Valentine’s Day for Kids in the US

In the US, kids celebrate Valentine’s Day in grade school.  They give Valentines to each other.  These are little cards, often flat.  Often they will attach a little piece of candy to each Valentine to give to their classmates. Nowadays, children are asked to give a Valentine to all the other kids in their class so that it’s not just the popular kids getting a lot of Valentines.

Bertha wrote to me today asking about how kids celebrate Valentine’s Day in Italy and around the world.  Here’s what she wrote:

How do school children in Italy celebrate Valentine’s Day?  Do they exchange valentines?  Do they have a party?  All the websites about Italian holidays just give information on what adults do on Valentine’s Day.  It would be interesting for children in all cultures to know about the different Valentine’s Day traditions for children in school.

Valentine’s Day in Italy

I asked Emanuela Marsura, a grade school teacher in Italy, about Valentine’s Day traditions for kids in Italy. Here’s what she wrote back:

Hello Lisa,

Children do not celebrate St. Valentine’s Day in school. It is a celebration of people in love: the man gives flowers and chocolates to his wife or girlfriend, someone goes out in the evening for dinner.  In some shops they sell beautiful boxes with heart-shaped chocolates or chocolates in the shape of rose buds, or postcards with special messages.

Some boyfriends give their girlfriends a ring as a first commitment or as an engagement ring. But that isn’t for everyone.

Even married couples give gifts, and sometimes the child is involved in preparing a surprise, maybe a cake for dad, or a bouquet of flowers for mom. But this is a celebration within the family. Ciao

Valentine’s Day in France

I asked Monique, a retired grade school teacher in France what they do there.  Here’s what she wrote:

This is when I see the different ways of considering what schools are for. No, they don’t do anything at school. If they’re in love, it’s a private matter and teachers don’t interfere and they’d better not: children often make fun of their peers in love. Every time I had to step in was to ask some kid to respect the others’ feelings. Emotions are the same all life long and a child in love deserves as much respect as an adult…

I think in the US, grade school teachers use all the holidays as a way of making learning fun.  The child is thinking of the cards they’re writing instead of the fact that they’re writing and writing and writing out all those cards.  Meanwhile, they’re practicing their skills.

Valentine’s Day Differences

This is all interesting. It seems that in some countries Valentine’s Day is mainly a show of love for couples.  While in the US, for kids it’s also a show of friendship and sometimes familial love.  A son can give his Mom candy on Valentine’s Day to show his love for her, or a daughter may give her parents a Valentine’s Day card she made to show her love.   

Please let us know how children or adults celebrate Valentine’s Day where you live.

No matter how you celebrate, Happy Valentine’s Day!

xo Mama Lisa