Oh Holiday

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I've learned something about myself. I am terrible with holidays. I have looked across the blogosphere and seen many adorable Valentine's gift ideas, crafts with children, celebration plans. It all looks great. Can I ever pull any of those things off? Doubtful. For some reason every holiday sneaks up on me, even the most publicized holidays. I can't seem to pull together Halloween costumes. Christmas is a wash. So it's not surprising that Valentine's Day gets swept away from me too. I can't remember the last time John and I actually exchanged gifts for any holiday. Thankfully, John has the same issue as me, so it's a mutual relationship at least. Our gift exchanges tend to go something like this:
"Happy [Birthday, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Anniversary]! I had this great plan to make you such-and-such, and I planned to do such-and-such, and I know you wanted this-and-that, but I ran out of time."
"Oh, that's fine. I love you."
"Love you, too."

Having children has put pressure on stepping up my holiday game. This year I had every intention of having Grayson make some cards and cookies for his grandparents. Lucy was going to somehow get in on the fun too. It was going to be adorable. I would take pictures of the magical moments we shared in the process of making things for others to love and cherish. I bought the sugar and sprinkles for sugar cookies. I had visions of Grayson pouring way too much sugar on the cookies, but that's the way sugar cookies made by toddlers should be, right? I had ideas for card-making. I planned to get something little for Grayson, in hopes of starting a fun Valentine's tradition. Nothing panned out. It would be one thing if we made the cookies but did not get around to sending them to the grandparents, but we did not even break out the sugar and sprinkles.

Late last night I remembered an email from Grayson's school about the Valentine's card exchange at school. Last year I did not do anything for Grayson's classmates. I figured infants were content enough with each other's company and did not need written affirmation or gifts to feel loved in their budding friendships. Grayson was the only infant who did not express his love through cards and gifts last year. I felt silly and a little disturbed. Who decided that we needed to play this game of infant Valentine's? How did everyone know to get on board? This year I decided give in and play the game. So the kids can't read yet. So they don't know what Valentine's Day is. Who cares! So late last night I scribbled each one of Grayson's classmates names on hologram Valentine's Day cards that read things like, "Be Peaceful!"(witty thing to give a toddler, huh?)

When we got to Grayson's school this morning I gave him the stack of Vaentine's Day cards to take in to class with him. I wanted to create the mirage that the cards were actually from Grayson. He carried the cards with hesitation and tried to pawn them off on anyone in sight. When we got inside Grayson quickly gave the stack of cards to his teacher, and that is when it hit me - I forgot the teachers! I looked around the room and there were multiple gifts - even some gift baskets spilling over with goodies! - for the teachers. The other parents did it again. Somehow they got the memo.

The gauntlet for being on top of holidays has officially be thrown.