I love Valentine’s Day!. It’s just what we need for this darker time of year, and a chance to have a little fun.. and don’t we need it now more than ever. My mom made Valentines always special for us as kids. Waiting for us at our breakfast table was a small gift like cute socks or a plant, like a little cactus and of course some chocolate and some money too.
When my boys were small I did the same giving them a surprise at breakfast and we also started our own tradition of making a special dinner and dessert together. When they were very young we had indoor picnic dinner with candles and spread a blanket in front of the fire at dinner. They loved that! They would help set it all up, make place cards and choose the plates and find flowers in the yard. As they older we moved to the table and I made chocolate dipped strawberries with the guys for dessert.
Griffin making some of the strawberries a few years ago before the remodel.
We melted both white and dark chocolate chips in the microwave. After dipping the berries in dark, we’d take a tiny spoon or spatula and drizzle the white over in swirls. A delicious dessert and pretty placed in a bowl after they harden. ( Very organic in looks too.)
For many years Grif and I made Valentine packages for his school chums when he was little. He always loved doing it and I had fun looking back and thought I’d share some of those too for those who have kids or grandkids. I feel badly for the kids who are missing all the school Valentine cards this year.
I realize it may not be cool to share the food items in the Covid era.. So maybe they can just be made and enjoyed with family at home, or you can find prepackaged treats to substitute.
Note: The boy in these photos is now a college student! Griffin was a great card maker – and still is!
One thing we liked doing is getting cellophane bags, cutting them in half, adding something, like these super balls, and fold a square notecard stapled it over the top with a sentiment. This is what Grif did one year…
Another year we did something similar with Swedish Fish.
..and wrote a cheeky, ‘I’m glad you’re in my school.’ That note was tucked inside and we tied it with yarn.
Another year we made arrows and hearts.
You keep the hearts intact and push a pretzel through them and then with kitchen shears cut a notch to make a bigger heart shape on others. Not sure why we did that, but both came out cute packaged in cellophane bags and tied with red ribbons and we put a velvet sticky heart on each.
Do you have any fun Valentine’s traditions or cool ideas? It might be nice to share more ideas here for families at home all together this year!
ANOTHER FUN ONE…Annie’s watercolor hearts! My friend Annie has the coolest crafts on her Most Lovely Things blog and this was one I always loved and easy with kids. You can do it without the heart punch and just use scissors to cut the heart shapes… Aren’t they cute?
I hope you’re having a good week. I have a Valentine’s gift ideas blog coming too!
xo
Kim
TAKE ME BACK…………MEMORY LANE!
WE MADE VALENTINE CARDS…………..I was always excited for the DAY TO ARRIVE!
It was FUN to see the VALENTINES the BOYS brought HOME!
YOU went ABOVE and BEYOND with your BOYS!
May Day was a FAVORITE OF MINE………….saving old tomato cans and filling with FLOWERS and having the SONS ring neighbors doorbells and RUN!
THOSE WERE THE DAYS MY FRIEND…………………XXX
Elizabeth, Those were sweet times right? I loved seeing the Valentines they brought home too. What a sweet idea having them deliver May Day flowers. We used to do that as kids on my street growing up. I had forgotten about it until you mentioned it. I grew up on a court and at one time we had 26 kids on the street back in the 70s! Miss all that . xoxo
What fun, Kim. How sweet was your mom and now you! Love all your ideas!
Thanks Mary Ann. I had fun and miss those ages!
I remember the excitement of bringing valentines to school and placing them in the paper heart bags we made in class. Love seeing pictures of your boys growing up and enjoying Valentine’s Day crafts … what a clever idea to use a pretzel as a stick! It’s so fun to hear about your family Valentine dinner tradition … the boys romantic interests will appreciate the ground work you’ve laid. Well done, mom! xo
Juliet I remember those bags we all decorated hanging off the backs of the chairs! I couldn’t wait to go home and open my Valentines. You are sweet. Thanks so much.
Hi Kim,
Lovely post and pictures thanks for sharing. I loved Valentines Day when my kids were little and putting little presents for them on the table at breakfast time and i saved all the homemade cards! My sweet son made me a pink clay heart necklace to wear when he was in elementary and i wear it every year and now he is a fighter pilot flying a F22. So amazing…..Have a beautiful day!
Hi Francesca, I love that you did presents at breakfast too! It’s such a fun thing. The homemade cards are my treasures too. How wonderful you have that necklace from your son- and still wear it -and he’s a fighter pilot! Wow. Thank you for sharing that. Wishing you a sweet Valentines!
