I remember Valentine's Day fondly with all those little perforated store-bought cards in the thin, flimsy envelopes. I remember decorating my shoe box with the slot cut into the top and feeling like the postmistress of my own little world. It was SO exciting to receive those colorful little cards, addressed to me!
Now the kids decorate Valentine's Day bags because there would be no way that the lollypops, chocolates, miniature candy bars, and packages of unnaturally colored sugar products would fit into a slot in a shoebox.
Heaven help you if you are the child giving out Valentines without some sugary goodness attached.
Oh, I am totally guilty too!! My kid traipsed off with the Tootsie Pops with a tag around each with his name so they could know he had paid his due.
My friend Lora pointed out that President's Day and Fourth of July are the only un-candified holidays. But here, they throw candy at the Fourth of July parade. I think Memorial Day, Labor Day, and Veteran's Day are "clean".
As I type this, I'm sure the candy aisle at the grocery store has been completely converted from Valentine's Day to Easter. It's 12 months of candy in that aisle, just the hues and colors change.
My kids are NOT getting heart-shaped boxes of candy. They did get USB flash drives. And I am taking them to the local bakery/coffee shop later for some quality time. They also got hand-written notes in their lunches (hope they are not embarrassed).
I'm just annoyed that on the one hand we all shake our heads at the "obesity epidemic" then can't celebrate anything without Nestle, Hershey's, Mars, Cadbury....
I can't stand feeling like a pawn in the hands of candy and greeting card companies.
Oh, I am SUCH a Scrooge!