Lessons in Love: Finding the Heart of Valentine's
What happens when Valentine’s expands beyond romance? Real stories reveal how love is showing up in everyday moments.
Feb 08, 2026
Written by our Founder and Chairman, the Celebrations Pulse letters aim to engage with our community. By welcoming your ideas and sharing your stories, we want to help you strengthen your relationships with the most important people in your life.
A lifetime in the flower-and-gifts business offers a unique vantage point. You see holidays evolve, rituals take root, and new ways of expressing love emerge. Taken together, these shifts tell a larger story — not just about relationships, but about where we are as a society.
Valentine’s is especially revealing. Gifts are being sent earlier than they used to be, and nearly half are now intended for people outside of romantic relationships. In fact, watching that shift over time inspired last week’s Celebrations Pulse on how Valentine’s has become its own season.
Of course, romantic love remains an essential part of the story. What's changed is the way we use the season to express love more broadly.
That growth in the scope of Valentine's comes into focus in the stories readers have shared in recent weeks. The notes filling my inbox return to the same idea: Valentine’s is an opening to reach out and show up for all the people who matter in our lives.
An expanding circle of love
Cathy wrote about one Valentine’s spent working full-time as a registered nurse and studying for an advanced degree, all while her mother was in a nursing home. During that period, Cathy’s husband, Charlie, made sure her mother received flowers and company. As Cathy put it:
“That loving gesture he extended to my mom meant more to me than all the roses, chocolates, and expensive gifts that a wife could dream of.”
Another nurse, Katie, shared that she hands out Valentine’s cards to her patients throughout the day. “It’s a little thing,” she wrote, “but I love bringing a bit of joy and levity to the people I care for.”
Sally, a patient at a nursing home, wrote to say she buys several big boxes of Cheryl’s cookies and shares them with her aides and staff members. She added:
“Everyone loves them. One person mentioned they sell them for Easter and summer, which I already knew. I think that was supposed to be a BIG hint for me to send more!”
I love those kinds of hints!
Celebrating love at home
Many of the Valentine’s stories point to the fact that some of the most enduring expressions of love begin at home, in the ways parents and grandparents care for those around them, set examples, and create rituals that stay with us long after childhood ends.
I was reminded of that idea in a recent conversation with Kelly Williamson, an executive at the global advisory firm APCO. Kelly began with a story about her father. Every Feb. 14, for as long as she can remember, he has sent her flowers. The card always read, “From the man who loves you most.” When Kelly got married, the message changed. Her father began signing it simply, “I love you — Dad,” explaining that the original line now belonged to her husband.
That same thoughtfulness appeared in a note from Kate, who wrote about her father sending Valentine’s cards not only to her but to her children as well. As a single parent, the gesture reminded her that she and her kids were seen and supported.
Terrie shared a similar reflection about her father, who remains her first call when she needs advice. She said his consistency continues to guide her.
The lighter side of the season
Some Valentine’s memories earn their place by making us smile, reminding us that love often shows up in a willingness to roll with whatever the day brings.
Ursula shared a story that has become family legend. On a snowy Valentine’s Day in Chicago in 1961, she was nine months pregnant and wondering what to give her husband when labor suddenly began. The day ended with the arrival of their baby girl!
Other readers leaned into playfulness. Linda described turning Valentine’s Day into a full family event, complete with Valentine’s Bingo, dollar-store prizes, pizza, and her signature homemade chocolate pie. The point, she explained, was to create a memory everyone could share.
Sandy shared plans that struck a similar note: a surprise breakfast, a casual dinner out, red and pink carnations on the table, and Valentine’s cookies or cake to end the day.
The heart of Valentine's
All these stories share a theme: Love is about showing up.
As we move through this Valentine’s season together, I hope you feel inspired to widen your own circle of love. Celebrate the friends who steady you, the colleagues who support you, and the family members who helped shape you.
After all, the best way to mark the holiday isn’t just by saying “I love you,” but by showing it.
All the best,
Jim
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AUTHOR
Jim McCann is the founder and chairman of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, Inc. as well as a business leader, author, and philanthropist with a passion for helping people deliver smiles. Devoted to helping others, he also founded Smile Farms, a 501(c)3 organization that provides meaningful jobs in agricultural settings to young adults and adults with developmental disabilities.
