5 Simple Ways To Make Valentine’s Day Special for Your Family

Valentine’s Day is just a few days away!

I love making this day special for my family and I love finding ways to do that without completely stressing me out!

Life is crazy, so holidays are a great opportunity to insert a little magic into the mundane and create lasting memories and strengthen bonds with the ones you love.

So today I am sharing 5 super simple ideas to help your family have a fun and meaningful Valentine’s Day.

Morning Magic

One of my favorite things growing up was when my sweet mom would have a surprise waiting for my brothers and me when we woke up on Valentine’s Day.  Usually it was a box of chocolates or a small new stuffed toy and card sitting at our breakfast plates.  It was the best feeling to wake up, go downstairs, and discover a treat!

Here are a few easy ways you can make Valentine’s Day morning special for your kiddos…

• Leave a cup outside their bedroom door to collect a trail of Hershey Kisses leading to the kitchen table where they find a card from you.
• Put Valentine’s Day-themed window clings (Target Dollar Spot) on the bathroom mirror.
• Make heart-shaped pancakes or pink smoothies with fun straws.
• Have a red rose sitting in a vase on their bedroom dresser when they wake up.
• Put a Heart Attack on their bedroom door.

Lunch Box Surprise

Keep the Valentine’s Day magic running all day long by popping into your child’s lunchbox with a little note!  I love THESE FREE Printable Valentine Joke Cards from Atsy-Fartsy Mama.

Act of Kindness

1 John 4:19 says, “We love because He first loves us,” so what better motivation to share that great love with others than to perform acts of kindness on Valentine’s Day?!  Here are a few ways you and your family can show kindness to others on Valentine’s Day.  Make it a family mission!

• Drive around and leave THESE FREE Printable love-themed Bible cards for people (in a neighbor’s mailbox, for the person behind the counter at the Starbucks’ drive-thru, for the grocery store cashier, tucked in a drop-down baby changer in a public restroom, taped to a mirror in a public restroom, left on a bench, etc.)
• Give a neighbor’s house a Heart Attack (we did this HERE).
• Take someone a special Valentine treat (I love to make THESE).
• Babysit for another couple so that they can have a date on Valentine’s Day.
• Put together a fun candy gram for a neighbor (see a great example HERE).
• Bring a heart-shaped balloon to an elderly person.
• Make Valentines for your church’s pastor(s).
• Give THIS FREE Printable Valentine to your mail carrier (just stick in the mailbox for him/her)!
• Bring a bouquet of flowers to a single person you know – a divorced woman, widow, or single mama.

*Want even MORE kindness ideas?  I wrote a whole book spurring families on toward love and good deeds!  Check it out HERE!

Hubby Love

Valentine’s Day can be a tricky thing for marriages.  On the one hand, it’s wonderful that there is a day dedicated to showing appreciation to our spouses.  On the other hand, it can be a trigger of discontentment, frustration, and/or loneliness if we do not carefully set our expectations before the Lord.

Some husbands are naturally on top of Valentine’s Day and are good at knowing what to do (make sure to affirm him for this!).  Others might need some loving direction – if it is really important to you.  It’s absolutely okay to communicate your desires respectfully to your husband and have an honest conversation about your expectations for the day.

But do you know what is the most important thing of all?  Holding all of those expectations with an open hand before the Lord, so that if you don’t have the ‘perfect’ day, you (and your marriage) will not be shaken or undone.  I find when I spend more time getting filled with Jesus and asking Him what I can do to bless and serve my husband, the less I am prone to feeling disappointed.  Looking to Jesus is the best way to have a great Valentine’s Day, because the joy He gives satisfies abundantly more than the momentary pleasures of a box of chocolates. 🙂

With THAT said, here are my favorite ways to bless my man on Valentine’s Day…

• Print THESE fun and flirty Valentine Love Notes and hide them around the house where he will find them.  Under the toilet seat lid (a fave spot), next to his toothbrush, in his pants pocket, on the seat of his car, etc.
• Send him flirty text messages throughout the day (HERE are some really good ones).
• Bake him his favorite treat or cook him his favorite meal.
• Make an Emergency Romance Kit and enjoy it together after the kids are in bed.
• Write ‘I <3 U’ in M&Ms on the kitchen counter.
• Go on a $10 Gift Date Night – read how Mr. B. and I did this HERE!
• Give him a gift card to Five Guys with THIS HILARIOUS card.

Game ON

Games are a great way to bring laughter to your home!  Go HERE to find a list of 8 easy Valentine-themed games sure to bring on the fun for the whole gang on the 14th!

Any of these ideas ringing a bell for you?  I would love to hear if you will use any of them or if you have any ideas to add to the list.

And, of course, read this post with grace at the heart!  Nothing here is mandatory for being a ‘good’ mom – just suggestions and inspirations to guide you along the way.  Take it all to Jesus and He will lead you and your sweet home!

Joyfully,

Julie <3