless.
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