[SIZE=12pt]It was quite shocking and also disheartening to learn that one of my most favorite holidays, Thanksgiving, turned out to be a holiday celebration of a massacre. That's right. Thanksgiving in fact was not a feast that we thought it was. Instead it was quite the opposite because instead of sharing their bounty across the tables, the Pilgrims and Indians fought a bloody massacre instead. For some unknown reason, that was not in my history book when I attended St. Peters as a child. As a matter of fact, we had a school play each year replicating this day as a friendship-making between the Pilgrims and the Indians. It took a whole turn of the century before my oldest son brought it to my attention that my Macy's Day Parade entertainment and my turkey dinner was all a big facade and that his school said that my school screwed up. Good thing my parents who paid all that tuition for years never found out. Daddy would have been grouchy and not been able to enjoy the game. [/SIZE]
Now we have Valentines Day upon us but none of us really know exactly why. And do we really want to research this one? I think not because I already did and it ain't no walk in the park or reason to be getting eatable nighties and roses. We do know that there was a St. Valentine who was or was not a Bishop in 5th century Rome or prior to that and he was a martyr. There are conflicting stories about how this Valentines Day really occurred. One of them suggests that Emporer Claudius the Cruel decided to ban marriages. Well, Bishop Valentine continued to marry people anyway in the name of love, which was against the law. So, Claudius got ticked and threw him in jail. While in jail, Valentine was befriended by the jailers daughter, and wrote her letters and poems. He gave her these letters on the day he was killed, Feb. 14 and then it just spiraled from there. Actually I have found 3 other stories about it and some versions sound rather pagan and gross me out and they all are most definitely bloody, violent and sad. From Emperor Claudius the Cruel chopping off heads to orgies that last anywhere from one night to a year, we really aren't sure what the heck we are celebrating or worse, why. So once again, just like my shock about what really happened on Thanksgiving this is messy. Oh rats. My bubble has bursted again.
All I remember is that back at St. Peter's, we had a great time celebrating Valentine's Day. Each year, in each grade, 1-8, we had the official Valentine's Day box. This was a cardboard box that was used to hold the Valentine cards that the students would exchange later on in the day. One diligent student for each grade would be selected year after year, usually depending on who begged and pleaded and raised their hand the highest half way falling out of their seat to be chosen as maker of "the box." And lucky diligent me was chosen about three times because I had a reputation back then as a very good Valentine's Day box maker. Well that's not entirely true. The nuns just liked me a lot because I took piano lessons from them and knew the whole score from the Sound of Music backwards and forwards. Yes, I was a brown noser. I think I got that from My Mother, but hey, it paid off ! I always got chosen to pass out paper so beat that!. The rest of the class was assigned to bring paper plates, drinks, and home made cookies and brownies and candy but no gum. We were party animals.
Moving right along.......Mother would take me to the store to help me select the perfect box for the job.She was so proud that I was selected to make the box and had to call about 10 of her friends to brag on me and what an honor was bestowed on us. Made me crazy when she did that stuff. Anyway, It had to have a removable top so looking for the perfect box was not very easy but I would always come through for my class. My box was always sturdy and big. I would begin decorating the box by gluing or taping white tissue paper all around it. I would cut red hearts out of construction paper and glue them on it. I'd use red ribbons, maybe some paper doilies, whatever mother had. It was a big deal back then to even have construction paper so I was very lucky. I was also lucky enough to have stencils at home too so that I could spell out "Happy Valentines Day" and cut the letters out of construction paper and glue it on the box. And last but not least, I glued candy conversation hearts all over the box. Boy, was I ever proud of my box! When Valentine's Day came, Dad would give me a ride to school in the car instead of making me walk 10 blocks knee deep in snow through the city streets with the box so I wouldn't get it wrecked along the way. He knew I'd slip and fall as I always did. I loved it when everyone oohed and ahhed when they got to see my box and the kids couldn't wait to put their valentines in it. Yes, life was so much simpler back then and we enjoyed everything.
We made our valentines back then too. We used construction paper, paper doilies, crayons, yarn, regular paper, and our imagination. We usually would pick out our closest friends to make a card for. Sometimes that was pretty sad because the popular kids would have cards from everyone in the class stacked up on their desk and the non-popular kids would only have about 3 or 4 and feel embarrassed. But that's the way it was done.
Fast forward to Valentines Day in the 1990's. I'm asking my kids' teachers if they would like us to make the box, or should I bake homemade cookies or brownies or what? Cupcakes! That's it! I make fabulous cup cakes from scratch and I'll color the icing and decorate them with hearts. No? What do you mean no? Well silly me.......they don't do boxes anymore I guess. That's a shame. These kids are really missing out on fun. And what's worse, nobody wanted me to bake for their class either. It seems that if a mother bakes for the class, she might use ingredients that a child may be allergic too and it's not allowed. That translates nicely into the school-board saying that there's a lot of mothers out there that have the Munchausen's! Oh terrific. What do they think I'm going to do? Put ridilyn in the browines and make the whole class be zombies for the day? Gee whiz...... So now what do the mothers do if we can't bake or help our kids make a box?
Well that's easy. First off, we can buy pizzas for the class at Pizza Hut or Domino's. HUH? That's $137.93 . OR, we can buy Happy Meals for the class at McDonald's. Oh gee thanks. That's only $76.90, So much better. I can handle that one easily. (As I poop my pants).
