Valentines Day....who do you buy for? What do you do?

[ChristusG]

Do you buy your kids anything? Your hubby? Do you do anything special as a family or just with your spouse? Just gathering ideas for this year! :D

[Harriet Vane]

My husband and I have an agreement to keep it simple. He gives me flowers and I give him food.

 

If the kids feel like giving valentines to their friends they are responsible to do so.

[samba]

Dh and I decided a long time ago that neither of us care about Valentine's Day. We don't do anything at all. Last year dd made gifts for a few friends because she wanted to...that's it.

[DesertDweller]

Dh and I decided a long time ago that neither of us care about Valentine's Day. We don't do anything at all. Last year dd made gifts for a few friends because she wanted to...that's it.

 

 

This is us.

 

We tend to think Valentine's Day is overrated and too commercial. (Of course, isn't everything now a days?)

 

Also, dh's birthday is at the end of February, so we have a special night out then.

 

When the kids were younger, they did cards for their friends and usually our homeschool support group did a party and Valentine exchange.

[Jane in NC]

While I may buy or make my husband and son a special treat, I have expanded my Valentine gift giving in recent years to people who are special in my life. These are people to whom I do not necessarily send Christmas gifts. Last year I made Linzer Squares for a friend going through a rough divorce and a family member facing surgery.

 

For the Valentine's Day after my Mom died, my husband made an adorable Valentine featuring photos of my parents bike riding in a Chicago park way back when. Family members and friends with romantic tendencies were really touched by the card.

 

This year, I am sewing a Valentine gift for my nephew's daughter, a toddler for whom I often make little doodads.

 

I have reached a point where I do not want to give obligatory gifts, but if the spirit moves me, I run with it. Receiving an unexpected Valentine can bring joy to someone's life.

 

Jane

[Lolly]

Dh gets the kids a box of chocolates each. I don't get candy.:D

[Jean in Newcastle]

Dd8 is hugely into Valentine's Day. So we let her decorate and bake and do whatever she wants to benefit the rest of us.:D:001_wub:

[Caitilin]

DH and I try to do something a little special b/c it's our half-anniversary. :)

 

My dds have started having a tradition of having a Valentine's Day High Tea for all their friends, where they all get dressed up in their fancy dresses. They all get a kick out of it. Usually we have them make something valentine-y for their moms or themselves. This year they're making valentine fabric-covered notebooks. :)

[Annabel Lee]

I might get a book from the library to learn with the kids about who St. Valentine (I think such a person existed?) is. I get them each a miniature box of chocolates. My boys don't want to make any Valentines "unless it's for a Valentine's party" with our co-op. I told them they can sure plan a party if they'd like. :)

 

My dd makes cards and knits things for a few close friends each year.

 

Dh and I have our anniversary so close to Valentine's Day that we don't celebrate Valentine's day.

[Brooketopia]

My eldest daughter is a fanatic about holidays, so we used to bake these lovely (large) heart cookies and get out all the cake decorating supplies and decorate them all beautifully and then walk the neighborhood and hand them out to her friends.

 

Then I gave birth to my third daughter on February 13th. I have no energy for Valentine's Day anymore. Especially after having eldest daughter's birthday festivities on February 2nd.

 

My husband gives them each a little card and a little box of sweethearts and he and I go to our church's Valentine's Dinner for the adults.

 

As I gain my energy back in the years to come I imagine we'll probably start swinging back to "big" for Valentine's Day--we dearly love throwing parties and going crazy for special days.

[patchfire]

We make some kind of heart-themed dessert or two (usually cookies the week before, and a cake on V-Day). I get the kids each a gift and one together (they're all relatively small). Dh & I usually pick something to get together that we both want or we splurge on something - get the "deluxe" version instead of normal.

[Laurie4b]

I usually make pink, heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast and a heart shaped cake for supper. (bake 1/2 in a square pan and 1/2 in a round pan. Turn the square pan so that it is a diamond; cut the round in half and place each half against one of the upper sides of the diamond--voila--a heart)

 

Dh and I sometimes exchange cards. One year, we wrote each kid a Valentine's letter telling them specific things we enjoyed about them. I hope we get around to doing that this year.

 

I have some years, herded the boys into making Valentine's for their grandparents. My parents send cards. Dh's don't. (It's not a holiday they pay a lot of attention to.)

[athena1277]

I usually get a favorite candy/dessert for dh and a small candy for the kids. Dd has given the cheap-o valentines to friends, but we are skipping that this year as we will not be seeing them near V-day.

[rwjx2khsmj]

The kids love making valentines and cookies so we usually do that and share them with the people who are special to us.

 

We have a special fancy dinner as a family using the good plates and glasses. We buy each of the dc a special book. Dh and I usually only exchange our love.

[MamaT]

My dh and I exchange cards and sometimes a small gift. We buy the kids something small. My 12yo creative dd makes gifts for her friends.

[Daisy]

Nothing.

 

LOL. My daughter saw a bunch of stuff in the store and said, "Valentines is a REAL holiday?"

[Impish]

Valentine's day doesn't mean what it used to for us.

