It’s Not Too Late to Decorate for Valentine’s Day
While adults in love may be the more traditional fans of Valentine's Day, this romantic holiday has become a day that brings together people of all ages and can be fun for the whole family. One of the best parts about celebrating Valentine’s Day with kids is that there’s not much pressure to blow your budget on elaborate dinners or diamond rings–here are just a few ideas that can make the holiday memorable for you and your kids without costing an arm and a leg:
- Decorating at home can make the day feel festive
Many of us decorate our homes for Christmas, 4th of July, and Halloween, but why do we so rarely see Valentine’s Day decorations? This doesn’t have to be all-out, and not every house needs a 12-foot inflatable Cupid, but making your house feel like a space full of love and care is as easy as planning an afternoon of crafts with your kids that can then be displayed as decorations.
Ideas abound for easy DIY Valentine’s Day decorations; for example, this collection from Parents.com includes everything from great garlands to heart-shaped suncatchers to paper flowers, painted pots, homemade wreaths, and much more. All you need is some time, a bit of patience for the mess kids can make, and some basic crafting supplies and your home will feel the most loving on your block in time for the holiday.
- Hand-made cards mean more and cost less
We love a good greeting card: from beautiful artwork to laugh-out-loud jokes, it’s easy for a card to make you smile. But you know what’s better than a store-bought greeting card? Something hand-made and from the heart. At its core, Valentine’s Day is about showing the people you love that you care about them, and what better way to teach your kids that shows of affection don’t have to cost money than by making some hand-crafted Valentine’s Day cards?
Again, the ideas are endless, and a quick Google search will help you and your little ones get all the inspiration you need for fun and beautiful homemade Valentine’s Day cards. But truthfully, sometimes the best way to make them is to just start from the heart: no templates, no directions, just some folded paper and whatever creative spirit you can muster. Your kids will have a blast and whoever’s on the receiving end will have a card they can cherish.
- Valentine’s treats will put a smile on your face
We’ve all heard that the way to a person’s heart is through their stomach, and homemade Valentine’s Day treats not only make great gifts, but can also serve as fantastic decorations and favors for anybody who walks into your home this romantic season.
From chocolate-dipped pretzels to strawberry muffins to heart-shaped… well, everything, it’s so easy to find the perfect recipe to dazzle your kids, or bring them into the kitchen. And trust us, there’s little that’s more fun than getting a bit messy and baking something from scratch with children who are having a blast. Worried about messing up some brand-new recipe, or short on time? There’s no shame in making a boxed cake or cookies, and bringing in the little ones to help with frosting and sprinkles!
- Art projects help celebrate love and joy
Not all crafts need to be made for decorating: the process of making a fun Valentine’s Day art project can be its own reward, with all the enjoyment coming out of creating something from scratch. Your kids will love learning to craft with their own two hands, whether it be something ornate and beautiful, completely off-the-wall silly, or even tools like stamps and bird feeders that can be used going forward in the future.
And just like the homemade cards from above, the end result can be something that makes a fantastic Valentine’s Day gift, whether for a friend, family member, classmate, teacher, or anybody your child wants to show care towards.
- Brainstorming gift ideas to bring the family together
Of course, arts, crafts, and baking are only a few ways to express creativity, joy, and togetherness. If you want to celebrate Valentine’s Day with your kids, bring them in on the process–you’d be amazed at what sorts of innovative gift or date ideas you can come up with just brainstorming as a family.
Whether it’s creating “coupons” for date nights, game nights, trips to the park, or whatever you like, coming together to try new recipes that each person in the family wants to experiment with, or whatever your mind comes up with, even the act of thinking about how we share love and affection can bring your family closer together and increase that bond that keeps the household warm and caring.
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Celebrating Valentine’s Day as a family can be a new experience for many parents, and it’s an opportunity to rethink our expectations for this typically romantic holiday and come up with new traditions and celebrations that bring the parents and children together in a loving and joyful household.
Of course, running a household isn’t all crafts and cookies–it can get expensive, and we know that sometimes everyone needs a little help. At Spotloan, our simple online application process can help you qualify for the money you need, even if you have bad credit or need a loan quickly. All you have to do is go fill out our application to see if you qualify, and you could receive a decision within minutes. Fill out our application now!
