30 Simple & Fun Ideas to Celebrate Valentine’s Day – Recipes, Crafts, Gift Ideas & More! 

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. Yaaayyy! So I’ve put together a list of fun Valentine’s Day recipes, crafts, decorations, gift ideas and more to help you celebrate.

I’ve loved Valentine’s Day since grade school when we decorated little white bakery bags with red and pink hearts, taped them onto our school desks and delivered those little individual Valentine’s to all our classmates. (Yep – you had to give one to everyone. This was great because it got around the “popularity contest” aspect of Valentine’s and everyone could feel good. Nice work Mrs. Buchanan!)

Unfortunately, I think those little valentines with the cute sayings are probably out of vogue now. But, if you’re looking to do something special yet simple to celebrate Valentine’s Day you’ve definitely come to the right place. I’ve checked in with many of my blogging colleagues and found some awesome ideas to share with you. If you’re looking for simple recipes, craft projects to do with your kids or fun and creative gift ideas you can find them all right here!

Fun and Easy Valentine’s Day Crafts

Our house always looks a little bare to me after all the Christmas decorations come down. So I love that I can put up a few things for Valentine’s day to help chase the gloom of winter away. If you feel like adding a little “love” to your décor try out this 5 Minute Valentine Garland from Gina at Moneywise Moms.

If you want a Valentine banner with hearts that are a little bit bigger, try this super fun one on printed paper from Heather over at Glitter on a Dime.

Share the love with your feathered friends by making this adorable (and bird delicious) birdseed heart from Chrysa at Thrifty Jinxy. You’ll get the enjoyment of watching the birds as they eat, PLUS you’ll be helping them stay fed on these cold winter days.

Crafting with Kids for Valentine’s Day

Kids love to make Valentine’s cards and they love monsters (well at least friendly ones!). This idea from Angela of The Inspiration Edit is such a fun one. Because, really, who doesn’t love an adorable monster on a Valentine’s Day card?!

And I love the 3-D effect on these ice cream themed cards from Monica at Lucky Mojito. I’m sure you and the kids will have a lot of fun working together as you craft these!

These handprint card ideas from Kristen at Joyfully Thriving are just terrific and they are so fun to do with little ones who aren’t able to do too much in the way of crafting just yet.

Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

I don’t know about you, but it can be really hard for me to come up with a fun and original gift idea for Valentine’s day, especially if you’re married to a “man who has everything” like I am.

For a fun gift idea, you might want to make one of these Candy Bouquets or an Emergency Chocolate Kit from Nicole at For the Love of Food  So easy to personalize with your honey’s favorite treats! 

 I’m a huge fan of advent calendars. So when I read Ashley’s post about a Valentine’s Advent Calendar on A Modern Cinderella I was immediately intrigued. It’s great because she gives you the ideas for simple gifts plus all the cute sayings to go with them. Get started on this project now, though, because the unwrapping starts on February 1st!

 If you or your loved one is watching the carbs or trying to lose weight the classic and much loved “chocolates for Valentine’s Day” is probably not such a good idea. But don’t despair! Ellen from Confessions of an Overworked Mom has some great alternatives that she and her husband love to give and get.

Need inspiration for setting a romantic table setting? Check out these lovely yet practical ideas from Michelle over at Our Crafty Mom. What china and candles can you pull together from your own collection to make a special Valentine’s Day table? Anything pink, red, gold, white or floral immediately will give your table that Valentine’s Day vibe. Now’s a great time to use those vintage dishes from your grandma if they feel special and go with your Valentine’s Day theme.

 Valentine’s Day Recipes

Recipes for the Kids (& young at heart): 

Want to send the kids off with a little love in their lunch box on Valentine’s Day? Check out this fun idea from Diana at Diana Rambles Home & Away

Having a kid’s party for Valentine’s day? You might want to make this Broken Glass dessert from Wanda at Bakers Beans. It’s not hard to make but it does need to be started a little bit in advance of the day. So plan ahead a bit if you want to try this one out. So cool looking and delicious!  

