Valentine's Day Ideas!

I love Valentine's Day! To all those haters- get over yourself. I love Valentine's day because everyone has someone to love! They don't have to be your significant other. They could be parents, grandparents, friends, children, whoever you love! Valentine's day is made great by you going out of your way to tell your loved ones that you love them! This week's blog post is going to give ideas of how you can brighten someone's day and I encourage you to spread the love around!

Valentine's for family:

• Make a card (or buy one) and write a gratitude letter and send it off to them or go to them and read it to them.
• Candy! Who doesn't love candy? Maybe Paleo people so you should give them a steak. 
• Make all the meals themed! Heart shaped pizza, heart shaped pancakes, heart shaped sandwiches, anything heart shaped. Fruit punch, strawberry roses, bacon hearts, the ideas are endless! 
• Make cards together
• Make a Valentine's mailbox for every member of the family. I remember my aunt and I making one for me in elementary school and it was the coolest ever! It was covered in red tissue paper, had cupids and hearts glued all over it, and there were two slots in the top one slot for boys and one for girls. I loved it and kept it way longer than I should have.
• Make treats together!
• Decorate the house together, make it a group activity!
• Create a "fun jar" filled with fun things to do until Valentine's day. Go sledding, build a snowman, make cookies, decorate, play games, rent a movie, whatever your family likes to do.
• Deliver treats to other families!

Valentine's for crushes, boyfriends, girlfriends, bffs, soon-to-be significant person, etc.

• Remember those fold over Valentine's from elementary school? Buy a box! They have cool ones at the dollar store. I still have Indiana Jones ones I can't get rid of. Anyways, tape candy on that and hand them out! 
• Conversation hearts! I LOVE them! Play a game where you can only say what you pull out of the candy box.
• Along with the fold over cards, if that's too lame, tape them together to form a heart. 
• Have a romantic movie night. Some good ideas are Hitch, Penelope, 50 First Dates, The Princess Bride, Casablanca, Ever After, Enchanted. You get the picture.
• Make it a fun day with no pressure.

Valentine's for Spouses:

• Breakfast in bed
• Paper heart fortune cookies
• Homemade scratch ticket
• Love notes!
• Go on a date- get a Valentine's day hater to babysit.
• Surprises throughout the day- a note in the lunch box, cookies after work, flowers, snowball to the back, whatever you know you're spouse will like. (I'm not completely serious about the snowball.)
• Dress up from a different era and plan a date according to the era. 

Valentine's for Strangers:

I include this one because I believe that Valentine's day is made great when you get over yourself and you help others to have a great day- even if you don't know them.

• Write an anonymous compliment letter
• Start up a conversation with someone who looks lonely
• Smile! Don't stop smiling the whole day!
• Give out folder over Valentine's cards 
• Buy extra candy to share

All in all, you are you and you are unique, you know what you like. These are just some of my suggestions. Make this Valentine's day one to remember. One where you brightened up other's days. Take time to show and spread the love! If you need more ideas you can follow this link to my Pinterest Valentine's day board.
http://www.pinterest.com/yeildtostop/valentines-day/ What are some of your Valentine's traditions? Feel free to leave your comment below.

Happy Valentine's Day!

These are the thoughts of the family advocate