 

5 years ago this coming Valentine's I was in labour. Tazzie made his appearance 144 am on the 15th (my eldest claims that Tazzie didn't want to be born on a 'girlie holiday' :lol:).

 

What was once about romance is now about childbirth. :lol: I tell Wolf that chocolate and flowers are appropriate 'Thank you' gifts each year :tongue_smilie:

[Natalieclare]

Our family enjoys the excuse to celebrate. :D We draw names from a hat and trade small presents. I try to cook an especially nice dinner, served by candlelight.

 

Sometimes my dh and I give each other gifts, sometimes not. This year I had a cheesy inspiration, and I am going to face my absolute worst nightmare: sewing. He likes fuzzy, fleece sheets; I like cool cotton ones. I am going to cut a set of fleece sheets in half and cut a set of cotton ones in half, then sew one side of each together.

 

We are very low key about parties and gift giving, but our kids consider this a family tradition at this point. I think they'd revolt if we tried to stop!

[RoughCollie]

Valentine cookies, heart-shaped layer cake, cards, candy ... for all.

[Parrothead]

I might get a book from the library to learn with the kids about who St. Valentine (I think such a person existed?) is.

Yes, there is a St. Valentine.

 

I cook and dh gives me flowers. I give dd a small box of chocolates. Dh gives her flowers.

[Tree House Academy]

We are having a "class party" with my two boys and a homeschool friend (hopefully, if the weather holds out!). The kids will have cupcakes, chips, handmade Valentines, etc.

 

I also usually get my boys something special for that day. I used to send stuff to school for my older son when he was in ps, so now I still try to make that morning special. Since V-day actually falls on a Sunday this year, I can do both the party AND little V-day surprises for them on the actual day. :)

 

This year, I will probably make my dh a candy tree. He loves chocolate bars. I also may send a stuffed animal to my good friend's daughter at her school. She is such a sweet little girl and I swear I would adopt her if her mom would let me! LOL

[MommyOwl]

For the past 7 years I have created one scrapbook page highlighting one of the reasons why I am in love with my husband. It's fun to revisit the book every year. This year's page will focus on how much I treasure time with just the two of us and include photos from our recent trip to Maine- our first trip alone in many years.:001_wub::001_wub::001_wub::

[bnneale]

We love Valentine's Day. We don't really give gifts, but we make it a very special family day. I try to make a homemade card for each child and have it at their seat at the table for breakfast. It is usually a special breakfast, like scones or muffins and fruit. Then, for dinner we decorate the table with fancy dishes, candles, and lots of pink and red. We will usually have "red" dinner--spaghetti, red jello, sparkling cranberry juice, beets... We have also done fun things like spread a trail of hearts through the house to a hiding spot and hide when Daddy gets home. We have made a giant heart of crepe paper on the garage door to surprise Daddy too. One year, we went to his work and put "love notes" all over the inside of his car. We have studied about St. Valentine too, but we don't do that every year.

[Guest olivia751]

Hello,

 

My husband and I have an agreement to keep it simple. He gives me flowers and I give him food.

That's great deal...:lol:

 

We decided to go for the dinner party at home with some Chocolate.

 

Regards,

Olivia

 

 

Mumbai Couture Handbag Collection

[JeneralMom]

I have never been a fan of Valentine's Day. My Dad detested all "Hallmark" holidays like Valentine's Day, Mother's/Father's Day, etc. so I never got into them. Then, my beloved grandfather passed away on V-Day morning, sitting at home alone with my Grandmother, so the day holds nothing but sadness and loss for me now. I was hoping that I didn't give birth on V-Day last year (luckily she held out until the 17th).

 

So, we don't do anything. This year, I might make salt dough hearts with the kids and colour them as a craft project and read a book about St. Valentine just so they know what the original idea of Valentine's day was about.

[TammyinTN]

Normally my dh and I go out to dinner and he brings home beautiful flowers. This year this will not be the case, he's deployed. So, I packaged up some of our pictures from vacation last month on R&R and loads of his favorite chocolate and car magazines. He'll be so happy.

[cougarmom4]

I do a treasure hunt for my kids...leading to one of those small heart-shaped boxes of chocolates (you know, the $1 ones...) and a handmade valentine where I list a bunch of things I love about them. They *love* the treasure hunt...and I can't back out of it for anything.

 

Dh and I exchange cards, he brings me flowers, and I usually make a yummy treat of some kind for him or buy a bag of dark chocolate candy.

 

Oh, and usually before Valentine's we cut-out heart-shaped sugar cookies and decorate them. We tend to only do these at Christmas and Valentine's so it's a big treat for my kids. (I should probably do it more, I just never have the energy or desire!!!)

 

The kids love to do the cheap dollar valentines from the store and deliver them to neighbor & church friends.

[*********]

The day before Valentine's Day, February 13, holds some very personal, excruciatingly painful memories for me and dh. So no, dh and I do not celebrate between the two of us. In fact, I'd just prefer that it not even be acknowledged. I usually spend the day with puffy eyes and a very somber heart. TMI, perhaps. :tongue_smilie:

 

The boys take cards and candy to pass out at our library storytime class, and when the stepchildren were younger, I'd take them to pick out cards and treats to take to their ps class party. But that's it. Nothing involving myself or dh.