Date Night with the Family

Love is… family! So why not celebrate those special bonds on this upcoming Valentine’s holiday? Here are a few ideas to get the whole family together to celebrate a family date night all about love and happiness.

Host a Craft Night

Go old school and host a craft night where family can create homemade Valentine’s cards for each other. Stock up on construction paper, glitter, markers, scissors and glue. Ask family members to bring old Valentine cards they’ve received. These can be recycled by cutting out images from the old cards to make new homemade cards (as long as they don’t hold too much sentimental value and the family members don’t mind recycling them). You could also use antique skeleton keys and locks to decorate the cards to illustrate the “key to my heart” idea.

To take it a step further, ask family members to write personal notes on each card they make thanking the person it’s intended for or telling them why they’re important or how much they’re appreciated. Show a little love beyond the ubiquitous “be mine” or “xoxo” phrases commonly seen around Valentine’s. It’s okay to get mushy with family sometimes! We all like knowing we’re loved and appreciated!

You could have the crafting night prior to Valentine’s or on the night of V-Day. To bring home the festive feel, have a floral centerpiece on hand. Since this is to celebrate family, you’ll probably want to avoid the ooey-gooey romantic feel of roses. Instead, opt for some pink and red tulips (the ones shown are FTD Season of Love Bouquet). They’re incredibly cheerful and offer a family-friendly vibe.

Family Game Night

If you host the craft night prior to Valentine’s, invite the family back over on Valentine’s afternoon/evening to exchange the cards and bond with a fun game night! Alternatively, you could have the card-making session during the afternoon of Valentine’s Day and then pull out the games later! Make sure you include games that are appropriate for all ages — Catchphrase, Monopoly, Jenga and playing cards are classics that everyone likes. Mix up teams so in-laws, parents and grandparents can play together rather than against each other. It’s all about togetherness! If you know there will be little ones joining the party, don’t leave them out! Ask the parents to bring a few of the kids’ favorite board games and play a round or two with them so they feel included!

Themed Potluck Dinner

Another fun idea to celebrate Valentine’s with the family is a themed potluck dinner. You can easily combine this with game night or the craft session. To bring home the festive feel, make sure guests know that it’s a Valentine’s-themed dinner. Ask them bring foods themed accordingly — red, white or heart-shaped foods. Here are a few examples: caprese salad with heart-shaped mozzarella slices, heart cookies, heart-shaped pepperoni on a homemade pizza, heart-shaped pancakes, a veggie platter with only red vegetables (radishes, tomatoes, bell peppers) and ranch dressing.

And I love the idea of ordering special chocolates for dessert like the chocolate-dipped strawberries shown in the photos. Fondue and s’mores could also be fun! Last but not least, don’t forget to take photos of all the fun you’re creating! You could even create a homemade photo booth. Just decorate a plain wall with heart garlands and buy (or make!) a few fun props (lip-shaped sunglasses, cupid’s arrows, feather boas, etc.). Designate a family member to be the photographer and let the fun start!

However you end up celebrating Valentine’s this year, don’t forget to include your family in some special way. It’s easy to get wrapped up in romance but nurturing the love of your family is important! That includes your pets, too. Give them a special treat so they know how much they are loved, as well!

Happy Valentine’s!