The History Of Valentines Day, Fun Games, and Traditions!

Ever wonder why we celebrate the day of love? Why we send each other lovey dovey cards, chocolates and flowers? Did you ever think who came up with it? Not a man- that’s for sure! Who is it we owe this day of amore’ to?

Legend has it, Valentine was a priest who served in third century Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for single men- his potential soldiers. Valentine being a real man, continued to perform secret marriages for young lovers in secret. When Claudius found out about it, he ordered Valentine to be put to death.

Other stories suggest Valentine, was killed for helping Christians escape the Roman prisons where they were said to have been beaten and tortured. One story says Valentine may have sent the first ‘valentine’ greeting himself. While in prison, he fell in love with his jailer’s daughter- who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote the letter and signed it “From Your Valentine”. Whatever the legend may be, who wouldn’t celebrate a heroic, sympathetic romanticist?

Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage. -Lao Tzu

Here are some fun Valentine’s ideas to do with your family…

On St. Patrick’s day you wear green, why not wear red or pink on Valentine’s

For the meals you make at home, they have to be red or pink…. pink heart shaped pancakes, pink milk….

Mariel found some great heart shaped griddles for pancakes last year, check them out here.

For dinner- heart shaped sandwiches, heart shaped pizza, find some small heart shaped cookie cutters, cook lasagna noodles, and cut heart shapes out of them. Serve with red sauce. Chicken pot pie, or chicken and biscuits. Instead of a full pie crust on top, cut out heart shapes- same with the biscuits.

For dessert, serve rice “kisspies” or heart shaped rice krispies.

Let your kids know in writing, how you feel about them. Write a special letter for each child expressing why you love them, the characteristics you love about them and how you are happy to be their parent. They can’t hear it too much!

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart. -Helen Keller

“Breathless” is a fun game that your kids will love! Cut paper hearts out of tissue paper. Have the first child (with a plastic bag of tissue hearts) take one heart out of the bag using the suction of a straw. Then he has to pass it to the next person using straw to straw by suction. Keep passing the heart down the line and into an empty bag.

Candy Relay. Have candy with wrappers and two pairs of mittens. Spit into two teams. Give each child a piece of wrapped candy. When someone says go, have the first child put on the mittens, unwrap their candy, eat it and pass the mittens to the next person. The first team done wins.

Have your kids make Valentines’ Albums for their best friends, telling them why they are great. Check out the post here.

When you are in love, you can’t fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams. – Dr. Suess