image from jrsociety.com
Have you noticed an abundance of red and pink everywhere? Red hearts, pink gorillas, candy, candy, candy – chocolate, toys, stuffed roses, plasticized roses, and more.
Yes, it’s hard to miss that Valentines Day is a-coming!
Valentines Day transports me back to being a grade school girl, of punch out Valentines and parties at school with sugar cookies, candy, cake and punch. No veggies & dip for us. Nope, it was sugar-induced decadence all day long. Decorating a shoe box and filling everyone’s with sweet notes. Remember how there was a big Valentine included in the assortment? I always assumed that was for the teacher but there were only a few over the years that I doled it out to.
One year, I had to miss the class party because I’d had a violent bout of chicken pox and was far too itchy (and contagious) to go near the school. Grampa F., a big shouldered Swedish bear of a man, stopped by on his way back from town with a box of Valentines for me to assemble. He even stayed to help me punch out the cards and assemble the envelopes (remember having to do that?). One of my sweetest memories of that gentle soul, but I digress.
So, now, when I see the Kay Jewelry commercials declaring “every kiss begins with Kay” or the Jane Seymour ads touting her upside down hearts that look like someone’s butt, I just have to smile. Sorry, Jane, you’re lovely but .. those are some ugly necklaces.
Valentines Day takes me back to being a young girl and the feeling of a sweet innocence; wondering if a certain someone might write me a special note on his valentines card that year. It reminds me of young love, of having a paper heart stuck on my locker, and the thrill of wondering who put it there. It reminds me of being a young parent to our small boys and watching their excitement as they punched out the cards and wrote names on them, usually accompanied by complaints over how “stupid” it was that they had to do “all that writing.” Now I’m grown and in a happy, well established marriage where we do thoughtful things for each other on a regular basis, not just on a Hallmark holiday. But sometimes, if I’m feeling sentimental, I turn to a little Christmas movie I adore called “Love Actually.” (see trailer below). It’s sweet, lovely and romantic and that’s just right for me.
Happy Valentines Day!
My favorite romantic movies (in no particular order):
- Love Actually
- When Harry Met Sally
- Notting Hill
- Titanic
- Crossing Delancey
- Something’s gotta Give
- You’ve got Mail
- The Wedding Singer
- Sleepless in Seattle
- Calendar Girls
For more on “Love Actually,” see the trailer below:
Fabulous list of movies. When Harry Met Sally is my favorite 🙂
Thank you .. if you like Harry/Sally, as I do, see my post called “It had to be you.”
https://emjayandthem.wordpress.com/2010/11/12/it-had-to-be-you/
Yes, yes! I agree completely! Those Jane Seymour necklaces ARE ugly!
I loved Valentine’s Day as a kid. I even enjoyed writing out all those valentines and envelopes.
I love romantic movies and you have many of my faves on your list.
I knew I liked you, TerriTerri. Thanks for agreeing w/me on the Jane Seymour necklaces … ugly! I’ll admit I’m a sap .. if it’s not a Russell Crowe type adventure (Gladiator anyone?) then give me a Romantic movie to watch. Yum Yum!! Thanks for stopping in, MJ
Came across your blog by accident! 🙂 I’m not a VD kinda gal. But I do love the movies! What about “The Notebook”? My all-time fav.
Thank you, Lioness. I enjoyed “The Notebook” also but the book was even better! If you’re a reader, get “The Wedding” by the same author .. excellent. Thanks for visiting and I hope you come back 🙂 MJ.