Valentine’s Day Fun: Ideas for Sweethearts, Friends, and Kids

It’s almost that time of the year again. Flowers and chocolates time. Don’t get me wrong – I LOVE flowers and chocolates! But if you are trying to think of something a little different this year to celebrate the day of love, you’ve come to the right place.

Valentine’s Day is a time to celebrate love. That means love for your partner, love for your kids, or love for your friends. Here are a few new ways to make that happen.

Valentine’s Day with your partner:

If you are lucky enough to have someone you love, maybe you’d like to spend the day together offering care to others. If so, and you are dog-lovers as we are, schedule a “dog day out” with a dog or two from the Jacksonville Humane Society. Not only will the two of you have a great time a little exercise, but the dog will also have a chance to remember human kindness AND refresh their social skills.

Not into dogs but still want to do something that feels good AND puts good into the world? Check out the many volunteer opportunities around town.

• Shop for packaged snacks and drop them off at one of the city’s many food banks or missions.
• Take a long walk on the beach and bring a trash bag. You can pick up things others left behind while you watch the sun rise or search for shark teeth or right whales sightings.
• Or contact Lasagna Love or The Ronald McDonald House to find out how to make a meal for a family in need.

Valentine’s Day with your kids:

How about a home movie night? Everyone in the family picks their favorite movie (the movies have to be happy ones because Valentine’s is a happy holiday!) and try to stay up late enough to watch them ALL. Create a living room camping area and everyone sleeps there while movies play into the wee hours. Order pizza and eat lots of candy.

If staying up all night or sleeping on the couch doesn’t sound like family love to you, make it a baking night. Make heart-shaped cookies together. Buy store-made pizza dough (Publix makes a good one) and craft heart-shaped pizzas. Everyone tops their own!

Do a fun craft with a Valentine’s theme. Buy inexpensive canvases at Michaels and let everyone paint a canvas with a heart theme.

Valentine’s Day with your friends:

How about a pot-luck dinner where everyone brings a dish that they “love”? No rules, just yummy food and a bottle of wine. Or, have everyone bring something to complete a big charcuterie board together – cheese, cold cuts, pickles, chocolates, fruit – everything goes on a board!

How about a game night? Invite as many people as you can seat comfortably and have them bring their favorite game. Set the games up wherever you can and rotate playing them throughout the night. Add some delivery food and you’ll have everything you need to make it a memorable friend’s “love” evening!

Finally, if you have said goodbye to a romantic relationship recently and Valentine’s Day seems like a painful reminder, how about this?

The annual “Cry me a Cockroach” event at the San Antonio Zoo is an hilarious way to “ex-terminate” a relationship gone sour. It will cost you $10 to sponsor a cockroach that you can name after an ex and then have it fed to a zoo animal. $25 will earn you a rodent that will meet the same fate. Or, if you can’t stomach the idea of a living thing being eaten, it’s only $5 to substitute a vegetable. This popular event is a great fundraiser for the zoo. AND you will receive a downloadable Valentine’s Day Card that shows your support for the zoo. If you REALLY want revenge, you can even upgrade for $150, which will include a personalized video message to your ex showing their cockroach, rodent or vegetable being devoured by an animal.

However, you decide to celebrate, I wish you a Lovely Valentine’s Day!