Valentine’s Day Peaked in Elementary School

Curling and styling your hair, nails done, and trying to look as nice as you can so your hallway crush will notice you on the most stressful holiday: Valentine’s Day.
You walk to your class hoping with all your heart they will finally notice you and ask you out. But, sadly, just like every year, the day doesn’t line up the way you had dreamed it to be.
Nobody wins on Valentine’s Day. It is just stressful for the lucky people in a serious relationship, and disappointing and sad for the rest of us who are single. The fact of the matter is that this holiday peaked in elementary school.
I remember when February would roll around, and I would count down the days until Valentine’s. When I was still in elementary school, there was so much excitement leading up to the holiday. My siblings and I would all gather around the long dining room table as we hand wrote love notes to our friends and teachers, covering them in glitter and cut-out hearts.
When we went to the store, we searched for the best movie and character-themed candies to hand out to our class. As our mom stressed out about having enough candies for each student in the class, we were trying to find the coolest thing to pass out to be popular.
We would then sit down again at the messy table and write everyone’s name on a piece of candy as we triple checked that we had enough. Then it was time for the true craft of the season — making the best Valentine’s Day box.
From kindergarten to second grade, I remember our teachers telling us to decorate a paper bag with cute drawings and stickers, but by the time I had moved on to the third grade, the entire game had changed. My friends brought in boxes that looked like gumball machines and hot air balloons, and I was determined to win the competition the following year.
I had moved into a new elementary school and believed that this was my fresh start. My rookie Valentine’s Day Box story was just beginning.
I told my dad my dream to win and beat my cousin who apparently had the coolest R2D2 box from the following year. As I begged my dad to help me, he decided to go all in.
After getting all of the supplies we needed. we went to work and stayed up way too late for a school night to make the perfect Millenium Falcon.
My arms were more than full as I walked into school with a Valentine’s box that was almost as big as me. It was the peak of my elementary social life. The kids around me shared vocal “oohs” and “ahhs” as I walked past them with my head high, proud of my creation – even if my dad had done 90% of the work.
Then it was time for the class party. Playing BINGO with conversation hearts and frosting cookies and covering them in bright pink and red sprinkles while shoving our faces with as much candy as we could eat.
Once the school day was finally over, my siblings and I would gather round and count how much candy we had collected from our friends and make trades to get all the Fun Dips.
These sugar-filled moments are what made Valentine’s so fun. Spending time with my family and friends as we ate cookies and exchanged love notes was the best Valentine’s will ever be.
Now, this holiday that is meant to be full of love is full of dread. Trying to make the day perfect for that special someone or confessing your love to your hallway crush, the holiday just isn’t the same. Rather than festive cardboard boxes, there are PDA couples walking down to class. Valentine’s Day is meant to be a simple holiday to spend time with friends and family and eat candy as you watch romcoms.
So don’t stress about making it perfect, remember the good old days in elementary school. Make it fun! And fill it with candy and cardboard boxes.