Hi Kim,
It sounds like you have established a real family tradition with your boys. That’s so nice! As a kid I always loved Valentines Day,too,, but we didn’t celebrate it at home. It was the fun thing to do with our friends and I remember making elaborate cards for them, usually featuring candy. In school I loved making the mail boxes for our desks! Also one year I received a very fancy love card from a boy in my class and I was so embarrassed. All the other kids got those little punch out ones with funny sayings and mine was a big, glitzy grown up card professing his love for me. I think this was fourth grade. Can you imagine? I don’t even remember that poor boy’s name, and at the time I know he wasn’t even on my radar.
Anyway I’ve always tried to make it special for my family, I have a few little decorations ( a garland of hearts that I made and a few sparkly things) and I put together a few little gifts and some chocolates. My husband usually gets us all pretty flowers, although this year might be a little different since he’s not driving past the flower shop on his way home from work but rather working downstairs, and our garden isn’t blooming with anything yet!
I think I’ll make some truffles. They are delicious and so easy.
XO Heidi
Heidi, I also so remember those bags on the chairs or boxes we made in class. I have no doubt your card were special and elaborate.. and beautiful! How funny that boy must have really had a big crush on you to get you that card. I can imagine being embarrassed…those ages are so awkward! How sweet your husband get you girls flowers.. I know things are different this year right? No husbands grabbing flowers on the way home. My husband usually got me macaroons from a place in SF by his work. Guess that won’t happen this year ! I love garlands and have to get mine up too. Truffles sound like a sweet Valentines idea! xo
Hi Kim, we love Valentine’s day over here too. Loved reading about crafts from the past and traditions old and new. Very sweet and your boys are going to make amazing boyfriends and hubbies! We have really great memories of adorable and fun homemade cards too, One memory from way back is a Galentine’s day party I had with girlfriends before I got married. I made a red-themed dinner, we drank red wine, and dressed up in red and pink. Happy Valentine’s day to you and your sweet family <3
Hi Bita! You are so kind.. I hope the boys are someday. That sounds like a fun Galentines’s Party. What a neat idea with the red theme- and dressing up too. Hoping we can get back to such things. I’d love to have a Galentine’s Day party someday. Thank you for sharing that! I wish you and your family a Happy Valentines! I know you will be doing something cool for the family. xo
Oh gosh! You’re taking me back . We ( my daughters and I) use to do so many crafts based around various holidays. For Valentines, I always made them heart shaped sandwiches for their lunch boxes, and then attached hand written “I LOVE YOU” post it notes ❤️ And after school, they would sit down for their fave chocolate cake (made in a heart shaped tin), sometimes I’d make 2 or 3, layering them a la Martha 💕 Now they are 21 and 17 we haven’t done much for a few years… perhaps I’ll search that Tin out as you’ve inspired me, although now it will be gf vegan choc banana bread 🤣 how times have changed .
Great inspiring post full of meaning Kim!
Sarah x
Sarah how fun you did the heart shaped sandwiches in the lunch boxes – and notes! That made them feel so special I bet. What a fun idea to layer a heart shaped cake too. I need one of those pans. Its the little things that make a big impact and they remember right? Love this thank Sarah and wishing you all a great Valentine’s Day! xo
Gosh, so many wonderful stories and suggestions here in your post and everyone’s comments.
I love that your mum started such a lovely tradition and that you continue with your boys. It seems so cute and thoughtful to take gifts into school for classmates and friends.
You have had some truly inspired ideas!
I remember making little gifts for my children but it wasn’t really celebrated at school. My experience in my teens was more the stressful …. should I send a card?? Will I receive a card?? 😂
I’ll certainly plan to do some of these things with Isla when she’s old enough. She recognises hearts … so maybe we’ll do something this year! Time to get organised! 😊
Thanks again for this Kim.
Have a lovely weekend!
Rosemary
Hi Rosemary. I was lucky to have a mom who liked doing those little things. I really miss all those elementary school days and the fun Valentine class exchanges…Yes it was a thing they have always done at school here in the U.S., even when I was small too, though less elaborate than now. Oh my gosh high school was the same for me and people used to send Valentines grams delivered to your class. I always was dying to get one. I can’t remember now if I did or not! I hope you have a fun time with Isla. Maybe as she gets older you can try some of these. Hope your weekend was nice! xoxo
I love everything about this!! Your boys are adorable😍
Linda
Thank you Linda! I miss those ages.xo
Yes, Valentines Day will be something to look forward to -especially this year. I have been feeling COVID fatigue lately. My mom always made a heart shaped cake – that I thought was so special and cool! Frosted with pink frosting! I loved making Valentine Boxes with my kids! I plan to paint watercolor cards and make heart shaped cookies to deliver to my 6 year old grandson. We usually make them together but not this year. Kim, Thanks for the uplifting post!
Hi Catherine, I feel the same…Lovely your mom made a pink heart cake for you as a child. Those things stay with you don’t they? Valentines boxes are a fun idea. I hope your grandson loves the cookies. So sweet to do that in this odd time. Wishing you a happy Valentine’s. xx