It is funny when I reflect on my childhood, I always smile and think of how magical it all was. When I really stop to think why I feel this now, I realize there was no magical wardrobe that I discovered and wandered through, instead there was an abundance of joyful little moments.
I suppose there is only one family tradition that I carry on from my happy, non-magic childhood, and that is the Valentine’s Day exchange at the breakfast table. Each year, my brother and I would sleepily make our way downstairs to discover cards and heart-shaped tins of our favorite mouth-watering candies set at our places at the table.
I think I loved this holiday the most as it would perfectly framed the how my family showed our affection. This was probably the one time each year that my dad bought his own cards for us and wrote his own message to us, mom usually held the reigns in the card writing department. Seeing an architect’s handwriting is always a treat. I get chills now thinking of his machine-like precision and perfect line spacing. You should see the jack-o’-lanterns he carves for Halloween!
Like our Christmas mornings, we would eagerly watch as each person opened their card and read it aloud. As is custom at the Mueller family dining table, there was much laughter and gentle teasing, always with love. Now that I am forty, I love that that wherever we are in the world, my parents, brother and I still manage to send each other cards or messages for the holiday.
After letting holidays and birthdays fall by the wayside during the main stages of the pandemic (and feeling parental guilt over my shortcomings as others shared their amazing gestures on social media), I knew I wanted this year to be great. I wanted to make that same loving magic happen for my own little family.
I downloaded Valentine’s activity mats from the always brilliant York Mumbler blog, presented a ridiculous box of sweets for us to indulge in all day and we proceeded to have the best time. I spent entirely too much money and time on subpar homemade cards that blew my delighted six year old away. It was a day full of love and laughter.
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