Valentine’s Day is generally considered a holiday for adults. And yet, so many couples have a family to contend with (whether it’s the traditional mother, father, and kids or some kind of blending situation). While there are certainly times when two adults might want to leave the kids with a sitter and spend a little quality time alone, more couples are looking for ways to incorporate their whole family into the holiday. So if you want to skip all the lovey-dovey hoopla and headaches of this holiday for two, here are a few ways to have some fun with the whole family and celebrate the love that you feel for them every day!
- Bake homemade treats. Forget about buying tons of sugary candy and chocolates. Make your own sweet treats at home instead (and use substitutions to cut back on the inclusion of sugars and fats). You can get the most bang for your buck with sugar cookies, since they can be cut and decorated for the holiday, giving kids a fun craft project with a very sweet payoff. You could also try something a little more complex like making your own candies or creating truffles with different flavors of filling. It sort of depends on the age of your kids and your skill level in the kitchen. But the best part of this plan is that you can get the whole family gathered in one place and working together like the team they are.
- Have a movie night. Rent some Disney classics (Rapunzel, Cinderella, Snow White, etc.) to get the romantic story you’re craving in a kid-friendly package. Or simply get some family fare that will have everyone laughing. Then pop some corn and snuggle under the blankets for a family night that allows you to relax and enjoy the company of the people you love the most in this world.
- Make valentines. This can be a fun activity for kids young and old. Set up a craft table with colored paper, markers, glue, glitter, paper doilies, and anything else you think might go into making the best valentine ever. Then have everyone make cards for other family members that say one thing they love about the individuals they share a home with. This will make everyone feel great and get you all thinking about why your family is so special to you.
- Play games. Whether you get a Need for Speed: Top Pursuit tournament going or you pull out some favorite board games and team up, you should get everybody having fun before long. You might be surprised by how fun video games can be (and your kids will probably jump at the chance to involve you in something they excel at). Or you can do it old school and leave all the electronics off for the evening, giving your family a chance to reconnect sans texting, Facebook, or any number of other electrical distractions.
- Start a flower garden. Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow this year, which means an early spring is in the works. Start your seedlings in the windowsill now and you’ll be able to transfer the blooms to the garden in a few weeks. Have your kids pick some of their favorite flowers and plant them to start an ongoing project that will last you all until fall.
[Sarah Danielson works for Converting Tech where you can find an assortment of vacuum sealers and poly bags along with other flexible packaging solutions.]
