Over the many years of its existence, Broad Run has had many traditions. Traditions that have expanded, turned into something new, or traditions that have just diminished completely. With the many holidays celebrated at the school, and even more being recognized and added onto the calendars, we have a unique variety of ways to show our spirit for the holidays.
Of the few major holidays the school celebrates, Valentines Day has always been on its roster. Four years ago, in the year of 2021, there were two main events that the school hosted related to this holiday. The first event, and arguably the most hyped, was known to students as the singing valentine. For this, you could pay around $5 to have kids from choir go into the classroom of the person of your choice, and they would sing a song to them, from you. You could even write a message for the person on the sign-up sheet, and the singers would read it aloud to them. This event was very loved and supported by many students and staff, and many people used it for various reasons. Some students sent it to other students, either openly or secretly to send them a heartfelt message, although it was a little bit embarrassing. Even the teachers could receive them, and usually it was a lighthearted way to get people to have a laugh together. That was what made it special. The second event, though not as huge, was what was referred to as a candy gram. During lunch, students could leave a note for someone of their choice, and then attach it with a candy. It wasn’t as big of a gesture as the singing valentine, but it was a more subtle approach to make somebody’s day.
The school has a similar tradition now, where instead of candy, you can send someone a package of cookies with a note on it, or you could even send it to yourself, and it would be delivered during the first class of the day. Marwan Siaf shares his opinion on the cookies: “Those cookies are amazing, so I really can’t complain,” and then he follows it up by sharing a surprising revelation, “those are the best cookies I’ve ever had.” So, was swapping out the candy grams with the cookies a good idea? If they’re that good, there must be many other people with the same opinion, and others who are either bitter about it or simply just don’t care.
Many people don’t seem to care so much about Valentine’s Day anymore, since it seems to mainly be an event celebrated in elementary schools. Having no obligation to give their classmates a treat anymore, students and staff alike seem to forget that the holiday exists beyond having a special someone to celebrate it with. Rayna Hameed says this about her favorite Valentine’s Day memory: “one year I baked blondies for my friends and then, we didn’t realize it, but we all ended up making something for each other.” Clearly, this holiday is more than just for lovers to share time together; it’s for people of all natures to come together and appreciate their loved ones, whether it be friends, family, their significant other, or even themselves.
Although there seem to be many people who don’t see the purpose of getting into the spirit of Valentine’s Day, it is still a part of the culture around the school and something for people to think about. Maybe they could even bring back events as big as the singing valentine.
