Great Valentine's Day Traditions for Families

When people reflect on family traditions, the first things that come to mind are often associated with holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas. When I was growing up, my mom made it a priority to create family traditions. On St. Patrick's Day, we could look forward to green mashed potatoes and milk (among other things). On Halloween, we knew that our sandwich would have a jack-o-lantern face cut into it. I have fond memories of all of these traditions and it has inspired me to create my own traditions with my family. Traditions can be a source of strength to families by creating a sense of unity and serving as a connection between generations. Although Valentine's Day has traditionally been viewed as a holiday for couples to express their romantic love, it provides an excellent opportunity for parents to teach their children about expressing love within the home and to those around them. Here are some fun and easy ideas for starting Valentine's Day traditions in your family.

Plan a family service project

Valentine's Day is a great time for families to focus on serving others. One possible service project could be to create handmade Valentine's Day cards or craft items for people in nursing homes or hospitals. The family can go together to deliver these items (be sure to contact the facility first to make arrangements).

Another project could involve staging a "heart attack" on a friend or neighbor. If you are not familiar with a "heart attack" you basically cut out paper hearts in a variety of colors and sizes. If you choose, you can write special messages on the back. You can scatter the hearts on a front door, vehicle, etc. for the person (or family) to find the next day.