Enjoy Your Creative and Cheap Valentine’s Day at Home
WHEN LIFE HANDS YOU LEMONS
I am no stranger to living on a budget. I grew up with a single mother who showed me how to take life’s lemons and make lemonade, lemon tart, and lemon meringue. This glitter-magic has come in handy when turning mediocre things into exceptional things!
One of our family goals over the next couple of years is to get (mostly) out of debt. Although this goal seems inconvenient often (especially when you you’re living paycheck-to-paycheck), it has amplified my ingenuity and helped me enjoy the affordable things in life.
Photo Credit: jonathanpielmayer
THE VALENTINE’S DAY DEBATE
Ahh, yes. The big love debate. Some people loathe Valentine’s Day while others love Valentine’s Day. I am in-between when it comes to the whole “Is Valentine’s Day a Real Holiday?” argument. Many people are vocal about Valentine’s Day being a waste of time and money (okay, grumpy pants) and these days, they aren’t wrong. Valentine’s Day has become this big theatre to show the world who loves their significant other the most by spending the most money or buying the most things. But, hey, if you set aside a dedicated day with your loved ones and learn how to celebrate on a budget, does anyone really lose? I don’t think so!
Photo Credit: kellysikkema
MY VALENTINE BACKSTORY
Valentine’s Day has always felt special even though I never received flowers from friends in school (isn’t that the worst feeling? “AND NONE FOR GRETCHEN WEINERS! BYE!”). My mom would give us Valentine’s Day cards with heart-felt notes written in them, telling us how proud she was of all we had accomplished and her favorite memories of us growing up. She would pair the card with a little gift such as a stuffed animal or chocolates from Target. It didn’t need to be a lot to mean a lot. And it did mean a lot, especially after those emotional high school breakups.
I still have some of those cards with the hand-written notes in them. Even though my mom was single for most of my childhood, she knew Valentine’s Day could still be celebrated in a special way. I will continue to pass this tradition on to my kids (even if my husband thinks I’m weird for doing so).
Photo Credit: saulius
HOMEMADE CARDS ARE SUPERIOR
My kids and I thoroughly enjoy making cards for people and Valentine’s Day cards are no exception. Save a little bit of money and make a whole lot of memories by creating homemade, heart-felt cards for those you love. Not only is this a budget-friendly activity, but it allows more time to bond with your children and take those mental photographs you will reflect on the rest of your life. Also, I’m not sure if you know this, but kids are freaking hilarious! Their cards can turn out to be the belly laugh you didn’t know you needed!
Photo Credit: dragos126
A ROMANTIC DINNER AT HOME
I will be the first to admit that I don’t care for cooking. I have not been blessed with that special gift of knowing how much seasoning (or WHAT seasoning, for that matter) a food concoction needs. I have been known to ruin food where recipes are included because I don’t like to read all the way through the directions before pouring and mixing. But I will also be the first to admit that I love cooking together with my family. I enjoy making meal time light-hearted and fun. I obviously don’t care for the extra mess when my kids help, but, ohhh, maaan, I love making these special memories in our kitchen. Our kids completely light up when they are asked to be my sous-chefs.
If you choose to go the more sane route and leave the cooking to the adults, have your kiddos help set the table and maybe pick some flowers for a centerpiece! Better yet, have your children create a Valentine’s Day living room picnic with a play tent, pillows, blankets, and flameless candles! They will feel like they’re building a fort of some sort and it will give you a chance to finish cooking in peace.
Photo Credit: soroushkarimi
MAKE THE AMBIANCE MAGICAL
The key to a romantic ambiance is catering to each of your five senses: touch, hearing, sight, smell, taste. You want it ALL, right? I believe that activating the senses will help a memory last longer. There’s no science behind this thought… it just rings true to me.
TOUCH - Cozy up next to your lover. Enjoy the plush pillow and blanket picnic in your living room.
HEARING - Choose a soft, romantic playlist for background noise. Keep it low so that you are able to enjoy conversations together.
SIGHT - Come on, y’all! Let’s bust out the Christmas lights that haven’t quite made it to our attics yet! Dim your lights, add flameless candles, string up some lights. Nothing gives off magical vibes as much as twinkling lights, am I right?!
SMELL - You just cooked an amazing dinner so the magical smell may already be taken care of. If it’s not, turn on your diffuser and add some vanilla, sandalwood, lavender, whatever essential oil or oil blend gives you romance vibes.
TASTE - Your delicious dinner paired with a glass of bubbly will activate your taste buds and complete this magical sensory experience. Go a step further and feed each other chocolate dipped strawberries! YUM!
Photo Credit: chris_ainsworth22
FOR THE PROCRASTINATORS
If you have run out of time to create your own Valentine’s Day magic at home, here are some last minute tips. Don’t worry, they are still creative and cheap!
THE CARD & GIFT IN ONE: You can purchase a single card (or bulk cards if you have lots of Valentines) from any Dollar Tree and write a sincere love letter inside. Write the story of the first time you saw your significant other or knew they were the one! THIS is a creative, cheap, and meaningful Valentine’s Day gift that everyone can appreciate. It wouldn’t hurt to add in a foot massage though. You know what I’m saying?
Photo Credit: jonathanborba
TIME IS THE GREATEST GIFT
And remember, time has been and always will be the greatest gift you can give. From crafting your own homemade cards to cooking dinner together, Valentine’s Day somehow feels extra special when you think outside of the wallet.
