In the middle of a pandemic Valentine’s Day might look a little different than the typical romantic dinner out at a fancy restaurant. If we can surrender our prior expectations and embrace the uniqueness of our current circumstances we can find ways to make Valentine’s Day a fun and meaningful time to celebrate our loved ones, even while staying home with the whole family. This might be a little more chaotic and rowdy than an expensive dinner, but the memories of creating a sweet celebration for the whole family can last a lifetime.
Decorations for Valentine’s Day at Home
Decorations can help set a sweet ambiance. They can be as simple as lighting a special candle and buying a bouquet of fresh flowers, or you could incorporate any of the store-bought or homemade options below.
Store-bought
Homemade
Activities
- Read Valentine’s Day books such as Llama Llama I Love You, Story of Valentine’s Day or I Spy Valentine’s Day.
- Watch a Valentine’s Day movie such as Lady and the Tramp, Beauty and the Beast, Tangled or Gnomeo and Juliet.
- Make some Valentine’s Day crafts such as Valentine’s Day Gingerbread House, Pipe Cleaner Heart Ring, Valentine’s Day coloring pages, make or buy a Valentine’s Day sensory bin or a Valentine’s Day playdough bin.
- Have a family discussion with each person sharing one thing they love about each family member.
Food for Valentine’s Day at Home
Themed foods are a great way to make holidays feel extra special. For Valentine’s Day at home or other holidays at home, my family likes to do special dinners like Charcuterie Boards or Cheese Fondue that tend to be a whole experience where we linger around the table longer, snacking and talking. You could even get the kids involved in helping to make a sweet treat and make it a yearly tradition you do together going forward.
Breakfast
Lunch
- Heart shaped sandwich
- Homemade “lunchables” aka cheese and crackers, you can even cut the cheese into heart shapes
- Mini heart pizzas
Dinner
- Charcuterie board: use this link as inspiration to make your own, or purchase a pre-made board from somewhere local like Sharecuterie
- Cheese fondue with sausage, vegetables and soft pretzels
- Lasagna
- Steak
- Beef tenderloin
Snack
Dessert
- Chocolate dipped strawberries: store-bought or homemade
- Chocolate fondue with fruit
- Conversation heart bark
- Heart cake
- Red Velvet Brownies
- Valentine’s Rice Krispie Treats
For additional ideas for your family to celebrate in a fun way, check out this post: Hosting a Valentine’s Day Party.
