We had the parties, but we made the holders ourselves. Usually we cut out two large hearts from construction paper and then stapled the sides together. We'd decorate them and hang them from the front of our desks. Sometimes we decorated lunch bags and used them. It was the same when my boys were small.

We always made our own boxes (usually decorated shoe boxes). I still have a bunch of old valentines I got while in grade school in the 60's. Not sure where they are though.

I remember valentines' day cards on school desks, and the little heart shaped mint candies that had something different written on each one...but I can't recall if there was a box or if sister handed them out.

I think they're not politically correct or allowed in schools anymore ...because some children might not get as many as others. We can't let any preparation for real life into the schools.

I imagine the make your own Valentine boxes or holders were made way after I was in grade school, remember I am pretty old!

Sue

We made our own holders and the type varied from year to year.

Our school's policy was that everyone brought a valentine for everyone in the class so nobody was ever left out. It was the same for my kids when they were in school.

Oh, yes, you always brought a Valentine for everyone, no one was left out. There were probably only 25 to 30 in our class.

Sue

My 4tgh grader was sent home with instructions to make his own holder. The other two will probably make theirs in class. The kids are required to give them to everyone in class if they participate.

We always made our own boxes or holdesr, sometimes the boxes were decorated shoe boxes, sometimes the holders were made from paper plates with paper doilies glued on them. We kept them on top of our desk or stuck to the front for a day or 2 before Valentine's Day. We'd bring in our valentines, one for every person in te class and one for our teacher (she had her own box on her desk) and put them in the holders before class started or during recess. On Valentine's Day an hour or so before school ended we'd open our boxes and read our valentines and have a party, usually just a few games, eat a lunch (usually soft drink and chips). Class parties were a big deal back then! We'd have one for Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter and Halloween.

What a sweet memory....I used to always hope a boy I liked would give me a card. It was fun to get them and open them up, kinda like getting mail.

Trin

We had one big decorated box and like someone mentioned, you were required to bring for all if you participated. Of course you gave the BEST ones in your pkg to your best friends. I don't remember what was done with the box afterward. I buy pkgs for Annie in the home to 'write' on, and it's difficult to find ones that are halfway decent.

Shirley

In our school, the teacher decorated a large box and everyone put their valentines in.

We made our own. My 8-year old grandson is now making his own.

My memory is like Marilyn Sue...and how we all coveted that "beautiful" box. You were so lucky!

The schools here allow the Valentine exchange, but no Valentine party. Only 2 parties per year-the winter party (Christmas) and the end of the year party. I have gotten around that rule by holding a Valentine Luncheon (outside picnic during lunchtime only) serving red foods-pizza, hawaiian punch, red applesauce, and a valentines treat. This year we have a new principal and she would not allow it. Why??? Because the school would lose money by not having the free and reduced price lunches being sold in the lunch line!! I'm glad this is DS's last year in elementary. School is not like when we were kids.

Way back in the later 1940's and early 1950's, we were told to decorate an empty cereal box and bring it to school. We used colored construction paper, lace doilies, crayons, etc. We had to prepare a valentine for each classmate. The boxes were put on our desk, and then we took turns making deliveries. Some kids would put those little candy hearts with sayings in their cards too.

My teachers made a big box and everbody deposited their cards. On V Day the teacher would pick mailemen/mailwomen from the class to distribute the cards. One year I put a stick of Beechnut Fruit Stripe gum in each of my Valentines. I was the talk of the class-third grade.

In our rural school the teacher constructed a little make believe post office with compartments. Each pupil's name was on a "box." There were about 10 students in my class of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders. That was the first time that I ever got mail - - -oh all those wonderful valentines. The teacher most likely purchased all of them.

I also got to take the big Valentine box home one time. I had forgotten that until I read this thread...what memories! Some years we would each make a box and everyone would put their Valentines to you in your box. We gave one to every person in our class and we would take what the Valentine said very seriously....

My best friend and I used to make the Valentine box usually our of crepe paper.
the valentines were store bought for the most part and were passed out on Valentine's Day or close to it.
We used to buy a big papercraft book tht had preprinted Valentin's tht you punched or cut out and envelopes in the back that you cut out and gluded together .

I went to a one room school house. We had to make our own valentine boxes. We had to give everyone a valentine and I remember we didnt want to give too mushy of one to some of the boys but we were all friends. We had a party for that and all of the other holidays and I remember our mothers would come and bring all of our younger siblings along so it got quite crowded. We had about 25 kids in school. Im sure with all of the others there was probably 50 people there. What I remember the most was a chicken that we made out of hearts. The body was a large heart and smaller hearts were glued on to make the neck, head, wing, tail and legs. I sure wish I had the pattern for it. Does anyone else remember this?

Wow, that is ancient history now. I remember that the box was always made out of a Graham Cracker box.

Each day we had a break around 10 o'clock and had a half pint glass bottle of milk and two graham crackers. That cost 25¢ a week. The crackers came in a fairly large sturdy cardboard box.

Funny, but that is all I remember about Valentine's day at school, Don't know if we had a party or not, who directed the box or what happened to it. I know it was a fun day.

Sue

Yes,i remember the Valentines Card Box. We had them in the
lower grades.

Yes, we made our own boxes,if I remember right we made them at home. Everyone one would try to come up with the best decorated box. Remember "room mothers" that would be in charge of the party? One year my Mom worked full time, and for a time my Dad was a stay at home Dad, so he was the room mother in charge of Valentines Day. He made this large heart cookie cutter from wood, it had a handle like from a kitchen cupboard, and he used a strip of metal roof flashing,he and I made and decorated 20 some heart shaped cookies for my 3rd grade class. I still have that cookie cutter, a treasure I cannot part with.

We used manilla file folders...stapled the edges...turned down the front part and wrote our names there...Then we decorated them with construction paper and doilies!! Oh What fond memories...I still have some of mine from grade school...

When my kids were in grade school...they decorated shoe boxes...that was fun too!

I had forgotten all about this. In the lower grades there'd be a Valentine "event". You'd buy Valentines for everyone and fill them out at home, then bring them in and distribute. Everyone would have a container, sometimes a shoebox, or a paper bag or one of the paper plate and a half stapled together and decorated with your name on it. As I think of it there usually was some Kool Aid and what's now thought of as a weapon of mass destruction and not allowed in public anymore... the demon cupcake! And somehow there'd always be some of those chalky tasting little pastel heart shaped "candies" that were hard as a rock and almost as tasty.

We made Valentine boxes out of shoe boxes or oatmeal boxes. I put a lot of time and effort into decorating mine and never won anything for it. The same girl won year after year, and it made me so mad because I knew that her mother actually made her boxes.

It was very serious stuff to me at the time, have to laugh now, looking back at it.