How to Celebrate Valentine's Day as a Family

My husband and I have never been big fans of Valentine's Day. Just last night, as we were falling asleep, we chatted about the commercialism of Valentine's Day, and how it feels more like a day where people are guilted into spending money, rather than spending time with one another. When we became parents, we wanted to celebrate Valentine's Day, not for an excuse to 'treat' our kids, but to have another day to focus on our love for one another. Okay, so we usually do wind up spending a little money on the kiddos, but it isn't something we feel like we have to do in order to show them that we love them.

Our focus is on being together, so we're doing lots of different things to celebrate Valentine's Day this year, despite having wonky schedules, which can make it hard for us all to be together in the same place, at the same time.

Valentine's Day Ideas for Families

Make a Date

A really cute idea is to make a date with your kids for Valentine's Day. Even if you have to schedule a date for the weekend, let the kiddos pick their date with mom or dad- or with both parents. I love to have dates with my son, and our sweet Bean loves to have dates with her daddy. A trip to Chick-fil-a and the movies (to see the new LEGO Movie 2) is my son's idea of the perfect date! Bean would love a trip to Chipotle and a tumble zone with her daddy. The whole family can go to the movies together, or go out for a nice meal.

Make and Exchange Homemade Cards or Crafts

I love to bring all of our craft supplies out and pile them on our farmhouse table, letting the kids have at it! They love to design their own cards to share with loved ones for Valentine's Day. We usually make cards for daddy, and for the Grands, too. The Love You to Pieces Craft is a great option for gifts or cards!

Bake a Valentine's Day Dessert!

Ah, sweets! I love to share sweets with my sweeties on Valentine's Day! This delicious Valentine's Day Bundt Cake is perfect for brunch, an after-school snack or dessert. It's easy to make, and your family is sure to love it! Better yet- get into the kitchen and get baking together! It's a fun way to spend time together, making messes and memories!

Open Cards Together

My kiddos love getting mail, and it's even sweeter when it's Valentine's Day mail from family and friends. We save all of the cards we get and pile them up to open on Valentine's Day. The kids each wind up with a little stack of cards and lots of envelopes to open up. I always try to snap pictures of the kids opening their cards to send to the senders, which is always appreciated.

Stay In

Stay in and cuddle! Plan a family movie night and let the kids pick the film. My kiddos love Madly Madagascar on NETFLIX, so we usually pop some popcorn, toss in some sprinkles (red and pink, of course), and huddle together on the couch to watch this fun little short movie- it's the perfect length for a school night.

We also read the following verse together, to remind each other what love looks like. Spending time together on Valentine's Day, rather than focusing on candy or toys, is the gift... family is a gift from God that we try so hard not to take for granted.

I Corinthians 13

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never ends.

How do you spend Valentine's Day with your family?

Let's chat love in the comments below or over on social media @mommysblockparty on Facebook or @mommysblckparty on Twitter and IG.

Have a love-filled day!