Like many holidays, Valentine’s Day changes meaning as we age.
In grade school, you probably exchanged candy with classmates. Maybe those little chalky hearts that say “Be Mine.”
Teachers probably encouraged you to design and color a card for your parents or grandparents.
Later in adolescence, you may have begun to question the validity of the holiday. Perhaps you even protested against celebrating it.
This rite of passage usually ends with a return to celebrating the holiday, particularly by the time you’re old enough to have a boyfriend or girlfriend.
The longevity of the holiday can be verified by the Greeting Card Association, who claims that 145 million greeting cards are bought for Valentine’s Day each year in the United States.
That means two cards are given to every five people in the United States!
No matter what your age, Valentine’s Day is about showing your love for someone else. Maybe you show your love with greeting cards, candies, flowers or dinners. Or maybe you even offer a “free” gesture of love like doing the dishes or giving a foot rub.
You can also show your love on Valentine’s Day by loving your community. Open your heart to those less fortunate, and please consider making a secure, online gift to the St. Louis Area Foodbank in honor of a loved one.
For the price of one $3 greeting card, we can provide 12 meals to your neighbors in need of a little extra love.
By Patrick Delhougne
Development associate at the St. Louis Area Foodbank.
