Valentine's Day....

[Guest]

It is NOT too early to start thinking about it.

I wanna have a special one this year. I wanna bake something special, make a nice dinner, special surprises for all. Wanna share the luff.

Do YOU celebrate VD? Any romantic/cute/fun ideas? Recipes? Decorations you want to share with the class?

For the past two years, for DS, I've cut out small paper hearts and taped them all around the house. Kind of hidden. Each one said something I loved about him. We were still finding them in the summer. There is still one stuck in the snack cupboard. ("I love that you love healthy snacks.") Kind of corny, but huge kick for him.

A couple years ago, my friend had a small Valentine's dinner for 6 of us. Each place setting had a tiny bud vase with a small rose in each. Decadent food. Tuesday's epi of Top Chef made me remember my friend's dinner fondly.

Don't know if I want to entertain other then DH & DS, though. Maybe my parents. But maybe...

What do YOU do for VD?

[Hollie_B]

It is NOT too early to start thinking about it.

I wanna have a special one this year. I wanna bake something special, make a nice dinner, special surprises for all. Wanna share the luff.

Do YOU celebrate VD? Any romantic/cute/fun ideas? Recipes? Decorations you want to share with the class?

For the past two years, for DS, I've cut out small paper hearts and taped them all around the house. Kind of hidden. Each one said something I loved about him. We were still finding them in the summer. There is still one stuck in the snack cupboard. ("I love that you love healthy snacks.") Kind of corny, but huge kick for him.

A couple years ago, my friend had a small Valentine's dinner for 6 of us. Each place setting had a tiny bud vase with a small rose in each. Decadent food. Tuesday's epi of Top Chef made me remember my friend's dinner fondly.

Don't know if I want to entertain other then DH & DS, though. Maybe my parents. But maybe...

What do YOU do for VD?

After spending my whole life being a non Vday person this year we are doing it family style. The kids all have Vday outfits (isn't that scarey). I have a cute shirt (to wear to J's party). I'm having them do their handprints and footprints in red on a table cloth. We will sit at the nice dining room table. We are doing fondue for the main course and dessert. I'll do a white sparkling grape with frozen raspberries. I may even steal your note idea. Love that. I think I'll have Jack do some for dh and the girls.

I really don't have any ideas for you but am just excited to say that I am celebrating this year. No gifts though.

[Guest]

Ha ha....

The recipe doesn't sound good but the name cracked me up....

http://www.hookerycookery.com/valentine/cupid007.htm

[Guest]

We don't usually do gifts either.....

No gifts though.

Except last week I found the perfect pair of gold hoop earrings, 70% off (yay, me) and when I got them home I gave the box to DS and said, "Here, give these to your dad and tell him that you have mama's Valentine's Day present."

So I guess this year, I'll need to reciprocate.

I'm glad you're getting on the Valentine Love Train, HB. It's exciting to plan it, the day itself is fun, and hopefully that romantical glow lasts for a couple days. IfyaknowwhatImean.

[jknyc]

I'm thisclose to planning a party for the Sunday before Valentine's Day. We'll have it from 3-5 pm, just desserts, champagne for the adults, and juice for the kids. I love cheesey Valentine's Day decorations, so DD and I will make lots of paper hearts and flowers for it.

I'm thinking maybe 5-8 families.

[kd1]

We celebrate Valentine's Day.

It is fun. I usually get the kids a small gift. Last year I got them each a little tin of candies. I think I gave them stickers as well. DH and I will give each other a smallish gift. I can't for the life of me remember what we gave each other last year. He usually gets me an Edible Arrangement, since I don't like getting flowers. Last year I got the chocolate covered strawberry bouquet. OMG! I made and decorated a heart shaped cupcake for each of us.

When I was a kid my dad would always bring my mom a huge box of chocolates and a large bouquet of flowers for Valentine's Day. I always got a small box and a single flower. I thought I was pretty cool!

[Guest]

That kind of gathering screams for a....

Cupcake tree!!!
If you don't have one of these tiered plate thingys, I'd let you borrow mine because suuuurrrre I have one....



(I do have one of these, though.)

