Celebrating Valentine's Day In Amish Country

Greetings from our Amish community! We hope this email finds you well and happy in this lovely month of February. We're sure you're looking forward to Valentine's Day this week.

You might enjoy hearing how the Amish families celebrate this special day of love and gratitude. You might be surprised to learn that Valentine's Day is not a big deal for many Amish folks, but it does have its charm and meaning for some of them.

I'll share some of the stories about Valentine's Day from the Amish families this week.

Valentine's Day is a fun and festive occasion for the Amish children who go to the one-room schoolhouses. They don't exchange cards or candy with each other, but they usually receive a handmade card from their teacher, who puts a lot of effort and creativity into making them. Sometimes, the teacher gives them a small box of candy, a rare treat for the Amish kids.

The children also make Valentine's Day decorations using paper, scissors, glue, and crayons. They cut out hearts, flowers, and other shapes and write messages of love and friendship on them. They hang these decorations around the schoolroom, making it look bright and cheerful.

Valentine's Day is a romantic and sweet time for young Amish courting or newly married couples. They exchange gifts that show their affection and devotion to each other. The young men usually buy candy hearts from the store, but the young women go the extra mile and make their candies and cards. They use recipes and techniques that have been passed down from their mothers and grandmothers, and they add their personal touches. They make chocolates, fudge, caramels, and other delights and wrap them in pretty paper. They also make cards decorated with lace, ribbons, and dried flowers and write poems or verses on them.

These gifts are cherished by the young couples, who keep them as reminders of their love. They continue to celebrate Valentine's Day until they have children of their own, and then they focus on raising their family and living a simple and humble life.

Valentine's Day is not a big deal for the older Amish couples who have been married for many years. They typically don't exchange gifts or cards but show their love and appreciation for each other in other ways. They might cook a special meal, do a chore the other usually does, or spend quality time together. They don't need a special day to express their love because they do it in words and deeds daily.

While Valentine's Day is a minor holiday in the Amish community, we saw some signs of it in a small Amish shop in a nearby community. There, we spotted some Valentine's Day decorations made by a young Amish girl who likes to craft. They were heart-shaped wall hangings with small hooks for hanging keys and other small items. They were cute, and most importantly, they were practical which is essential for anything hanging on a wall in an Amish home. (We can discuss this feature of Amish homes in a future newsletter.)

While making baskets, the Amish families have been busy with farm work and other activities. Here are some of the highlights for the Amish families crafting the items available on the www.AmishBaskets.com website this week:

The Mast Family

The Mast family had been preparing to host church at their home this week, but their plans changed when they learned that an older gentleman in the community had passed away. They quickly finished raking the yard and cleaning the windows, and then focused on making food for the funeral. The funeral is on Sunday, and since many people will be coming from near and far to honor his memory, the Sunday service is being moved to a larger building. The Masts are not sure if their home will be used for the next church service in two weeks or not, but they will learn about the community's plans for the next church service during the funeral on Sunday.

The Yoder Family

The Yoder family had a full and joyful week at their home. On Thursday, they attended the wedding of a cousin in their district, where they witnessed the vows, exchanged greetings, and enjoyed the cake. The Yoder's also had two other families who were in town to attend the wedding staying with them this week. Their guests arrived on Tuesday and Wednesday, and they all left on Friday. It was a lot of work to feed and entertain all their visitors, but it was also a special time to catch up with some of their relatives from out of state that they do not see very often. They shared stories, laughter, and prayers, and felt blessed by their fellowship.

The Gingerich Family

The Gingerich family joined a work bee on Tuesday. An elderly couple who lives a few miles away needed some help with trimming a few trees that were blocking their view and posing a hazard. The men spent the day cutting and hauling the branches, while the women spent the time sewing a new coat for the husband, who was in need of something warmer to wear. By mid afternoon, the couple's yard and pasture looked neat and tidy, a nice pile of firewood was stacked in a shed outside their back door, and a cozy coat was ready to be worn. The Gingerich family felt happy to have helped their neighbors, and received a heartfelt thanks and a fresh baked custard pie from the wife.

"Love is a game that two can play and both can win."

— Amish Wisdom