Be My Valentine

Be My Valentine–a popular sentiment on cards given and received today.

Today is the day to show your love by sending cards, flowers, candy (you can never go wrong with chocolate), or having a romantic dinner.

Today’s Valentine cards are beautiful, but there is a certain charm to the old Valentine cards.

I have a few old Valentine cards that my mom saved. Some were given to my Grandpa Cornelius Schumm, some were given to my mom when she was a student at Zion Lutheran Parochial School at Schumm, and some were given to others.

To my grandfather Cornelius Schumm from Mary Eicher.

I somehow have a couple Valentine cards that were given to Wilbert Germann:

To Wilbert Germann.

To Wilbert Germann, 1927.

To my mom from Herbert, but not my dad Herbert. They didn’t meet until later.

To my mom from Herbert, 1936.

Some of her valentines have moving parts or unfold to become three dimensional and some have intricate cut-out designs.

This Valentine was from Ellen, probably Ellen (Schumm) Black. The little girl looks like Shirley Temple:

To Florence, From Ellen S (1939)

A few other Valentines given to my mom from other friends and from teachers:

To Florence, From Lois (1936)

To Florence, From Marilyn (1944)

To Florence, From Louis

To Florence, From Teacher (1936)

To Florence, From Teacher (1940)

We exchanged Valentine cards with classmates at Willshire elementary school. We each decorated a box or shoe box and cut a large slit in the lid to collect our Valentine cards. Our boxes were usually covered with red or pink construction paper, with hearts of various sizes colored or pasted on the outside. Paper heart-shaped doilies were also popular decorations. We sat our box on our desk and we walked around the classroom and placed a Valentine in each of the other students’ boxes.

And of course there was usually some sort of  food treat involved.

I think I’ll go treat myself to a piece of chocolate, from my favorite Valentine.

Happy Valentine’s Day!