Before my family size multiplied by two … back when I was still young and had lots of energy … before my capacity to think creatively had been eaten away by too many diaper changes, soccer games and elementary school projects… I unwisely set a precedent of celebrating Valentine’s Day as if it were an important holiday.

Gift shopping for everyone, special treat baking and craft projects filled my hours in the days before Valentine’s Day.

Grace and I would make special Valentines for every member of her class. None of those boxes of Blue’s Clues cards for us! OH NO! We made Valentine butterflies with sticks of gum and licorice, Valentine mice with chocolate kisses, Valentine lollipop flowers, and Bee-mine Valentines with pipe cleaners and pencils.

Of course “we” is a bit of a stretch. Rather “I” would spend hours gluing wiggle eyes, cutting felt hearts, writing names, and twisting pipe cleaners for the chosen Valentine card of the moment.

I feel a little guilty allowing that tradition to go by the wayside just because Jack is the LAST of the kids to have a school Valentine’s Party. So last week, I set about making “windowpane” cookies for each of his classmates (Family Fun magazine, once again) and tying each of them neatly in a heart-adorned goodie bag with a red bow.

The next morning, I realized we had forgotten to decorate a Valentine box for him. I can’t believe that they STILL do those. I remember digging out a shoe box, covering it in tin foil and construction paper hearts when I was in fifth grade. Some customs just don’t die.

So I trudged down to our dungeon of a basement where there is craft project material galore… as long as you’re willing to battle the spider webs and the layer of dirt that covers every surface. As I rummaged for a shoe box, I noticed some bright pink Victoria Secret boxes left over from the girls’ Christmas pajamas. PERFECT!

I grabbed one of those, cut a mail slot in the top, covered the “Victoria Secret” on the box top with the pink tissue paper that was still inside and “Voila!” a Valentine box.

My only problem was how to sell Jack on taking a pink VS box to school.

Problem solved!