Patricia Bradley and Patricia Johns: Swoonworthy Valentines

Valentine's Day is coming up, and Patricia Bradley and Patricia Johns are looking at their most memorable Valentine's Day gifts they've ever received.


Patricia Bradley:



With Valentine’s Day so close, my mind automatically went to past times of that special day. In fact, it went back to when I was fifteen and my then very handsome boyfriend gave me a necklace that was constructed in a way to spin the little heart in the middle of a circle. “I” was on one side and “love you” was on the other. When I spun the heart, I could see “I love you” as plain as day.  And since I still remember it all these years later, (not telling how long ago it was) it was one of the most memorable Valentine’s Day gifts I ever received.

I’d like to tell you I married my high school sweetheart, and I did, but it wasn’t that one. I will tell you I heard from that boyfriend many, many, many years later and he wanted to reconnect, but I was in a committed relationship and declined. Besides, when I tried to find him on social media, he had no photos of himself. I decided I wanted to remember him the way he’d been as a teenager. 

Over the years I’ve gotten some interesting Valentine’s gifts. One time it was a pair of spurs, which might sound odd if you didn’t know I was very much into riding horses at the time. Another time, my current true love went to a lot of trouble to buy and hide eleven Zero bars around my house for me to find because he knew how much I loved them, and they weren’t easy to get where we live.

So what has been your most unusual Valentine’s Day gift?






Patricia Johns:

I honestly don't remember any Valentine's gifts before I got married. Either I didn't have a boyfriend over Valentine's Day, or they gave me a card or something... nothing that memorable.

But when I got married, I wanted to really enjoy Valentine's Days. Unfortunately on the Valentine's Day front, I married a guy who was born in East Africa, and he just didn't get it. He'd do what he thought he was supposed to do, and he'd buy me flowers, but he just couldn't get creative or really get into the Valentine's Day excitement. He was incredibly confused and intimidated by all the hype.





Until one year, I said, "You know what I'd really like this year, honey? I'd like a love letter. Just your words on paper."

Well, he could do that! I'm not saying it was easy for him because he's not a natural writer, but he found that less intimidating than perusing over-priced, wilted flowers at the grocery store. At least he could sit alone and not feel like people were staring at him. And ever after, for both Valentine's Day and our anniversary, Mr. Johns writes me a love letter.

And I love it! His words, just between us, telling me how he loves me.  I keep every single one of them in a box on my dresser. They mean the world to me.





So what about the rest of you? What is your favourite, most memorable, or most unusual Valentine's Day gift? We want to hear about it! 

Comments

  1. What sweet gifts! I've never been that into Valentine's Day, but once, when my kids were about ten and thirteen, they got me a pair of heart-shaped earrings with tiny rubies. I thought that was very sweet.

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    1. Aw! That is a sweet gift! Sounds like Dad probably had a hand in that, too. ;)

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  2. I think a love letter is such a nice gift. I can't talk about unusual Valentine's Day gifts, but I did write a letter one time for Mother's Day to my mom. She never talked about it, but kept it for the rest of her life in her special desk.

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    1. I know your mom enjoyed that letter, Callie! Once I did without lunch for two weeks to buy my mom a necklace and pair of earrings I saw at a drugstore. Then I was late getting home on her birthday and she fussed at me, but when I gave her the necklace and earrings, it was the first time I ever saw her cry over a present.

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    2. I just talked about the little things through the years that I was grateful for about her. She didn't like Mother's Day (bad associations), so I just printed it out on my computer. I love your story about your mother and her special gift.

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    3. You both have beautiful stories! Moms deserve those special gifts, too. You're tearing me up!

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  3. Patty, I love that your husband writes poems for you and that you keep them in that pretty box. Patricia, would love to see a photo of you in riding boots with those spurs! :) Sadly I can’t recall any special Valentine gifts from boyfriends or my hubby, but I have received lots of romantic birthday and Christmas gifts over the years. But the treasures have come from my children.

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    1. Janice, I wish I had a photo! That was many years ago. I haven't ridden in probably twenty years now. But I keep threatening to ride one of my daughters horses when I visit her. lol

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    2. I want to see that picture, too. Patricia! :)

      My husband doesn't tend to get me actual romantic gifts other than the letters. In that department, I end up with kitchen doodads and other useful things. I take what I can get. LOL

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  4. I love the love letters, Patty! My husband, on the other hand, would love the Zero bars--they are favorites of his. A lovely post.

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  5. What lovely stories! It's the little things that mean so much. I still remember the little notes a boy used to pass me in grade school. He had these itty-bitty little note cards that he would write on and then leave on my desk for me to find. The "finding" was as exciting as reading them.

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