So much fun! This week I hosted my first This Week in M.O.M Twitter chat (@DianeMizota and @ThisWeekinMom)and got to tweeting with some really great moms about how they celebrate Valentine's Day as a family. We talked about how much to spend, how to save, crafts, cooking, candy bans at school and keeping romance alive…read on for some of the best tips and ideas from our chat.
How do you celebrate Valentine's Day as a family?...
One fun way to celebrate was brought up by @AnEverydayJen who puts little gifts on her children's nightstands for them to wake up to. Just little things like books, art supplies or even a little candy.
Another great idea is to buy a simple heart shaped cookie cutter that can be used to make heart-shaped pancakes, eggs, cookies, sandwiches… and even hamburgers to get into the Vday spirit! (thanks @pittsbrgh24 and @lynlomasi)
And aren't holidays supposed to be about the sentiment and not the stuff? Here are some tweets to inspire us to just remember that holidays can just be used as a reason to connect with your family…
@lolamichele "we also try to encourage kind acts for v-day within the family as opposed to lots of gifts."
@sassafrassJess suggested getting your little ones to make a Valentine's Card for themselves…the "biggest and the best" of course!
If you've got tweens or teens at home, here are some great ways to show them love this Valentine's Day...
@pittsbrgh24 "Itunes gift cards are always a hit with teens or a gift card to a restaurant so they can take their girlfriends out."
@LynLomasi "I like to give older kids each their own day with me; makes them feel special if you have more than one child."
What would Valentine's Day be without some clever inexpensive craft ideas to make with your kids?...
I love this inspired use for an empty toilet paper roll! - http://pinterest.com/pin/218635756879833768/
Making your own Valentines out of index cards and a sponge stamp couldn't be easier or more cost effective. - http://shine.yahoo.com/parenting/kids-craft-ideas-valentines-day-144500667.html
@AnEverydayJen shared this fun craft idea for making a frame out of sweetheart boxes. - http://www.busybeelifestyle.com/the-cutest-five-minute-valentine-craft/
And my personal favorite gift to give this Valentine's Day - Chocolate Covered Popchips! Just melt some dark chocolate, dip original Popchips in the melted chocolate, decorate with sprinkles and freeze on parchment paper. A great candy alternative that's fun to make and fun to eat! Salty and sweet, crunchy and somehow less guilty than full-on candy. (you can easily adapt this recipe with pretzels too.) The kids in my son's class will be getting these on Valentine's Day...
I hope these tips helped give you some ideas for Valentine's Day, even if it's just doing something simple and small to show your loved ones how much they mean to you. Happy Valentine's Day everyone! And thanks for connecting with us on twitter!
What will you be making this Valentine's Day and what do you hope to receive?
-Diane Mizota, Host of This Week in M.O.M
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