Show Your Love, for Less

Coffee Talk Thursday



Growing up, my mom went all out on Valentine's Day for my sisters and me. She pampered us a whole bunch, giving us a Valentine's bag filled with fun treats, such as a new shirt, a new department store lipstick (depending on our ages), chocolates, and more. Opening the Valentine from Mom was a lot of fun. Yet, I'm sure my mom--a single mother--spent half a week's worth of groceries on these gifts.

Now that I'm grown and have my own family, we don't make Valentine's Day that big of a deal. I don't need to buy a lot of stuff for what's become such a commercial holiday to show my family how much I love them. That said, we do a little bit--mainly because it's fun for the kids, but it's all within our normal budget.

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For example, I bought a few packages of small paper lace doilies that we will make Valentine's out of as a craft project. I did buy the boys a little box of chocolates for $1 each, and a 3-pack of conversation hearts for another dollar (did you know they now say, "Text me"? How times change!). Plus, I picked up some Batman crayon packs in the Target dollar bin, and some plastic heart cups that I'll put their treats in.

For us, many of our special memories are created baking in the kitchen together (when it goes well, that is!). So I plan to make some chocolate-covered strawberries. There is another recipe here. I also picked up two heart-shaped baking pans on sale at Hobby Lobby, which we'll use to bake a cake--possibly this Cupid Cake.

One year, my husband and I tried to go out for dinner. Even with a reservation, we stood up in the packed restaurant for an hour past our reservation time, and the dinner was not great. So I just prefer to make our own dinner and eat at home. I'm thinking of making some chicken parmesan over pasta, with french bread (easy to make the dough in the bread machine), and a salad similar to Olive Garden's.

I asked my husband not to buy me roses--I know, how romantic of me, hugh? They're so expensive for Valentine's Day. If he would like to bring me flowers, there are plenty of other pretty (and less expensive) kinds--like tulips (a bunch for $3.33 at Safeway this week, hint hint honey :)).

I think it's important to make special memories with your family throughout the year, but you don't have to spend a lot of money (or really any money at all) to make those memories happen.

So what do you do in your house for Valentine's Day?