An Ode To Valentine's Day Past

My sister and I were joking earlier on Facebook. She  was asking why does a guy have to wait for Valentines Day to be romantic and how she would like to be surprised with flowers randomly throughout the year.  I responded with:

Obviously Valentine's Day is no longer a whimsical time of the year for me, plus I am a pretty practical person, but there is someone who used to make Valentine's Day very special for me, and to this day, there has been no one who has made me feel more loved...

When I was a child, my mother used to surprise my sister and I with a little Valentine's Day gift every year.  We would wake up and run downstairs to find our annual goodies. There on the kitchen table would be a little box of chocolates (in the shape of a heart of course) and a card wrapped up in a pink or red envelope. "Happy Valentine's Day, Love, Mom" It would read. It was a small gesture, but it meant so much to us.

Mom always had many ways of letting us know we were special and that we were loved. Our V day present is just one of countless memories colored by love and gratitude. 

So I guess the moral of the story is this,  for me, it doesn't take a dozen roses and an expensive dinner to make a life long impression on me. Just a little thoughtfulness mixed with love goes a long way. 

What are your favorite Valentine's Day pasts? Do you or your family have a special V Day tradition?