By Erica Friedman
Valentine’s Day is always so sweet as it makes us take a moment to be grateful and acknowledge our loved ones. I find that doing the simple things always has the greatest impact. Make a card. Bake some cookies. Set the table for dinner and decorate the family room with hearts and kind words. To what extent you go, it’s all up to you.
This holiday is about spending time together. The most important thing is to make a card. If your child is not old enough, have them dictate their thoughts and you write them down and then let them decorate the card. They will be so proud and you will never let those moments slip away.
After decorating cards, make hearts out of construction paper and place them in your windows or hang them from your chandeliers. You can even make mobiles with love cut outs and words that make this holiday so special. Let the kids help drive the direction. Make one a year so you will eventually have mobiles that will hang throughout your house. You can watch them change as your children grow older.
If arts and crafts is not your thing, go to the local 99 Cent store and buy some Valentine’s Day supplies. They have everything from wrapping papers to kitchen themed towels.
My favorite activity for Valentine’s Day is making sugar cookies. We cut them out into different shapes and decorate them. Then we wrap them and give them to our friends and family. There is nothing like a homemade treat to bring the sweetness of love into your home. If you prefer, local bakeries will have cupcakes, cookies and other treats as well. No matter if you buy or bake, there is something sweet about having a holiday treat.
When getting into the spirit of the holidays, I tend to make a visit to Target, Marshalls and Bed, Bath & Beyond. They always have such wonderful festive fair from serving platters to coasters. Getting into the holiday spirit of Love is so much fun.
To conclude the holiday, a festive dinner is always fun. You may want to pull out your nice dishes. Design a menu that incorporates the holiday colors. It might just be a special drink like a Shirley Temple (grenadine and 7up) or cosmopolitan for the adults. No matter if you order in or create a gourmet meal, the family should enjoy and embrace the tradition of loving our loved ones.
Have a wonderful and sweet Valentine’s Day.
Erica Friedman is a party planner who prides herself on producing a wide variety of events including private parties, non-profit benefits, and corporate events. She is dedicated to being innovative and providing her clients with the best possible services. She can be reached at erica@eventsbyerica.com.