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Valentine’s Day at Home with the Whole Family

Alexandria
Holidays | Hosting and Parties | Lifestyle
January 27, 2023
Valentine’s Day at Home with the Whole Family
Valentine’s Day looks a lot different after kids. It becomes less about getting that dinner reservation, and more about class valentines and a fun no-stress holiday spent with your tiny valentines. If you’re anything like my family, your weeknights are taken over by sports and activities.. There’s not one night, Monday through Friday, when we’re not playing taxi for one of our four kids. There’ve been plenty of Valentines and anniversaries spent at the ball fields, pushed back a day or two, or spent at home after their activities. One of my favorite Valentine’s Days was spent with our kids at home, and just a few simple touches made it extra special and memorable.

Tips for creating a memorable Valentine’s Day at home for the whole family

1) Be Flexible with the date. Does February 14th just have too many things going on already? Celebrate the day before or day after!

2) Set up a festive tablescape to set the mood. Pick a table you don’t normally have dinner at, like your dining room that is normally reserved for Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Easter! A simple mixture of flowers and candles can fancy up a table real quick.

3) Serve themed food. Go outside the box to make this dinner special. Heart shaped anything will do the trick, and heart pizza is always a winner!
I did individual charcuterie cups and mini avocado toasts with bacon roses* for appetizers.

*Cut bacon strips in half lengthwise and widthwise to make 4 small strips. Roll strips and place each inside a mini muffin spot. Cook at 400°F for 30 minutes.

Valentine’s Day at Home with the Whole Family
4) Wear fun accessories. Have everyone wear something pink! They can choose a pink shirt, socks, hat, sunglasses, or jewelry. These pink mustaches are guaranteed to get some giggles.

5) Divide the responsibility.. The best part about date night at home is everyone is there to help! Have someone set up the table, another gets everyone a drink, someone can cook, while another can serve dessert. Then, everyone can help clean up afterwards!

Valentine’s Day at Home with the Whole Family

6) Order out if you’re really in a crunch for time. Thank goodness for Uber Eats and restaurants that offer Family Meals! We love Carrabba’s family meal options, along with a few BBQ and Cuban places we have around town.

7) Fun and Festive Dessert. This Chocolate fondue Pot Set is easy to use and clean up is simple! Have a fun after dinner party dipping marshmallows, pretzels, strawberries, and bananas into chocolate. I bet your kids will get creative and find something in the pantry they’d like to try chocolate dipped!
Valentine’s Day at Home with the Whole Family

3) Serve themed food. Go outside the box to make this dinner special. Heart shaped anything will do the trick, and heart pizza is always a winner!
I did individual charcuterie cups and mini avocado toasts with bacon roses* for appetizers.

*Cut bacon strips in half lengthwise and widthwise to make 4 small strips. Roll strips and place each inside a mini muffin spot. Cook at 400°F for 30 minutes.

Valentine’s Day at Home with the Whole Family

8) Have an activity to do: A friendly game of tic tac toe everyone will enjoy. Use graham crackers, icing, and candy hearts to play a game (or ten) after dinner. This can double as a sweet treat afterwards.

9) Have a themed drink. Stick with the colored theme, and serve pink lemonade or shirley temples. You can even give water a razzle and dazzle by serving it in a fancy champagne flute with a candy garnish.

10) The night doesn’t have to stop there.
After the kids go to sleep, open up a special bottle of wine to enjoy with your true valentine.
Valentine’s Day at Home with the Whole Family
Valentine’s Day at Home with the Whole Family
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