[loopyloo18]

My mom always made a "red" dinner for VD...(kids ment)

And I always loved it so I am planning on keeping the tradition alive. We'll have spaghetti & meatballs, jello cut into heart shapes and maybe pink cupcakes for dessert....haven't thought about it too much. The kids will also get a small gift (like a matchbox car each).

Incidentally, when I was a child, my mom also did a "green & red" X'mas Eve dinner. Green salad with red dressing & tomatoes, green spinach pasta w/red sauce, etc. It is one of the strongest memories I have of my childhood.

Kris

[Guest]

Oh my gosh....

since I don't like getting flowers.

My DH thought I was the only one. Ya know, I love flowers. I will frequently pick up a bunch of $6.99 Astromerias from the grocery store if they look good just because I think they're pretty (and astromerias last a LONG time). My neighbor and I send the same little vase back and forth all summer between our houses with flowers we pick for each other from the yard.

But when it comes to a $75 arrangement...either I'm too sensible or too cheap. (Those earrings I mentioned above? $32.00 and I'll be loving them for years to come. If I don't lose one or both.)

So why don't you like gettting flowers?

[Guest]

Aww....

your mom sounds cool.

[DianeL]

Love this idea and the others

And I always loved it so I am planning on keeping the tradition alive. We'll have spaghetti & meatballs, jello cut into heart shapes and maybe pink cupcakes for dessert....haven't thought about it too much. The kids will also get a small gift (like a matchbox car each).

Incidentally, when I was a child, my mom also did a "green & red" X'mas Eve dinner. Green salad with red dressing & tomatoes, green spinach pasta w/red sauce, etc. It is one of the strongest memories I have of my childhood.

Kris

What a great thing to remember from childhood - how fun your mom was to do that!

I am going to leach on to this post and try and make it fun for my whole family too. I love Valentine's Day and I just need a little push to take it over the top.

Thanks for starting this thread geenabeana.

Diane

[Guest]

Maybe I'm related to Kris' mom? I've done those "color theme" meals for years. Yep, red for Valentine's Day (spaghetti, food coloring in the milk, or maybe Big Red soda?), green for St. Pat's... never have done green & red for Christmas - hmm, something to think about!

With VD on Wednesday, it won't be a fancy meal, but the spaghetti meal above & we bought some after-Christmas sale Andes red & white peppermint bark to decorate chocolate cupcakes with. I've got junk gifts for the kids from the Dollar Spot and Target & will probably sew up some furry fleece pillows for them. Not sure about DH, but because he's really trying to be a good DH lately (after my pre-Christmas meltdown!), I better come up with something for him. Maybe a watch... he needs a new one for work.

Last year DH had to leave really early on VD and I thought he was skipping it totally. Surprise! Inside my car was a jewelry box with a pin & some... ahem, "adult" themed gifts, too!

He hasn't asked, but I lost one of my 30-yr-old diamond stud earrings last week (don't know how!), and I wouldn't mind a replacement on that. The one I still have is bent (beach accident) a couple years ago, so it might be best to get it re-set in something with a screw-back. Yep, I'd be REALLY happy with that... but probably won't get that. Oh well, anniversary is in May.

Dana

[stacia1]

Hmmm... for VD?

It is NOT too early to start thinking about it.

I wanna have a special one this year. I wanna bake something special, make a nice dinner, special surprises for all. Wanna share the luff.

Do YOU celebrate VD? Any romantic/cute/fun ideas? Recipes? Decorations you want to share with the class?

For the past two years, for DS, I've cut out small paper hearts and taped them all around the house. Kind of hidden. Each one said something I loved about him. We were still finding them in the summer. There is still one stuck in the snack cupboard. ("I love that you love healthy snacks.") Kind of corny, but huge kick for him.

A couple years ago, my friend had a small Valentine's dinner for 6 of us. Each place setting had a tiny bud vase with a small rose in each. Decadent food. Tuesday's epi of Top Chef made me remember my friend's dinner fondly.

Don't know if I want to entertain other then DH & DS, though. Maybe my parents. But maybe...

What do YOU do for VD?

I usually take some antibiotics and it clears right up.

For Valentines a card and I have flowers delivered or a special basket with DH's favorite snacks delivered to his work.

This year we are going to a B&B in a winery town and taking a "chocolate tour". They match the best wine for certain chocolates. THinking I might gain about 20lb!!