Valentine’s Day at school used to involve decorating shoeboxes with hearts and spending hours crafting or buying the perfect cards and trinkets for classmates. The sound of crinkling candy wrappers filled the air, and decorated classrooms enhanced the spirit of the holiday. Today, these beloved traditions are a distant memory. 

Students would bring boxes and spend their morning passing out and receiving goodies ranging from candy to cards to temporary tattoos. Personalized notes and gift bags would be ritualized. Cartoon characters, cheesy jokes, and glittery hearts would be front and center on these cards, stamps, and stickers. Exchanging these simple gifts brought students together, whether they were close friends or had never talked to each other.

Today, digital communication has replaced handwritten notes, and social media has become a place to boast with pictures of gifts and dates. Instagram stories with pictures of roses, chocolates, and dinner dates are frequent on feeds, accompanied by captions about love. There is a lack of spirit around the Valentine’s Day season, with many even opting not to wear red, pink, or white on the holiday, something that was common and encouraged in elementary school.

Despite the outside factors that have caused Valentine’s Day to change so drastically over the years, bringing back some of these traditions doesn’t have to be complicated. Simple moments from the past, like shared treats on this special day, can reinforce connectedness on Valentine’s Day.