10 Best Valentine’s Day Celebration Ideas for Families & Couples

In My World…

No matter what you did last year, this Valentine’s Day can be super special by just keeping a few things in mind. In our house Valentine’s Day is for the entire family! When I was growing up my dad would always have a heart-shaped box of chocolates at our places for breakfast on Valentine’s Day, no matter what day of the week it fell on.

My husband always makes Valentine’s Day special with a love letter for me. Now that I’m a mom of boys, I try to make the day special for them, too. In today’s post I’ll cover 10 celebration ideas for families, whether you have kids or not. The important point to remember is love and joy!

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10 Valentine’s Day Celebration Ideas

Pancakes

Start the day with some heart-shaped pancakes. Pancakes are a great way to start the day!  Lauren over at Tastes Better From Scratch has lots of homemade pancake recipes to choose from. If you aren’t adept at making your batter look like hearts you have two options – use a heart-shaped cookie cutter in your pan, then pour the batter on your hot skillet. Alternatively, make your regular round pancakes, then use a cookie cutter to cut them into shapes. Either way works to start this special day off right!

Cookies

Make cookies with your kids. Another of my favorite recipe sites is Sally from Sally’s Baking Recipes. Her cookie cutout recipe is perfect! Baking cookies is a fun way to celebrate any special occasion. Even my teen boys love cookie baking time!

Spa Day

Another great idea for Valentine’s Day is a spa day at home. Get face masks (Wal Mart and Target both carry them) or make your own. My boys think this is silly but fun. If they are little you can give them a bubble bath and make it a fun time. You can also make your own bath bombs (I think this is very fun!).

Treasure Hunt

Have a treasure hunt. Hide little gifts (think Dollar Store or wrapped sweet treats) around the house and make clues for the kids to find them. This works for spouses, too! Think romantic clues that culminate in some alone time in the bedroom. 💖

Love Notes

Write love notes for each family member. Be sure to tell them what you love about them and show appreciation for what they do. For kids you can focus on when they do chores without being asked or for being kind to their sibling(s). I’m sure you can find LOTS of things to thank your spouse for – but don’t forget to be creative! You can also use printable love notes.

Eat Out

Visit your favorite restaurant. I’m talking about NOT fast food here. Go to a restaurant where you can sit down and look at each other. When we did this when the kids were little, we gave them price caps so they didn’t order the most expensive items on the menu. If the kids are out of the house, you can have a romantic dinner at your favorite place.  I always love a good romantic dinner. Put on a nice outfit and enjoy a quiet night out!

Themed Dinner

Plan a themed Valentine’s dinner with a three course meal all around the house. Start with appetizers in the kitchen, move to a main course in the dining room, and end with dessert in the living room. There are some great menus for more gourmet families if your kids are adventurous and some more basic menus if your kids are less likely to try new foods.  No need to plan a special dessert – chocolate fondue with lots of dippers (fruit, pound cake, graham crackers) is always a hit.  A delicious meal always says love in our home. Don’t forget to play your favorite song in each room!

Game Night

Plan fun games for everyone in the family. Everyone loves a good game night, so have fun. You likely have board games in your own closet, so no need to buy more. If the kids aren’t home there are plenty of romantic games you can play, too! Games are the perfect way to enjoy each other, as couples or a family. You can also have favourite movies playing in the background to top things off.

Love in Action Project

Choose a service activity as a family, like making care packages for those in need, volunteering at a food pantry, or sending thoughtful messages to missionaries. Serving others is a great way to show God’s love – the ultimate source of all love for any day.

Take Cooking Classes

This is a fun activity for the whole family. Google “cooking class near me” and you’ll find lots of options from chocolate factories to gourmet cooking studios, the entire family can have fun while creating tempting food everyone can enjoy.

BONUS: For Long-Distance Relationship Couples

While Valentine’s bouquets are always an option for those in a long-distance relationship, there are lots of other ideas, too. You can still do a treasure hunt with some advance planning and maybe the help of a friend who lives near your honey. Send a care package of favorites and have them open on a video call. Create and mail a series of “open when” notes for your loved one to open throughout the day. Include some prayers for your loved one. Culminate in a video call. Make a meal (same meal for each of you) and then watch a movie together on a video call. Most of these require some planning, but if you live apart, you’re used to that!

No Matter What You Do, Have Fun & Show the Love

Valentine’s Day gives us the perfect opportunity to show how much we love our families while having some fun at the same time. The important part is to have quality time with your spouse and kids. That time spent together builds memories for years to come and those memories will help them to feel the love all over again.

Check local listings – lots of local businesses offer special deals on Valentine’s Day that you can take advantage of.

Some of these ideas require a little extra time, but most are free or inexpensive. Most can be done in the comfort of your own home (a fact I particularly appreciate). Find a fun activity, plan to make the day special, and put up some fairy lights. A few small changes can make the day extra special.

Have fun & happy Valentine’s Day!

💕 Andrea

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