Valentines Day Ideas

Well, with Valentine’s Day less than a week away, today I’m sharing with you a few Valentine’s Day ideas.

I’ve shared before that Travis and I typically make a point to go out to dinner around Valentine’s Day, and then we exchange cards. We don’t go over the top, but it’s nice to set aside some time of the two of us. We were able to go out to dinner on Friday while the kids had plans with friends.

Once we had kids, I started doing a bit more for them. When they were little, we’d do crafts or color pictures, they would have Valentine’s Day parties at school, and I’d get them a box of candy as a sweet treat. Through the years, I started buying cookies from local cookie decorators and pick up a few gifts as well.

I shared my Valentine’s Day decor post last week, but here are a few food, dessert, and gift ideas.

Breakfast:

For breakfast, heart shaped pancakes are always fun. I’ve also made cinnamon rolls and then added pink and red sprinkles. At the grocery store on Sunday, they were out of cinnamon rolls. I was trying to plan ahead for breakfast this weekend. I guess I will have to check back later in the week.

Lunch:

This was the first year that I did a Valentine’s Day lunch. I loved Andrea’s lunch idea, and I planned ahead a bit knowing that we may not have school at the end of the week last week. So, when I went to the store to pick up some items we might need during the ice storm, I had a few lunch ideas in mind.

Since Valentine’s Day is on a Monday this year, and Mondays tend to be our busiest evenings, I thought we could have some family time a bit early (even Travis was home on Friday), and I put out a platter with lunch bites and candy.

We had:

• PB & J heart shaped sandwiches
• Chomps
• Apples
• Pretzels (and hummus)
• Strawberries
• Carrots (and Ranch dressing)
• Pretzels with peanut butter
• Turkey sliders

For sweet treats, I included:

• Conversation hearts
• Gummy X’s and O’s from Trader Joe’s
• Birthday Cake Granola

I kept the table simple with a few decor items I already had out and put out cute paper plates and napkins for everyone to serve themselves.

The last few years when Valentine’s Day was on a the weekend, I made a point to make a special dinner.

We’ve also done “Dinner of Favorites” which included bacon cheeseburgers, tacos, and mac and cheese.

One year, I also attempted a heart shaped pizza!

Sweet Treats:

Trader Joe’s always has a great selection for every holiday season.

I picked up the gummy X’s and O’s as well as some jelly bean hearts the last time I was there. Also, I found the Safe + Fair brand and Kroger and the Birthday Cake granola is a family favorite.

Over the weekend, I made Shay’s Valentine’s Chex Treats.

They were a big hit with the family.

Gifts:

I keep things pretty simple and buy a few items I know the kids will enjoy, but maybe something that they also “need” (like a book! 😆)

For Hadley:

• I remember loving Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, and I hope that Hadley will too.
• I saw this bracelet in a Nordstrom ad, and thought it would be perfect for Hadley.

For Hayden:

• I thought this book looked perfect for Hayden. He’s my reader, and I know he loves basketball. This book of letters looks to have great advice, and may be perfect for Hayden.
• Travis ordered this reusable tournament bracket for Christmas. He thought it was clipboard size, but really it’s poster sized! haha I think Hayden can hang it in the basement by his basketball hoop and keep up with the bracket during March Madness.

I also picked up a sweatshirt, candy, and some cookies for both of them.

Valentine’s Day Card:

Every year, I get a card printed from Shutterfly to send to our immediate family. So many family members send the kids cards, so I want to send them something as well. I usually get ten cards for about $15.

Do you have any Valentine’s Day traditions? Let me know!

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