Cheap Valentine’s Day Activities We Enjoy As A Family
The Cost Of Happiness Is Less Than A Dozen Of Roses
You are going to see plenty of Valentine’s Day articles and advertising motivating you that in order to show the love you need to spend money.
Here’s the thing, Valentine’s Day activities don’t need to cost you lots of money if any at all.
That is so far from the truth and if you fall into the trap, you’ll pay for it from your bank account.
Last week we received a letter from our son’s school about upcoming Valentine’s Day Activities and our son asked us, “What is Valentine’s Day?”
Tis the year where our son wants to know the Who, What, Where, When, Why and How about everything in life.
There’s never a dull moment and more questions than you can shake a stick at every single day.
History of Valentine’s Day
Why do we even celebrate Valentine’s Day?
That’s a valid question that everyone should ask and understand.
I suppose since he is 4 years old and this is his first experience in school with various Valentine’s Day Activities that he’d want to know a bit more about the history behind it.
I’m a bit of a history buff myself since coming from the UK is filled with history that spans far beyond my imagination.
Granted, I’m not religious at all but my wife is Catholic and she spreads the word through knowledge, education and the bible.
I don’t know a thing about the bible but I do care about what others choose to believe in and follow in their journey called life.
All aside she gives our son the condensed version with the commercial twist to it all.
Valentine’s For School Kids
Our son is pretty excited to make Valentine’s day treats for his classmates and teachers this year.
Not only that but he’s going to write a greeting on the handmade Valentine’s Day cards that we cut out on red, pink and white construction paper.
The Valentine’s Day cards are not perfect and some of the cuts are awful but our son is doing them with our help. He’s giving it all he’s got and that’s what matters most.
We have a Valentine’s Day ink stamper, stickers and plenty of sparkles and other flashy craft items to let our son explore the art of creating rather than just buying.
If you haven’t started a craft drawer at home for your kids I urge you to explore this avenue to allow their creativity to flow.
His favourite colour is pink, he loves cookies and will do anything for chocolate.
As you can imagine he’s going to be a fan of Valentine’s Day activities just as he is Easter and the hunt.
Valentine’s Day Baking
We’re also going to be making homemade Queen of Hearts Jam Tarts that are nut-free to bring along for the entire class.
What I love about these cookies is that they look elegant and flashy and I know the kids will love them.
Best of all they are not pricey to make and homemade is a way of expressing how much care and thought you put into something.
All of this signals a message to our son and that’s love, friendship, and togetherness. He adores it and wants to participate which is beautiful for us.
We want to instill values in him that goes beyond Valentine’s Day greetings by incorporating the past and the present.
The thing is behind all of the hype and love of Valentine’s Day there is a history although it may differ depending on who tells the story.
Lovers Day is Valentine’s Day
What day is Valentine’s Day? Why, February 14th, of course, is lovers day across the land one that St. Valentine had a hand in creating.
What is Valentine’s Day? Most of us grow up understanding that Valentine’s Day is about red and pink hearts and greetings that are full of love.
Essentially Valentine’s Day as we know it is to express love and friendship to those important to us.
St. Valentine
However, there is more to who St. Valentine really was and how he is connected to Valentine’s Day through the Catholic Bible and it’s not about exchanging Valentine’s Day greetings at all.
Valentine’s Day History
Before all the commercial customs of Valentine’s Day marketing, there was a history behind who St. Valentine really was.
You’ll be surprised to know it’s more than just love it’s about sharing, trust, faith, selfless, unconditional love.
In fact, there was not one St. Valentine but three all connected to martyrs sharing February 14th as a feast day.
The popular customs of showing love and affection on St. Valentine’s Day is almost a coincidence with the feast day of the saint: During the Medieval Age, a common belief in England and France was that birds began to pair on February 14, “half-way through the second month of the year.”
Chaucer wrote in his “Parliament of Foules” (in Old English): “For this was on Seynt Valentyne’s day, When every foul cometh ther to choose his mate.” For this reason, the day was dedicated to “lovers” and prompted the sending of letters, gifts, or other signs of affection. – Source and more info on St. Valentine
Never forget Jesus said, “This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:12-13). St. Valentine fulfilled this command, and may we do the same.
Family Valentine’s Day Activities
While our son was at school yesterday I took my wife to the doctors and since we had some time afterward we took a stroll through Value Village.
It was then I noticed this shirt staring right at me as if I was meant to read it, “Happiness is Not Expensive” and I just stood there and nodded in agreement.
It’s Valentine’s Day all day every day at our house because we make sure to say we love each other every day and never leave without a hug and a kiss, including our son.
This is important to us because you never know what could happen once you walk out the door.
Heck, something could happen while you’re at home. The point is to love who you love and to always let them know and not just on Valentine’s Day.
Inexpensive Valentine’s Day Fun
So what are our plans for Valentine’s Day Activities?
Mrs. CBB and I along with our son sat down for dinner two days ago and discussed what we would like to do for Valentine’s Day Activities that were free or reasonably cost-effective for our budget.
Like everything in our monthly budget that we know we will have to pay for at some point in time we estimate a dollar amount and save it as a projected expense until the month of expense.
This also includes Valentine’s Day since we do need to buy some craft and baking supplies based on what the plan of action is each year.
We will save $1 a month for a total of $12 to spend on Valentine’s Day which means we will have that money to spend in February on any items related to the day.
As you can see below our money will end up going to pizza making, homemade cookies, making slime and some crafts from the Dollar Store.
- Play with Lego and Hungry Hungry Hippo game
- Make pink and red slime
- Go sledding (weather permitting)
- Eat cookies we baked (see recipe above)
- Watch cartoons
- Make homemade pizza (keto for our romantic dinner) 🙂
- Call grandparents aunts, uncle, and cousins.
- Call his best friend or Face Time with him
It’s A Time For Family And Togetherness
As you can see our Valentine’s Day Activities are family-based and that’s because we are a family.
I don’t need to get a babysitter to take my wife out for dinner or to spend $100 on Valentine’s Day flowers. She doesn’t want them even though I’d be happy to buy them for her because she deserves them.
I know she’d rather me spend the money on things we can all do together so that’s what we all do.
I will, however, be skipping the Dollar Store Valentine’s Day Greeting Card for a hand-made card that our son and I will do in the basement.
We picked up some Valentine’s Day stickers at the Dollar Store and glitter so we can make our card for mom.
It’s funny because she does the same with him when she has him upstairs and I’m in my office then Mrs. CBB and I both make one together for our son.
He must wonder what all this hiding is about but for him, it’s being together with his parents crafting something that symbolizes love.
Don’t sweat the small stuff when it comes to Valentine’s Day but certainly talk to your spouse or partner about expectations because if you’re not on the same page it won’t make a lick of difference.
Remember, Happiness is NOT expensive and Valentine’s Day Activities can be done as a family, at least that’s our motto.
Discussion: What Valentine’s Day Activities do you participate in?
Related Valentine’s Day Blog Posts
