Last year at this time, I wrote a column about celebrating Valentine’s Day when I was a kid attending the Morapos School. Besides other activities, we decorated a valentine box with a slot in the top, a sort of mailbox for all the valentines before they were delivered.

We also made our own valentines for family members and even extra valentines for classmates, even though we would also give them “boughten” cards. It was a busy time because we had to complete our other school work as well.

As a result of the 2023 column, Ava, Saige and Brett Myers, grandchildren of Ted and Patty Myers of Hamilton, thoughtfully sent me valentines that they made from pink and red card stock. They decorated the cards with hearts of various sizes and colors, some with sparkles. I was so touched that I kept the valentines and brought them out again this year and am enjoying them again.

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Valentine’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays — perhaps because it is a bright spot in an otherwise dreary, cold winter — or maybe it’s because I associate it with a neighborhood Valentine’s Day party often hosted by our family, in my growing-up years, for friends each February.

It was a festive occasion, filled with decorated cake, candies and valentine cards. And then, as the years have passed, there are wonderful memories with husband Lyle and sons Jody and Jamie during their growing-up years, and — guess what? — it continues as Jody and Cindy and Jamie and Brandi have raised their own children and are grandparents themselves. That’s a lot of years of valentines and chocolate candy.

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So now that Valentine’s Day 2024 is here, I’ve been thinking about the many wonderful things I have come to associate with the holidays. For example …

• Large red “gummy” (gumdrop-like) hearts

• Boxes of assorted valentine cards (perhaps known as penny valentines) and their envelopes

• A decorated valentine box

• The “smell” associated with perfumes, soaps and flowers displayed in stores

• Cupcakes decorated with red, white or pink frosting and candies

• Chocolate cake decorated with maraschino cherries or gummy hearts

• Big heart-shaped boxes of chocolate candy

• Little boxes of heart-shaped candies of a variety of colors with words such as “love” printed on them

• Red and white paper doilies used to make valentines

• A long-stemmed rose with a ribbon tied at its top

• Chocolate-covered cherries, chocolate éclairs and chocolate fudge

• Antique vases or pitchers filled with fresh flowers

• Strawberry shortcake, angel food cake covered with strawberries and cream and strawberries dipped in chocolate

• Making valentines for special people

• The anticipation of opening valentine cards

• Love

Valentine’s Day is a nostalgic time, indeed. Have a wonderful holiday with your loved ones.