The Gazette-Enterprise

SEGUIN — Nothing says “I love you” like a box of chocolate bonbons or a bouquet of pretty red roses for that someone special on Valentine’s Day.

It is what most consider the norm every Feb. 14 when Cupid takes careful aim at the love lorn and the hopeless romantics of the world.

But a day reserved for lovers often holds a mixed bag of memories, and some of those go all the way back long ago grade-school parties.

Judith Sagebiel has fond memories of Valentine’s Days past.

Many of those memories began with the small paper bags she and other young students decorated with pink and red construction paper hearts.

In most grade-school classrooms, the bags hung on the edge of chalkboard railings and on the day grade-schoolers feasted on cupcakes and punch, Judith and the other students looked forward to the surprises found inside.

“I always enjoyed those little candied hearts, and who would give certain little hearts to who,” she said. “If I had a little boyfriend and he would give me one of those, my heart would soar.”

Judith said she looked for the card envelopes with “lumps” and then she knew she’d gotten a special card with one of those candied hearts inside.

“I would get so excited, and I couldn’t wait to open it to see what it said and who it was from,” she said.

Diana Lara’s Valentine’s Day memory didn’t involve candied hearts with cute sayings, but it did involve carnations to a special high school crush.

“I sent a flower to this boy in my class who happened to have a girlfriend,” Lara said. “She wanted to beat me up, but now we are real good friends.”

Melissa Crume’s Valentine’s Day past borders some on the unusual with a first date to the movies for “My Bloody Valentine,” a bottle of Chanel No. 5 and golden heart pendant when she was 16.

Kendy Gravett’s favorite Valentine’s Day memory was literally a labor of love.

Her first born son came into the world Feb. 13, 1992.

“My special Valentine’s Day memory is his first day in the world,” Gravett said.

For some Valentines, only time will tell.

Kathy Horvath saw Valentine’s Day from a different perspective when her young son expressed his heart’s desire to do something special for a special girl in his class.

“He wanted it to be a secret Valentine,” she said. “He wanted to put something special in her bag.”

Kathy gave her son a small heart-shaped satin gift box he filled with beads, and on the day the class passed out valentines, he placed the box in her bag, from her “Secret Valentine.”

Kathy said her son quietly waited for his secret valentine’s reaction — watching as she surveyed the classroom trying to find her secret valentine.

“I don’t think he ever told her,” she said. “Once in a while, he’ll ask, ‘Mom, do you think she likes me?’ It is just kind of neat as a mom to watch him try and figure this stuff out.”

For a little boy, "I love you," went beyond roses and bonbons to please his heart's desire.

For a little boy and a little girl, "I love you" came wrapped in a red velvet box filled with plastic beads.

“He’s too young to like girls, but there is something special about this one.”

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