Need some fast treats for school or for the office? Try this adorable heart-shaped spin on the classic and always popular Rice Krispie Treats from Rhonda at The Mom Skoop !

Recipes for a Romantic Dinner: 

Let’s start with cocktails! Bubbly is a classic and always one of my favorites on Valentine’s day. But if you’re more of a “cocktail gal” you might want to try this lusciously romantic pomegranate martini, from Bintu’s magical kitchen at Recipes from a Pantry  

For a deliciously simple main course meal to share with your honey, what could be more romantic than pasta!? (Think Lady and the Tramp and the pasta scene!) This Lemon Butter Salmon Pasta, also from Bintu at Recipes from a Pantry, is a definite winner. Plus, it’s easy enough to make that it’s one I’m going to add to my everyday recipe ideas as well!  

If you’re more in the mood for a nice swordfish steak you might want to try this gorgeous and luscious recipe for Pan Roasted Swordfish with Cherry Tomatoes and Capers from Lisa at Jersey Girl Cooks. So elegant and yet done in about 30 minutes!  It is one of my new favorites!

 If your guy or gal is more of a “meat and potato” lover you might want to check out this classic recipe for “The perfect steak” from Elaina at The Rising Spoon 

And this recipe for bacon-wrapped pork chops (which I’m going to have to pass along to my mom to make for my dad who’s a huge fan of pork chops this Valentine’s Day),  from Alli at Dancing Through the Rain  

For an awesome side dish that is so perfectly warm and comforting on a chilly February night try out this Cauliflower Casserole or Cauliflower Gratin from Alina & Dmitry at Cooking Journey.  

And speaking of lusciously decadent (yet simple – really! – it’s ready in 20 minutes) comfort food. Why not try this Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce from Terri at A Sprinkle and A Splash?

And what’s a Romantic Dinner without Dessert? 

Almost like a Valentine’s Day card you can eat, these Easy Jam Hand Pies (only 3 ingredients!) from Kate at Veggie Desserts are a dessert you can make with the kids, even if you don’t have a bunch of time. And they look just adorable when you’re done!  

For a super easy, super chocolaty, delicious dessert that you can make for you and your honey (or just for you if you’re going solo this Valentine’s Day), try out this wonderful Molton Chocolate Mug Cake from Diana and Natalia from Little Sunny Kitchen. Bonus – It’s so fast and easy to make AND It’s VEGAN!  

If you or your love is gluten-free, you might be worried you can’t “have your cake and eat it, too” but with this great gluten-free, one bowl chocolate cake from Bintu at Recipes from a Pantry, you can!

Craving something fruity, delicious AND low carb? That’s a tough combination. Fortunately, Lisa at Low Carb Yum  has this great idea for Strawberry Fluff!

For a lovely romantic and totally delightful dessert try making these very elegant Lemon Raspberry Trifles from Christina at Christina’s Cucina. So fancy, yet easier than you might think to make!

These Strawberry, Banana and Custard Ice Lollies (or popsicles as we might say in the U.S.) from Camilla over at Fab Food 4 All make a beautiful and refreshing treat! So fun and absolutely delicious!

Want something super fast and super sweet for your sweetie? Whip up a batch of this 2 ingredient fudge from LaVonne at Long Wait for Isabella  

Looking for something totally decadent – yet still gluten-free? This Rich Chocolate Ganache Tart From Cara at Health Home & Happiness may be just the ticket:  

Valentine’s Evening Entertainment

If you’re staying in with your sweetheart for Valentine’s Day and your kiddies will be around, you might want to stream some family-friendly romance movies. Check out this great list of ideas from LaVonne at Long Wait for Isabella.

For a more romantic movie date night at home, Shirley from Intelligent Domestications has some inspiring mood-setting movie ideas as well.

There you have it. 30 fun and easy ideas to help this Valentine’s Day be a special one, no matter how you like to celebrate.

Bonus Idea: Show yourself some love this year by adopting these 3 Simple Habits For a Calmer Happier Life!

Follow me on Pinterest for more great ideas on how to simplify your life to give you more time to celebrate the things you love each day! 

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