It’s always a joy to receive a Valentine, whether young or old…but especially for the old. Having ideas for Valentines–or Valentine gifts– ahead of time clearly reduces the pressure. Of course, executing the idea eliminates the pressure completely–and can be lots of fun. I’m checking with friends for ideas. Here’s idea #1 with thanks to far-away-living daughter, Monique, who’s doing this for her mother in France.

After purchasing a heart-shaped box at a Dollar Store, she wrote the following note and placed it in the box.

“I’ve taken all the love out of my heart and placed it in this box. Any time you need a little, open the box and let some out.”

Then Monique added some chocolates to the box.

Wouldn’t this bring joy to any aging parent–or grandparent! And adding joy to their lives, certainly helps them age well.

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Thoughts and information:

• I think the note alone is a true gift. Yet those”little chocolates” are nice, especially for chocolate lovers. They might even be Hershey Kisses in the US. (Monique says they’re not available in France.)
• There’s no dollar store near, so I haven’t checked the heart-box supply. Michael’s has the small heart-shaped boxes (pictured), large enough to hold the note and a few pieces of candy