Monday, January 21, 2013

Be Mine

Valentine's Day is coming up. At our house we celebrate Val-Hanukkah, something I dreamed up when Daddy and I were dating. Seven days of gifts, and most of them are small. The last one can be bigger if you want. One year I gave Daddy a heart-shaped Pez dispenser one day and made cookies for him at work another day. It's not so much about the gifts, but celebrating your connection (more so than you do on a normal day. It can be a reminder to get out of your own head and think about what would make the other person happy (or at least smile).

A Valentine from Silas
Since it is 7 days though it takes more pre-planning than one trip to the grocery store to buy chocolate covered strawberries. It gives you the opportunity to think, "What does my partner really want/need/enjoy?" If you choose to do something like this it's good to brainstorm for a bit, make a list, and figure out some really fun ones. That's where I'm at this year right now, the brainstorming phase.

How do you show your partner you love and appreciate them on Valentine's Day? While we should be honoring our loved ones (and them us) every day, it's nice to do something different (and fun) once in a while. What are your Valentine traditions?