Valentine’s Day 2023
Conversation hearts, bright red roses and loads of sugary sweets. We all know what that means… the season of love is upon us!
Whether you’re planning to celebrate with the whole family or just with your significant other, out on the town or at home, we’re here to help you prep for the ultimate V-Day bash.
Family Activities
Valentine’s Mailbox
My mom just did this activity with my kids and they LOVED it. This $5 kit from Target actually came with a ton of fun flare for decorating (glitter paint, stickers, the works) — and my kids have been leaving each other the most adorable little messages in their mailboxes ever since. You could also use an old shoe box or even a shipping box and whatever art/craft supplies you have around your home to the same end.
Heart-themed Charcuterie Board
I’m very into charcuterie boards RN, and there are so many ways to make these holiday-themed. Putting together a Valentine’s Day charcuterie board with your kids is a fun way to combine a foodie activity with a snack or even a meal (may I suggest brunch??). Check out Pinterest for more inspiration.
Movie Night
Grab your popcorn, pillows, and blankets and get snuggly for a family movie screening. We’ve been revisiting some old favorites this winter (Despicable Me, Sing & Sing 2, and, randomly, Wall-E), and Hamilton is always on our short list (#itnevergetsold) — and it’s been so fun and cozy to really make a family event of this simple activity. Check out Common Sense Media for a “best of” list.
Valentine’s Day Love Tree Craft
Grab a vase, pitcher, or pot; have your kids collect some branches to throw in; and then decorate heart-shaped ornaments to hang. You can go all out with the ornamentation (felt, glitter, buttons, etc.) or keep it simple — construction paper works! (If you’d prefer, you can even buy a tree…) We love the idea of making each ornament into a little pocket to stuff notes about what you/your kids love about one another — on Valentine’s Day, you can read them to each other. @A Homemade Living
Family Breakfast in Bed
There’s no better way to start the day than with breakfast in bed. Kids are crazy for this, really — and bonus points if you can pull off heart-shaped pancakes (here’s a yummy recipe). You can even use pink and red food coloring (just don’t be alarmed when you see pink & red in the toilet… ahem!). Mimosas optional, but highly recommended.
Seafood Dinner
Cracking open crabs and lobsters is a hands-on, messy delight. Valentine’s Day is a great time to splurge on something novel from the ocean with our favorite boil. Crustaceans in season include Dungeness (west coast), stone crab (Gulf Coast), and Maine Lobster. Oysters on the grill are also a unique treat.
Valentine’s Cookies with Kids
Valentine’s cookie cutters.
Sugar cookie dough.
Easy peasy and super memorable.
❤️
Valentine’s Gifts for Kids
Valentine’s Day Sensory Bin
A Valentine’s Day-themed sensory bin, like this one or this one, is fun for kids and adults alike. You can also make your own!
Valentine’s Day Bracelets
Your kids will love these sweet little customizable bracelets — a great way to say “I love you” on Valentine’s Day.
Personalized Memory Game ~ $15
Make your kids the stars of their very own game! I gifted these personalized memory games from Shutterfly to my girls a few years ago for Valentine’s Day, and they still play with them all the time – and get a huge kick out of seeing their pictures on the cards!
Dylan’s Candy Bar Valentine’s Day Variety Box ~ $30
Sweets for your sweet! Your kids will love this tackle box filled with all kinds of yummy treats from Dylan’s Candy Bar. Bonus: the tackle box is reusable – your kids can fill it with art supplies, rock collections, miniature toys, and so much more. It’s like two gifts in one!
Activities for Adults
A Sweet Delivery
I love the idea of leaving little sweet treats at the doorstep of your best local Galentines. Throw in a single serve, and you’ve cemented yourself as BFF for life. Check out these ideas for some more sophisticated sweet treats.
Rekindle Your Relationship
Spend the day learning about your partner on a much deeper level with psychotherapist and sex prophet Esther Perel… right from the comfort of your own home. The Where Should We Begin card game will prompt you to tell stories that you or your partner may have never told each other before. If you’re feeling spicy, consider her Rekindling Desire Workshops.
Make a Memory Book
Have a gazillion pictures of you and your partner on your phone? Time to print your faves and arrange them in a scrapbook. This will be a great way to recount and immortalize all the wonderful memories you’ve made over the years. This is something you can also do with children. They’ll love seeing baby photos of themselves.
Recreate a Favorite Date
Whether it’s your first date or that one fun time you spent all night playing Mario Kart, you can recreate and relive some of your memories with your partner (pre kids!). Valentine’s Day is a perfect day for that.
Galentine Love
Honor your BFFs and let them know how much you love and appreciate them. Knacks has pre-made gift boxes that are sure to put a smile on your bestie’s face. We also love this curated box of self-care products by Black Girl Magic. If you’re feeling sentimental, gift her (and you) friendship bracelets or make a photo album with Chatbooks to commemorate all your past adventures.
Gifts Ideas for your Sweetie
Weighted Blanket ~ $35
Gift your partner the gift of zen. This weighted blanket is made of super soft cotton and can help reduce stress and anxiety and promote restful sleep.
Chocolate Fondue Maker ~ $24
Nothing says Valentine’s Day like chocolate-covered strawberries. Use this fondue maker to create a fun V-Day dessert experience for the whole family… or to spark some romance after the kids are asleep!
Rechargeable Hand Warmers ~ $60
In the dead of winter, these things are seriously amazing to have — they have different heat settings (the hottest is HOT) and also can double as a phone charger. Super practical for anyone who lives in a cold-weather climate.
Personalized Map Prints ~ $varies
Etsy has a ton of options for making personalized urban prints (including heart-shaped ones!) — this is such a sweet gift idea for a partner or a couple. Choose a city (where you/they met, a special place, or home today) and pick from all kinds of stylistic options and personalization elements.
Mini Photo Album Keychain ~ $24
Never leave home without your sweetie again! This handmade keychain doubles as a miniature photo album. Send in 14 of your favorite photos, which will be printed on photo paper and tucked inside this beautifully handcrafted leather case.
How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? Let us know in the comments section!
Thanks, the post helped a lot.