Three Things + 1 : Lots of Love (and giveaways)

I always send cards to my mom and young nieces. Hubby and I look at our wedding album and our boxes of old love notes we've given to each other over the years.

We celebrate with the kids giving out valentines at school and having a party.
At home I like to have the kids bake some heart shaped cookies which they love to decorate with sprinkles and icing. Very low key.
Fran H

To be honest, I don't do anything specific for Valentine's Day. I'm not married or committed to anyone, so sometimes I just stay home and cook a nice dinner and watch a movie OR I go out with my other single girlfriends... Simple, and I love it :)

For valentine's day we always start the day with a few small gifts waiting for the kids when they wake up. They are always on a very decorated table! Then that night we get together with family ( my mom dad and brothers)and have a big dinner to celebrate the love for each other. My husband and I usually don't go out because we enjoy being all together!

I grew up with 2 sisters, so Valentine's Day was a family affair. We'd arrive home from school and the table would be set with our plates turned over. Underneath them was the first clue to a treasure hunt where at the end, we'd find a small gift and a card from my parents telling us each how much they loved us. After dinner, we'd each be presented with our own plate of jello, from a heart mold. It would take us a couple of days to eat our jello, but we looked forward to it each year. After my mom died, my dad tried to carry on the tradition with my sister, who was still at home. It wasn't quite the same, but his heart was in it. Then when my younger sister got married a few years ago, one of her wedding gifts from me was a smaller version of the copper heart mold that my mom had used for jello. I'm expecting my first baby in June, and I can't wait to carry on these kinds of traditions in my family.

Hi Ali,
I don't have a valentine but I send cards to all the kids in my sunday school class and give small gifts to my nieces and nephews.

HI ALI
My husband usually suprises me with some sort of new "bling" & roses. We get the kids each there own little box of candies & I usually cook/bake each one of there favorite little things for dinner & dessert. I figure when the kids are all grown up we will have time for all the candlelit dinners & going out...until then we share every moment with our 3 kids.

Hello Ali, I'm a recent newcomer to your blog. I've always associated Valentines with my Dad's birthday, since his is on the 16th. Somehow, these things would get combined and even now that I'm grown the association still sticks. Neither myself or my husband are big on gifts for Valentines, but I've always tried to make him something special. And reap the benefits of affection :)

Those are some great products you have shown us. It's always fun to see the products you show us because so many times it is the first time we have a good view of them. I don't do much about Valentine's Day because I am single. I do like to find some people who don't have Valentine's and give them little treats and a card. There are so many people out there who are alone and lonely, especially older folks.

Well, Valentine's Day is my wedding anniversary. This year will be our 11th anniversary. We usually take out our pictures and relieve the day - and now that we have a child, we include her in the story retelling. (These pictures were taken before I started scrapbooking, maybe I should get those scrapped this year!!)

Yea for hearts and pretty stuff! I love to make heart shaped cookies and frost them with my kiddos then give them out to friends.

My Dad passed away on February 11, 2002, so every year my husband and I send a Valentine bouquet to my Mom. We address the card to "Dad's Valentine."

Valentine's is the one day of the year saved for my sweetheart, my dh. We don't do date night or sneak away for the weekend any other time of year, but we do go out to dinner and make Valentine's strictly couples. I love being adults for the evening. That's my tradition, not really a tradition because it's only been a few years but soon to be a long time tradition as we continue on for many more years.

We are pretty low key as far as celebration. i usually make something (a card or minialbum) for my DH and DD and DS. But we don't decorate or go all out or anything, and there is usually candy in the house :)

Such Neat stuff!
I first off have to admit that my husband spoils me on vaalentines day....and after being married for almost 15 years, that is really nice.
I make love notes for everyone in the house....do a heart shaped food of some sort, and then usually when the kids get home from school, they find a little love package waiting for them.
A sweet day.

Every year my mom would buy us Reece's Peanut Butter cup hearts. Somehow, chocolate and peanut butter just tastes better in a shape other than a circle. Now that I'm married I've carried on the tradition with my husband, and he loves it!

With my husband working shift work we have had very few Valentine's Day evenings together. The day usually starts with one of us calling the other at work to wish them a happy Valentine's Day, a homemade card from me and a well pick out purchased card from him. Pretty romantic, in a "we are really busy people who have busy lives" sort of way!

We always have a special meal...It varies which meal depending on the day/schedule. I always set the table very festively with treats, cards and small gifts. It's fun to watch the kids get so excited about it.
I'm loving your stamp set...I already ordered it! :)

Our valentines is usually simple...the kids get cards (handmade this year--I'm proud I have them DONE!) and candy-and maybe a small webkins...they loved the ones they got last year. I usually get my husband a card and small gift. We're pretty simple.

So many great giveaways today! Thanks for the chance to win and for the inspiration to create!
Shawna

I try do something sweet for the kids. My husband usually works the 2nd shift and I won't neccessarily see him, but at least the kids will in the morning. A heart shaped pizza, heart cookies, something red and pink are usually the themes. Thanks for the giveaways - all the products look amazing!

Thanks for the great giveaways and wonderful blog Ali! Valentine's day has never been a big holiday at our house. We run a seasonal business and that right in the middle of our slowest tightest time so I think it's a function of that. But now that I've got a little boy whose 2.5, I'm thinking of starting to make it more important. I've been reading through everyone's posts and there are some great ideas there. I loved Candace's idea of the photo cards of kids holding a homemade Valentine in the latest CK magazine. I think I might just have to start that as a tradition. Thanks again Ali!

Oh, Ali. So, many beautiful things! I absolutely love that isophotography. Thanks for sharing it. I just forwarded that link to a few other people who I thought might like it, too. You're always a wonderful source of inspiration. Who inspires you?

Hi Ali, we never buy presents for each other but we go out for a nice, romantic dinner or we go on a weekend trip.

For Valentine's Day dinner, we don't go out, but usually make mini heart-shaped pizzas together at home as a family. We also give the kiddos a little gift and then we play games or watch a love-inspired, child-friendly movie (Cinderella or Lady and the Tramp are favorites). My husband generally brings home each of our girls a rose (and for me), which is so sweet. Hubby and I exchange cards or small gifts and we try to spend a little quality time together after the kiddos go to bed, just the two of us. Last year it was Scrabble - this year, who knows?!?!? It's just a fun day to share little expressions of love.
Michelle