Planning a Memorable Valentine’s Day Celebration

Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to spend time with those you love. When gathered around the kitchen table, it’s easy to start the day off right and share a few special moments. How can you make this Valentine’s Day memorable without leaving the house? Keep reading for a few thoughtful Valentine’s Day celebration ideas…

Pizza for Breakfast

Who says pizza is only for lunch or dinner? Serve a breakfast pizza with eggs or their favorite pepperoni and olive pizza if you prefer. Make a healthy fruit salad, add some Italian sparkling water and you are good to go.

A few more Valentine’s Day Celebration etiquette reminders:

• Pizza is a finger food, but it may be eaten with a fork if it’s hot and gooey.
• Fruit salad is eaten with a fork unless mom needs to cut it for little toddlers fingers.
• The napkin is placed on the lap while eating and back on the table when the meal has come to an end.

Set a Pretty Table

It’s a wonderful opportunity to introduce or reinforce a few basic dining etiquette skills. Let the children set the table with a heart-shaped theme and make it a fun experience. Use this handy diagram as your guide. Offer their favorite cereal in an inexpensive heart-shaped bowl, set the table with bright colored linen, and give them a variety of choices when it comes to their food options. Use a cookie cutter and fill it with their favorite jam on a piece of toast or a mini pancake. (The kids would love to do this on their own!) Cut up strawberries for their Belgium waffles and enjoy a warm cup of cocoa with strawberry marshmallows.

And just in case you need a little reminder on how to properly set the table…please see the diagram below. For kids, only one knife and one fork.

Add Some Nostalgia to the Table

Go through your memorabilia and find some old Valentine’s cards to decorate the table or mantle. Look at the handwriting and how the kids have grown throughout the years. Try and remember each card and when it was written if there are no dates.

Go through old pictures of relatives, those you know and those who aren’t familiar and make a note of how things have changed throughout the years. What kind of transportation did they use? Does their wedding outfit look “old fashioned”? Are they wearing gloves or hats? Pick out a few interesting details and discuss them with the kids.

Keep the Right Frame of Mind

We all know someone who has complained about this particular holiday being “just another marketing effort to spend money.” They probably have a similar attitude about other holidays, as well!

Letting someone know how you feel about them through your words, your actions and your deeds can go a long way in strengthening a bond and building on an existing relationship. Both kids and adults should be treated with love on this special day! It’s so important to keep in touch during this time when people are feeling socially isolated. It’s not too late to send a card. Oh … and don’t forget your fur baby!

Hot Cocoa Tray

Gather your family’s favorite flavors, add a little hot cocoa and a pretty teacup and you are ready for a Valentine’s Day party. Look in your pantry because you probably already have everything you need at your fingertips.

Looking for more Valentine’s Day Celebration ideas? You may also like Galentine’s Day Tea Etiquette. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, read her posts on Inc., subscribe to her articles on Huff Post, “like” The Protocol School of Texas on Facebook, and follow her on Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter. Buy her new book, Modern Etiquette for a Better Life.