The Old Wooden Valentine

My story begins with an old wooden heart shaped valentine box that was a sign of love to an entire family. It started when my dad explained the story of Valentine’s Day which happened many years ago when Saint Valentine signed a letter with the words Be My Valentine. He told

my mom and me that Valentine Day comes every February 14th. It is a day to celebrate love. Cards, flowers or gifts show their love to another person. He was giving us a surprise gift.

I was a cute four year old girl when my dad came home from work holding two packages.

He gave me a big kiss and handed me the smaller package.”Don’t open it yet. Wait until I give your mom the larger package.” He gave my mom a kiss and then my mom and I opened the two packages.

I could not wait to see what was

in side of the package. I ripped the paper off the gift and there was a small but beautiful red velvet heart. I clapped my hands and hugged my dad. I opened the box and there were so many different kinds of chocolate candies. I was just about to eat one piece when my mom told me I had to eat dinner first but I could eat two chocolate candies for a dessert after dinner.

Next my mom opened her gift and that was a large wooden beautiful red. velvet valentine box tied with a big thick red satin bow, she opened her box and it too was filled with lots of chocolate candies. She kissed my dad and thanked him.

The red velvet Valentines were given to my mother and me. A few years later my sister came along. My sister and I loved those valentines and my mother did too.

My dad passed away when I was a teenager so there were no more valentines for the three of us on February 14th.

Time moves on and I started dating. Some years I received red velvet cardboard boxes from different boy friends and enjoyed receiving them. Other years I was working and moving to a new apartment and I had no time for dating or even falling in love.

My mother did have a boyfriend and he gave her a lovely bunch of flowers but no red velvet valentines.

Then I met the love of my life. When we were dating I told him about the beautiful red velvet valentines that my dad always gave to my mother and to me and

my sister.

He laughed saying “wouldn’t a plain red heart and a card show the same love.” Of course that was true and now red velvet hearts filled with chocolate candies aren’t seen in shops anymore. They were too expensive to be bought.

My boyfriend surprised me on Valentines Day. He had bought a yard of red velvet cloth and found an old cardboard valentine

box. Being very talented he was able to wrap the velvet cloth on the top layer of the box. Inside he put in chocolate candies and one beautiful diamond ring. He also wrapped a silk ribbon around the box.

He rang the bell and i answered the door and he walked in and kissed me. We sat and talked for a while and then it was time to leave for dinner at an upscale restaurant. Waiting for the waiter to take our order he handed me a package. I opened it and there was a beautiful red velvet valentine box. “Open it” he

said. “I will. I would love to have the chocolate for dessert.” “No” he said. “Let’s have a chocolate candy with our drinks.” I opened the box and there were many chocolate candies in it. Right in the middle of all the chocolates there was a beautiful diamond engagement ring. I let out a happy scream and ran to his side of the table and gave him a big hug and kiss. He laughed and asked me to marry him and I answered yes, yes, and yes.

I always treasured the beautiful red velvet box my husband made for me. I kept the box on a shelf in my closet. Instead of a valentine box I received a bouquet every Valentine thereafter.

our daughter was born four years after our wedding and as my dad did for my mother, me and my

sister my husband gave us a cardboard red valentine box filled

With chocolate candies. This time the boxes were not red velvet but he attached a big silk red rose on each box.

When our second child was born my husband bought each one of

us a plant with red roses for Valentine Day. Both children took care of those roses for many years. I received a big bouquet of roses which were always my favorite flower

As the years passed our two girls were married to men with hearts as big as their dad’s. They always remembered February 14th and each family celebrated in their own ways.

MY husband and I were now retired. He never forgot Valentines Day and he always did something special for mom and her girls as well as the grandchildren that he loved unconditionally.

My dad had passed and now my husband and I were going through the boxes that were in my mom’s attic. Some boxes held the Christmas ornaments, others held old clothing to be delivered to charities. There were boxes with each girl’s name on them so all their report cards and drawings and writings were there. The last box had written in capital letters FEBRUARY 14th. “Oh my” I said “could that be the old wooden valentine boxes. Let’s open that one now.” There they were - beautiful wood boxes

with red velvet covering the top. A silk ribbon with a big silk bow enhanced the velvet covering. My mother was watching us take all the boxes down from the attic.

when she saw the red velvet boxes she started to cry.. Seeing her cry we all started crying.

those red velvet valentine boxes indicated all the love that each family member felt. Not one of us will ever forget Valentines Day mixed with love.