Better get planning for Valentine’s Day

In our youngest grades, Valentine cards were really important.
My Grade 1 teacher, Mrs. Benson, had a big decorated box that we all put our cards in and then on Valentine’s Day, she opened the box and, as a postman, would take the cards to each of her students.
We waited in eager anticipation to see how many cards we would receive.
Later, in Grades 3 and 4, we made Valentine mailboxes. Then on the appointed day, we would bring our cards to school and go from mailbox to mailbox depositing our Valentines.
I think my parents purchased the cards from Stedman’s or Bud’s Office Supplies, and we punched out the cards and neatly printed our names.
The more expensive cards had separate envelopes to put the Valentine in. They required more work because the envelope had to be addressed while for the less-expensive cards, you only had to print your name.
For six,- seven-, and eight-year-olds, Valentine’s Day was an important occasion.
Now the pressure is on for this weekend. Feb. 14 falls on Saturday this year and men are wondering what the appropriate sign is to present to our respective Valentines.
Would a box of chocolates suffice? Should red roses in a pretty vase appear suddenly from a florist, or do you bring the flowers home?
Should you make reservations at a special restaurant for a quiet romantic dinner by candlelight? Is there a special piece of jewellery that your Valentine covets?
The decisions and options facing a man are daunting. A wrong gift can create disappointment.
Meanwhile, should the Valentine also be planning a special gift for her man? Is there a special meal that the both of you like to make together and enjoy rarely more than once or twice a year?
Is staying at home, sharing a romantic meal, watching a Netflix movie, and enjoying an extra glass of wine or champagne be more to your liking?
It still is not too late to plan. It only might require a card that says “I love You” or it might be more involved. It might be just a fun family night with the kids and a heart-shaped pizza.
Of course, we can play the role of humbug to Valentine’s Day. Do we really have to do something special on that day for that special person in our life?
Do we need Valentine’s Day to force us to admitting that we love and cherish someone, or can we do that every day?
For six-, seven-, and eight-year-olds, the cards were the symbols that we were part of a group.
Today, Facebook lets us count our “friends.” The site probably has an app that you can click, sending a Valentine’s card to all 250 “friends” that you cherish. Isn’t that romantic?
I’d better get planning for Saturday.