2/12/09

Isn't this just a little bit OTT!?

School is out tomorrow for Parent/Teacher conferences, so today was effectively Valentines for us. Each class had a party in the afternoon and there was lots of candy and cards for all - which is fun.

This is the first year I have been in school on Valentines and so the sending of Valentines to little kids by parents, had totally passed me by before today. But this was our back office this afternoon, and some had already been taken!

Now as far as I can remember this doesn't happen in England, not to this extent anyway, and it never happened when I was a kid. I remember one year I did buy my Gran a Valentine card and she told me not to again, as she felt it was just a cynical attempt by card companies to increase sales to other family members. My Grandad would send cards secretly to my mum and aunt, but that was just a jokey thing he had always done.

So I found today pretty amazing and to be honest totally over the top for little Elementary kids. I did say something like this to a colleague and she responded "oh but you don't want to disappoint the little ones". I didn't bother to reply, but my thought was "if you don't get this started, then they won't be disappointed"!

Maybe it's now the same in England? I know the card companies were starting to produce Valentine cards for anyone you could ever imagine. The florists are certainly laughing all the way to the bank, with this level of nuttiness. They also do everything they can to make it trendy to send your kid a Valentine, but then who can blame them if people want to indulge their kids like this.

I am just a traditionalist, who believes that Valentines Day is mean't as a celebration of the person you are 'in love' with. I also have no issue with High School Valentines, as by then the hormones have kicked in and they get what it's all about. I did however enjoy my chocolate dipped strawberry sample, left by someone delivering :-)

24 comments:

A Brit in Tennessee said...

I liked it best when admirers left you a card in your desk at school, with "Guess Who" written on it, and you really didn't have a clue who left them. It made it all the more fun...

Linda Jennings said...

As a parent of daughters I never sent bouquets, etc. to school for Valentine's and birthdays and was suprised when I learned so many other parents do. I guess I'm a bit old-fashioned.

Unknown said...

No you have good sense Linda! Jacqueline I agree.

George said...

I'll admit that we didn't have the balloons and things, but as kids we exchanged Valentine cards as far back as I can remember.

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Valentine's Day is definitely a time for the card companies, candy companies, balloons, etc... to make MONEY... I could hardly get through Kroger's this week for all of the Valentine's 'stuff.'

George and I prefer to spend Valentine's Day out in nature--searching for waterfalls!!!! We don't do gifts--but we do give each other a card.

I despise that stupid commercial on TV about those stupid teddy bears in Vermont.. GADS!!!!

YOU are RIGHT, Sarah.. It is OTT for sure.
Hugs,
Betsy

Sherri said...

Wow Sarah love the Valentines!! The dipped strawberry looks fabulous!!

Its Just Me - Daring to Dream said...

Now thats just really cool!

Nancy said...

We're passing on valentine's day. Too commercial.

Debra Howard said...

I know what you mean. It is a bit crazy. I used to deliver for some flower shops at Valentines & it was a small town It was crazy what parents were doing. My car then was a mini van. I would make trip after trip every other hour or so to the school. It isn't unusual for a flower shop to clear $10,000.00 to $50,000.00 just on Valentines day. Debbie

Tess Kincaid said...

Valentines Day was AL-ways a huge deal in elementary school. I have the fondest memories of addressing cards and most of all, designing a Valentine card box with a slot for delivery, which would be proudly displayed on my desk. <3

M said...

I do agree with you, I have spent ten years here and was shocked when a colleague told me she sent a Valentine's card to her grown son. I did send my sister a card from Ned though and she called me today to say she received it and that they don't do anything like that in England, so I think it is just America getting their money's worth out of every holiday!

The school that Ned goes to asks parents not to bring in any Valentines at all.

Sarah - Kala said...

I can understand between a couple, but kids in elementary school? Beyond exchanging the wee cards with your particular class, forget it. I loathed buying my kids cards and candy to exchange at school. Although, I think our county ruled NO CANDY at school to be distributed and cakes for birthday's have to be approved or something. I have not clue now, because my younger two are at home with me. My girls fifth grade year a boy gave her friend a stuffed bear and a box of chocolates. I told my girl if she got anything like that from a boy I'd be speaking to the parents - and not very nicely either.

My husband and I love each other very much, so I don't want chocolates or huge things on demand. I would find gifts from him on a whim a lot more romantic.

Pam said...

I totally agree and the school should put a stop to deliveries like this, and I have always thought so. This coming from someone who's kid didn't get to attend a pizza party because she didn't have **two** parents join the PTA, only one parent. Well, guess what, I was a single mom at the time. And I've been cynical of these OTT parents since then. But I'm not still bitter...lol

I can remember my dad coming up and having a little heart-shaped box of chocolates for us in his coat pocket. It is a wonderful memory.

Yogi♪♪♪ said...

I agree. It has gotten totally out of control.

Sassy Britches said...

Give me a break. I had no idea this was going on! My parents would get me and my brother a card, and they would give it to us at the breakfast table. That's it. This is downright showboating.

Anonymous said...

Make it and they will buy it - that's my conclusion after a year and a bit over here. Hook, line and sinker!

Kat said...

What ever happened to the little cards and lunch sack card holders of my youth? This is just way over the top. We got our kids a little card and a TINY little heart box of chocolates for each. It is a small indulgence because we don't allow candy in the house a great deal.

Anonymous said...

Ah, the advanced Hallmarkification of life. If you know who the card is from ,surely it ruins the fun? Well, that's what The Special One will probably tell me when she's forgotten to buy me a card, anyway...

Kay said...

Ooooh! That chocolate dipped strawberry looks scrumptious!

Your school does look a bit over the top. Our elementary school didn't do anything quite that elaborate on Valentines Day. We just had the kids bring Valentines Day cards for their classmates and friends and had a Valentines Day party that the parents brought treats for. You must work for a rich school district. Those balloons are costly, aren't they?

Margaret said...

I like Valentine's day. I think it can be fun. A lot of people do go over the top though. My kids aren't in school, so I don't have to worry about it yet. We have done some Valentine's activities this week though. We made chocolate covered strawberries yesterday. Yum.

Peggy said...

Wow...what a display.
My kids did take Valentine cards to school. They had to have one for each student and they spent a little time in class passing their cards out. Some mothers brought cookies to share and that's about it!
Seems things have changed a bit!

Mmm said...

I remember once doing Valentine's day in Englandwhen I was young but that was the exception to the norm--but then again, Later i went to all boy's schools an dI have to say, I'm quite glad I didn't get any V day cards then! LOL.

Janet said...

I couldn't agree more, totally barmy sending kids Valentines.

Anna said...

Hey, I found your blog from Authorblog which I had found on the Blogs of Note. I'm a Texan living in OK and I think we might actually be fairly close. My school district was closed Thursday and Friday for Parent/teacher conferences.

I'm afraid I don't have a romantic bone in my whole body and am incredibly cheap, so the fact that I think your students' parents went over board probably doesn't mean much.