30+ Fun Valentine’s Day Traditions
This post is sponsored by Walmart
I love Valentine’s Day!
It’s a bright happy spot in the middle of some long gray months and I’ll take all the fun I get!
We have two simple Valentine’s Day traditions at our house.
First, I love to do a fun Valentine’s Day breakfast.
Especially when, like this year, Valentine’s Day falls on a school day, it’s a fun treat for my girls to come into the kitchen in the morning and find the table set with festive decorations and a special breakfast (I usually choose something simple like this six ingredient puff pancake and then add some strawberries and whipped cream to my Walmart grocery order to make it feel fancy, plus some goblets with a pink or red juice in it.
I don’t want to spend a ton of money on Valentine’s Day, but I love making it feel like a notable and fun day, so Walmart makes it easy to add a little holiday flare without breaking the bank.
I use our regular dishes because I love real dishes (and everything matches with white dishes, but if you prefer disposable, these ones are 8 for 97 cents and really darling) and then add some festive napkins – I grabbed this cute set from Walmart for under $1!
I also love to sprinkle the table with a candy (I do the same at Halloween with candy corn) – this year, I did these cookies & cream hearts.
Our second tradition is for Bart and me to go out to lunch together on Valentine’s Day. We’ve been doing this since Ella was a baby – it’s way less crowded at lunch than dinner on Valentine’s Day, plus lunch is less expensive generally than dinner, and it’s often easier to find a babysitter during the day than on a holiday evening (and of course now, our kids are in school so we don’t need a babysitter during lunch time).
I asked on Instagram for other favorite Valentine’s Day traditions and there were so many fun ones – here are some of my favorites!
valentine’s day traditions
- Fancy Family Dinner. This was a VERY popular suggestion with lots of families doing a candlelit dinner or using goblets and cloth napkins or serving sparkling cider.
- Chocolate fondue for dessert. Fondue is such a fun family activity – we do fondue for New Year’s Eve (the recipe I use here!).
- Parents and kids write a little love note to each family member and put it on their dinner plate. I love this sweet tradition!
- Give each kid a book! You know I love this Valentine’s Day tradition! Another version of this someone suggested was “We go to a local bookstore and everyone gets to pick a book that they want.” How fun!
- My husband buys our kids PJs. She said, “We call it Pajamatines day!” How darling is that? This little nightgown is so cute and affordable!
- We heart attack their bedroom doors with all the things we love and notice about them. This was another popular suggestion – some families do a whole bunch on Valentine’s Day and others do one a day leading up to Valentine’s Day!
- My dad always gives us girls a single rose with a handwritten note each year. This is just the SWEETEST.
- Decorating Love Shacks (graham cracker houses). This is SO fun and a great way to spread out the traditions across more holidays rather than just Christmas!
- My mom would make each kid a giant heart shaped sugar cookie and decorate it for us. I love this! Alternatively, you could make the cookies and then let your kids decorate their own.
- A Valentine’s Day tea party for kids and their friends. I love this! Another woman said, “My mom used to have tea party waiting for us when we got home from school on Valentines Day.” Someone else said, “My two girls each get to invite one friend and her mom. It’s a fun way for me to get to know my kids friends and their moms better.” So many fun ways to do this!
- We call it Family Love Day and always go to Chili’s for dinner. Other families said “Take the family to Old Spaghetti Factory. Fancy but family friendly” and “Take your little kids out to an early dinner at Dennys! So empty and decorated so cute!”
- We always get a heart shaped pizza and hang out as a family. Easy and memorable – my favorite!
- Breakfast board for dinner. This mom said, “A little fancier but not too much work for this burnt-out mama.” Genius!
- Go out for romantic dinner during the Super Bowl. I’d never considered this but this commenter said, “It will be very quiet, easy to get in.” How smart is that?
- Heart shaped donuts with a pretty table and all our Valentines books on display. Easy and books included? You know I’m in!
- We pulled out the china for a fancy family dinner and I wore my wedding dress! This would never have occurred to me, but what a fun idea and a way to get more use out of your wedding dress. She said, “The kids loved it!”
- Stuffed balloons. This mom said, “each year I pick out a stuffed animal and treat to fill it. My kids love popping it.” I’ve never heard of this Valentine’s Day tradition but I love it.
- 14 Days of Valentines. This mom said “We have mini mailboxes and I leave something small every day.” Another parent who uses mini mailboxes said, “My kids can draw or write each other notes or give little treats to each other the two weeks leading up to Valentine’s Day.”
- Chili dogs but make it fancy. This commenter said, “this started when we were newly dating and had no money!” I love a tradition that sticks around, especially when it’s simple and affordable!
- One-on-one dates with each kid in February. I love spending time with just one of my kids – they’re different in a group than they are on their own and this is a great way to fit it in!
- Bath toys for kiddos! This parent said, “It’s cold and a warm bath with a fun toy is nice!” I especially love these bath crayons or bath tablets!
- Have kids mail valentines to cousins. This is a delightful way to stay in touch with cousins that live far away!
- Everyone gets their own box of special cereal. She said, “I give each family member their own box of their favorite cold cereal. Such a fun and easy tradition.” This would be my cereal choice!
- Host a Minute to Win It Party. My family LOVES Minute to Win It. This mom said, “We started minute to win it valentines party with my brothers family.” What a great way to celebrate.
- Have a family dance. This is so cute! This mom said, “We dress up fancy and my boys all dance with me one on one.”
- Make a heart shaped cake with pink frosting. What a fun, simple thing – this mom said, “I decorate with random leftover candy.”
- Hide a small gift and do a valentine with a riddle under the kids plates to find the gift. This is so fun – my kids would be in heaven!
- Valentine’s Breakfast of donut holes, strawberries and strawberry milk. Festive and simple!
- Indoors s’mores at the table together. This is a fun and out-of-the-ordinary way to celebrate!
- Cut out holiday cards into heart to make a heart chain! I love this and do this most years! Here’s a tutorial if you’d like one!
- Make my favorite breakfast and buy myself flowers. You know I love it when people take their holiday happiness into their own hands!
- Buy a box of chocolates and do a taste test after supper. This is so fun – I might do this one this year!
- Pink pancakes for breakfast. A little food coloring or strawberry juice mixed in is perfect for an easy festive breakfast!
Any other fun Valentine’s Day traditions? I’d love to hear!
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