The first Valentine’s Day that I can remember was when I was in first grade. We made big, heart-shaped Valentine Mailboxes and passed out Valentine’s and candy. For some reason, we also had sack lunches with ham and cheese sandwiches in them. Somehow I ended up with some extra sandwiches and I remember taking those sandwiches and all my candy home in my backpack.
When I got home, my mom divided up the candy and sandwiches between me and my younger sisters. I still vividly remember how happy we all were as we shared the food while sitting around the table in our tiny kitchen. Since then, Valentine’s Day has been my favorite holiday.
I like Valentine’s Day because it provides a good opportunity to express your love to people you care about. It’s actually a relatively simple holiday. Just get some candy, some red stuff, some heart-shaped stuff, have yummy food, spend time with the people you love, and you can have a totally awesome holiday. There isn’t a lot of build-up to the big day. Unlike other holidays, Valentine’s Day can happen and be fun without being overwhelming and exhausting. (I’m looking at you Christmas.)
I also like that it’s a holiday that doesn’t require any mythical creatures to be gift-giving middlemen between me and my kids. I don’t have to construct elaborate backstories for an Easter Bunny or Leprechaun. I can just be like, “Hey kids, I bought you this stuffed animal because I love you.”
Over the years, my husband and I have morphed Valentine’s Day from a romantic day about our love as a couple into a fun day focused on our love as a family. Here are some of the things we’ve done over the years.
Helium Balloons
Back when my kids were toddlers my husband surprised each of them with a helium balloon on Valentine’s Day and we’ve kept that tradition going ever since. I usually just buy balloons from the dollar store. The supply there can get low the closer it gets to Valentine’s Day, so I try to buy the balloons a few days before the actual holiday.
Treats
I love trying out new treats for every holiday, but I get especially excited about Valentine’s Day. Maybe it’s because red is my favorite color. Over the years, I’ve made white chocolate popcorn, chocolate-dipped Oreos, chocolate-covered pretzels, Oreo truffles, and several cakes.
And if I don’t have time for an elaborate homemade treat, I like that the store has lots of fun treats in cute packaging.
[easy-image-collage id=15336]
Little Surprises
I don’t do this for any other holiday, but on Valentine’s Day I set up a table with all the treats, presents, and balloons for my kids to see when they come home from school. I usually do this a day or two before Valentine’s Day so that it can be a surprise for the kids. I love the looks on their faces when they walk in and see all the fun things set out on the table.
Stuffed Animals
My kids have entirely too many stuffed animals. Every year at Christmas I refuse to buy any more stuffed animals. But somehow I can’t resist buying them more for Valentine’s Day. I’ll pick some up at the dollar store or Walmart because I know the kids will be so excited. The nice thing about giving them stuffed animals on Valentine’s Day is that stuffed animals don’t get overshadowed by other toys. My kids usually play with the new stuffed animals quite a bit longer than they would if they got them on Christmas.
Valentine’s Day Cards
I like Valentine’s Day so much I even enjoy prepping the kids’ Valentine’s day cards and treats for school. We’ll block out time in the afternoon a few days before Valentine’s and get all the cards ready. The kids like writing their names on the cards and prepping the treats. Then we put everything into zip lock bags and have them ready to pop into backpacks the night before the school Valentine’s Day parties.
Valentine’s Boxes
To be honest, I don’t do much with Valentine’s Day boxes in our house. My two oldest girls are expert crafters and can make anything out of cardboard. I take care of the supplies and they do the rest. Last year we homeschooled so they had quite a bit of extra time to work on their boxes. They made two unicorns, a shark, and a llama. They have plans to reuse these boxes in their classrooms this year.
Romantic Dinners At Home
Of course, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about the kids. My husband and I also give each other presents and go on dates. Some years we have dinner at home and involve our kids as the waiters. The kids love to help and will make cute, misspelled menus.
I hope this list gives you some ideas of how to make Valentine’s Day special for your kids. But the main thing I want you to remember is that the best part about Valentine’s Day is its simplicity. Pick a small thing you can do to show your kids you love them. That’s what it’s really all about.
What’s your favorite Valentine’s Day tradition?
