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?