One Valentine’s Day, in my early twenties, I decided to buy my parents a cake.
On my way home from work, I called into our local cake shop, and was thrilled to see that they still had a family favourite flavour left, even at that late stage in the day.
At the till, all went fairly normally until near the end of the transaction. The cashier casually asked had I anything romantic planned for the evening; a fair enough question, considering the date and the fact that I was buying a cake.
“No, I don’t”, I replied. “I’m single and this is for my parents”.
In the blink of an eye, the glum-looking member of staff cheered up immensely. It seemed she was delighted to come across someone else who wasn’t all loved up for Valentine’s Day.
“In that case,” she said excitedly, “do you want to go to the cinema together and we’ll spend the evening throwing popcorn at all the sickeningly happy couples?”
Valentine’s Day Celebrations For Families
Valentine’s Day has become something that lots of people dread, and understandably so.
As a young child I hated it, mainly because in primary school we had a tradition of making and exchanging cards.
Despite all this, the occasion has lots of potential for being a special time for families to enjoy together. It’s the perfect opportunity for everybody to be reminded of the love that is shared within the family. It’s also a great chance for children to learn how to express affection appropriately for those they care about.
With that in mind, let me share a few simple ideas for celebrating together as a family.
1. Make and Exchange Thank You Cards
Rather than making cards with a romantic theme, encourage everybody to make thank you cards. Each person could make one for every other family member, or you could do it Secret Santa style. Inside the card, list some reasons why you are thankful for that person.
2. Decorate The House
You could go all out here and plaster the house with hearts, flowers and pink. But depending on your family (e.g. a house full of boys), that might not go down very well! In that case, choose some favourite colours and go with what works.
3. Play Some Games Together
It’s amazing how playing together brings people closer and strengthens relationships. Games are one of the best ways of enjoying family time as they provide opportunities for fun, laughter and conversation. Try a board game or some fun party games. “Would You Rather?” would be a great option for Valentine’s Day as it helps everyone get to know each other a little better.
Get this fun Valentine’s Day family board game!
4. Spend Time Together By Candlelight
We all associate candles with romance, but for children there is great thrill associated with candlelight. Simply for fun (unless anyone is scared), turn off the lights and light all the candles you can find. Make the most of the novelty and do something your family enjoys by candlelight; perhaps the games I mentioned earlier. It goes without saying to be fire conscious at all times!
5. Fill Out Valentine’s Gift Vouchers
Homemade gift vouchers are a cost free way to give a present to other family members. Fill them in with promises of help or kindness. For example, an older sibling might promise an hour of reading stories to his/her younger brothers and sisters.
6. Share Everyone’s Favourite Activities
For a number of days leading up to Valentine’s Day, let each family member choose a favourite activity for everyone to do together. Keep it simple: doing arts and crafts or playing football in the garden. Children feel very loved when others take interest in the things that mean a lot to them.
7. Spend One-To-One Time With Each Child
Children love having our undivided attention, and Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to focus on this. Why not try to spend a little bit of time alone with each child during the week of Valentine’s Day? If possible, plan it in advance so they can look forward to it.
8. Have A Special Family Meal
There are so many great options for how you could do this: a fancy breakfast, a favourite takeaway, or even a picnic! My personal favourite idea for Valentine’s Day is a dessert party.
9. Random Acts Of Kindness
As a family, take the opportunity to show kindness to people outside your family. There are endless options for how you could do this, such as delivering a surprise to someone who lives alone (safely and socially distant of course)! But it will be most meaningful if the children come up with the ideas themselves.
10. Contact A Family Member You Don’t Usually See
Just because we don’t see someone regularly doesn’t mean we don’t love them. Show that love on Valentine’s Day by having a family phone or video call with a family member you haven’t seen recently.
Quick Inspiration For A Family Valentine’s Day Celebration
In our house, I’m looking forward to making some fun Valentine’s crafts and decorations with my little boy. His baby sister will probably just watch for now, although at seven months she gets really excited by any little flurry of activity.
Whatever you and your family do to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year, I hope you have a safe and happy time together.
Enjoy making memories; hopefully in years to come (and possibly despite a desire to throw popcorn at “sickeningly happy couples”) your family will think fondly of this time of year because of the loving times they enjoyed and shared with you.
