They would find their name attached to the end of a string and then follow their string through the dining room, den, living room, bedrooms, etc., until they found their valentine. With four of our children married and our last child almost nine, I told Marlin that perhaps this tradition could be put to rest. They jumped into action and had the whole house completely strung within a few minutes. Shortly after we had finished our chase, our oldest son, Matt, popped in with our two darling granddaughters. So the strings have been brought back by popular demand.
Traditions do have power.
A rule that has become a tradition has to do with movies. Some years ago our family decided not to go see any R-rated movies. Knowing that each of our children has made a personal decision is an anchor for all of our family. Sometimes I wonder about the value of green pancakes, and egg hunts, and squirty cheese. I'm convinced that we can grow up without such things.