Then what? You buy a ton of pre-made valentine cards because everyone in the class gets one and they will give you a list of names. Huh? Yea. They have Barbie cards, Hulk Hogan cards, Sponge Bob cards, Dora the Explorer cards, Beavis and Butt Head cards and on and on and on. You must be joking. But no., this is not a joke. I know, because I went to Walmart back then and sure enough.....there they were. Now what in heck does Barbie and Beevis have to do with Valentines' Day I have no idea. But then again, I'm still not sure why we are celebrating Valentines' Day either.
Are you?
Happy Valentines Day Anyhow........
:
Timmy says to give you all a big smooch!
Now we have Valentines Day upon us but none of us really know exactly why. And do we really want to research this one? I think not because I already did and it ain't no walk in the park or reason to be getting eatable nighties and roses. We do know that there was a St. Valentine who was or was not a Bishop in 5th century Rome or prior to that and he was a martyr. There are conflicting stories about how this Valentines Day really occurred. One of them suggests that Emporer Claudius the Cruel decided to ban marriages. Well, Bishop Valentine continued to marry people anyway in the name of love, which was against the law. So, Claudius got ticked and threw him in jail. While in jail, Valentine was befriended by the jailers daughter, and wrote her letters and poems. He gave her these letters on the day he was killed, Feb. 14 and then it just spiraled from there. Actually I have found 3 other stories about it and some versions sound rather pagan and gross me out and they all are most definitely bloody, violent and sad. From Emperor Claudius the Cruel chopping off heads to orgies that last anywhere from one night to a year, we really aren't sure what the heck we are celebrating or worse, why. So once again, just like my shock about what really happened on Thanksgiving this is messy. Oh rats. My bubble has bursted again.
All I remember is that back at St. Peter's, we had a great time celebrating Valentine's Day. Each year, in each grade, 1-8, we had the official Valentine's Day box. This was a cardboard box that was used to hold the Valentine cards that the students would exchange later on in the day. One diligent student for each grade would be selected year after year, usually depending on who begged and pleaded and raised their hand the highest half way falling out of their seat to be chosen as maker of "the box." And lucky diligent me was chosen about three times because I had a reputation back then as a very good Valentine's Day box maker. Well that's not entirely true. The nuns just liked me a lot because I took piano lessons from them and knew the whole score from the Sound of Music backwards and forwards. Yes, I was a brown noser. I think I got that from My Mother, but hey, it paid off ! I always got chosen to pass out paper so beat that!. The rest of the class was assigned to bring paper plates, drinks, and home made cookies and brownies and candy but no gum. We were party animals.
Moving right along.......Mother would take me to the store to help me select the perfect box for the job.She was so proud that I was selected to make the box and had to call about 10 of her friends to brag on me and what an honor was bestowed on us. Made me crazy when she did that stuff. Anyway, It had to have a removable top so looking for the perfect box was not very easy but I would always come through for my class. My box was always sturdy and big. I would begin decorating the box by gluing or taping white tissue paper all around it. I would cut red hearts out of construction paper and glue them on it. I'd use red ribbons, maybe some paper doilies, whatever mother had. It was a big deal back then to even have construction paper so I was very lucky. I was also lucky enough to have stencils at home too so that I could spell out "Happy Valentines Day" and cut the letters out of construction paper and glue it on the box. And last but not least, I glued candy conversation hearts all over the box. Boy, was I ever proud of my box! When Valentine's Day came, Dad would give me a ride to school in the car instead of making me walk 10 blocks knee deep in snow through the city streets with the box so I wouldn't get it wrecked along the way. He knew I'd slip and fall as I always did. I loved it when everyone oohed and ahhed when they got to see my box and the kids couldn't wait to put their valentines in it. Yes, life was so much simpler back then and we enjoyed everything.
We made our valentines back then too. We used construction paper, paper doilies, crayons, yarn, regular paper, and our imagination. We usually would pick out our closest friends to make a card for. Sometimes that was pretty sad because the popular kids would have cards from everyone in the class stacked up on their desk and the non-popular kids would only have about 3 or 4 and feel embarrassed. But that's the way it was done.
Fast forward to Valentines Day in the 1990's. I'm asking my kids' teachers if they would like us to make the box, or should I bake homemade cookies or brownies or what? Cupcakes! That's it! I make fabulous cup cakes from scratch and I'll color the icing and decorate them with hearts. No? What do you mean no? Well silly me.......they don't do boxes anymore I guess. That's a shame. These kids are really missing out on fun. And what's worse, nobody wanted me to bake for their class either. It seems that if a mother bakes for the class, she might use ingredients that a child may be allergic too and it's not allowed. That translates nicely into the school-board saying that there's a lot of mothers out there that have the Munchausen's! Oh terrific. What do they think I'm going to do? Put ridilyn in the browines and make the whole class be zombies for the day? Gee whiz...... So now what do the mothers do if we can't bake or help our kids make a box?
Well that's easy. First off, we can buy pizzas for the class at Pizza Hut or Domino's. HUH? That's $137.93 . OR, we can buy Happy Meals for the class at McDonald's. Oh gee thanks. That's only $76.90, So much better. I can handle that one easily. (As I poop my pants).
Then what? You buy a ton of pre-made valentine cards because everyone in the class gets one and they will give you a list of names. Huh? Yea. They have Barbie cards, Hulk Hogan cards, Sponge Bob cards, Dora the Explorer cards, Beavis and Butt Head cards and on and on and on. You must be joking. But no., this is not a joke. I know, because I went to Walmart back then and sure enough.....there they were. Now what in heck does Barbie and Beevis have to do with Valentines' Day I have no idea. But then again, I'm still not sure why we are celebrating Valentines' Day either.
Are you?
Happy Valentines Day Anyhow........
Timmy says to give you all a big smooch!
Last edited by a moderator:
