MEMPHIS VALENTINE'S DAY 1940-1945

                                   Old card, 1910
When I was in elementary school at Gordon, which I have already mentioned so often on the blog,  our neighborhood had a wonderful St. Valentine's Day custom.

After dark children would sneak around Decatur St. with penny valentines.              

My little brother and I  would tiptoe on to a front porch and leave a valentine, then hit he porch hard and vanish..hiding somewhere to watch the person's surprised delight  who answered the door. Then we would sneak to another house to do the same thing.

Meanwhile, other kids were out and about almost hidden by darkness. They were  leaving valentines the same way; as my brother and I hid, we watched them and they looked almost like cats darting from porches to hiding places!!  Such fun which I will never forget.  I always thought this was only something WE did. But just a few years ago I found out that school friends in other neighborhoods had done the same thing unbeknownst to me. Why?

This really aroused my curiosity, so I consulted the internet and found something interesting.

"In the midlands area of Norfolk, for example, the tradition that a character known as Jack Valentine would knock

on back doors and then vanish, leaving the proprietor to discover chocolates and candies on the rear porch, as

they investigated who might be there."

So that explains it then. We went to the front doors (not back) and left penny valentines (not candy) but the idea was just the same. Dudn't that beat all?!!

Now the mystery remains as to how that custom got to north Memphis from so far away?! But I appreciate the ancestors who surely brought it over...and so glad we had this fun time around 70 years ago. It is very much still alive in my heart!!!

Barbara ___, a friend who lived two doors away sent this good message.

HI ANN, I DO REMEMBER VALENTINE EVENINGS AND SITTING BY THE FRONT DOOR WAITING FOR THE NEXT KNOCK TO COME.  I WANTED TO IMMEDIATELY OPEN THE DOOR BUT MAMA WOULD SAY "WAIT GIVE THEM TIME TO GET AWAY".  I ALSO REMEMBER TAKING VALENTINES TO SCHOOL AND SEEMS LIKE THERE WAS A DECORATED BOX WE PUT THEM IN UNTIL ALMOST TIME TO GO HOME AND HOW MUCH FUN IT WAS TO SEE WHO GOT THE MOST.  WE HAD SO MUCH FUN AND WE HARDLY HAD ANYTHING.  MEMORIES ARE BEAUTIFUL TO KEEP IN OUR HEART AND SO SAD WHEN WE FORGET

HAPPY ST. VALENTINE'S DAY!!

annie in memphis
Before I close tonight, I just received another childhood memory of a friend who lives in N. Carolina named Nancy.
What a wonderful memory and story, Annie! Thank you so much for sharing! I loved reading it and even felt a little bit like I was right there with you! When I was a little girl we would decorate shoe boxes with red construction paper and pretty lacey hearts! We would walk quickly around the classroom and put our Valentine's in our friends boxes. We were not allowed to look in the box until we got home. The feeling of excitement and anticipation are still very fresh in my mind! And it was a very LONG time ago...It was so much fun! I LOVE Valentine's Day! It is one of my very favorite days! A day to celebrate all the people we care about and love ...a day to let them know just how important they are to us. This is something, I know, we should do EVERY single day! Let me take a minute here and say to you, my dear friend, Annie...
I wish you a very Happy Happy Valentine's Day! YOU are a cherished friend...a lifetime friend that I am honored to call " My Friend." Thank you, again, for sharing your story and special memories with all of us! I love you, Annie!  Nancy

All for now...annie in memphis