What started out as a day to remember a dear Christian brother named Valentine has morphed into a celebration of romantic love. Both are wonderful things to celebrate.
I look forward to roses and a big box of chocolates on St. Valentine’s Day! However, remembering that the day started about a man who was martyred for his faith, I want to include my children in festivities during the holiday.
When my children were little, I tried to make St. Valentine’s Day a special family day.
Here are some of the things we did to make St. Valentine’s Day festive, fun, and full of faith.
Fancy Dinner
We got out the good china, cloth napkins, candlesticks, and lace tablecloth to dine by candlelight.
Sometimes we have a extra-special dinner of steak or roast beef. Other times, we have gone with a red or pink theme: ham, beets, rice with red peppers, strawberries, raspberries, apples, and pink mashed potatoes.
Love Letters
Whose says love letters are only for moms and dads to write to each other. Everyone could use letters of appreciation and affirmation. I also know of families that share with one another how much they love each other through speaking or writing them down in little cards.
Discover Saint Valentine
Valentine was a real person who loved Jesus. I love the picture book The Story of St. Valentine from Voice of the Martyrs. You can read a review of the book here.
Decorate The House for St. Valentine’s Day
Red, pink, and white are great colors to decorate your house or one room with for St. Valentine’s Day. We also use teddy bears, hearts, and photos that display love.
Handmade Cards
Handmade cards are so fun to make and even more fun to receive. Making cards to share with family and friends is one of our favorite ways to celebrate the holiday.
We have created all kinds of cards over the years from simple heart shaped one-sided cards to elaborate pop-up cards. Sometimes we buy the little boxes of cards from the grocery store and pass them out to friends in the neighborhood, at homeschool co-op, and at church. Other times, we use doilies, ribbons, stickers, and construction paper to make our own. For years, we did rubber stamping and embossing to create one-of-a-kind works of art.
Another fun idea is to make St. Valentine’s Day cards for people who serve you like pastors, teachers, Sunday school teachers, relatives, and friends. It’s a fun way to say, “Thank you,” especially if it’s paired with a sweet treat.
Heart-Shaped Cookies or Cake
My grandmother picked up a heart-shaped cake pan before I was married. I have used that pan over and over to make a cake that I frost in red or pink. Sometimes we make and decorate heart-shaped cookies to enjoy and share with others.
Reach Out to Singles
With a focus on romantic love, singles can often get overlooked on St. Valentine’s Day. Some years we have delivered roses and candy to our single friends at their jobs. One year, we had a friend who was especially struggling with singleness on St. Valentine’s Day so we visited her at work with a box of chocolates, handmade cards, and notes of encouragement.
Bible Study on Love
Use your concordance to look up the word love and do a word study. How does the Bible define love? How does the Bible exemplify love? How does Jesus show love to us? With the whole Bible His love letter to us, the possibilities are endless!
Bible Couples
St. Valentine’s Day is a great time to look at some couples in the Bible. Have a Bible study on a couple’s love story in the Bible (Ruth & Boaz, Sarah & Abraham, Rebekah & Isaac, Jacob & Rachel, Esther & the King, Elizabeth & Zachariah, and Mary & Joseph)
Love Verses
Decorate the house with Bible verses about love. Or do a Bible study on one of the love chapters (I Corinthians 13, I John 4, John 13)
Here are some great verses on love:
- Romans 5:8
- Romans 8:35-39
- I John 3:1-2
- I Corinthians 13:13
- Ephesians 2:1-10
- John 15:9
- Matthew 22:37-39
- John 13:34-35
- Luke 7:36-50
- Ephesians 3:14-21
- Galatians 5:22-23
- John 14:15
- Romans 12:10
- I Timothy 1:5
- I Corinthians 16:14
- Colossians 3:14
- Hebrews 10:24
Tell Kids Your Love Story
Share the love story of you and your spouse with your children and pull out wedding photos. This is a big hit in our house.
Have a lovely St. Valentine’s Day!
Love,
Meredith Curtis
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