Valentine’s Day is especially fun when you’re a mom. There’s something wonderful about heart-shaped everything. My 4-year-old has even begun to plan our menu for the day, starting with heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast. What’s not to love about love?
And while I truly understand why some may hate Valentine’s Day (heartbreak, loneliness, fake-Hallmark-holiday), I also think it’s a great idea to start teaching my girls that Valentine’s Day can be about more than just romantic love. This year, I’m going to show them how to celebrate Galentine’s Day! I am going to shower my (female) friends with love and attention. No offense to my male pals; I’m focusing on the girl-love this year! Here’s my big-love plan:
Cards (the fun ones!)
First, I am buying Valentine’s Day cards. That’s right, the fun ones at Target. I haven’t made up my mind yet, but I’m currently wavering between the Disney Princesses with stickers and these super silly banana cards with temporary tattoos. Who knows, I may buy both! I may even splurge and get these amazing Valentine’s Day slap bracelets. Who doesn’t love jewelry on February 14?
Crafts — kid style
Then, I am going to enlist the help of my girls. Nothing says I love you more than homemade crafts, especially the ones you make with a 4-year-old and 2-year-old. For my preschooler, making this paper hug is perfect for when a real hug can’t be given (either because of social distancing or not living close to many of my closest friends!). I also really love this heart suncatcher and can imagine it hanging in the windows of my soul-sisters for far longer than just the month of February. With my toddler, I’m thinking of keeping it relatively simple with these thumbprint hearts or this super cute footprint heart (although I will probably do it on cardstock rather than dough to keep these keepsakes lightweight). My closest friends love my girls as much as they love me, and I know a homemade Valentine is sure to make their hearts flutter.
Written sentiments
The final piece of celebrating my galentines is to write each one a note, letting them know not only that I am thinking of them, but what I think of them. My friends are the most wonderful women I know. They help me show up for life when I don’t want to. They offer me advice and reassurances when I don’t know I need it. They are mothers, step-mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, co-workers, single women, married women, amazing women, and the greatest confidants I have ever been blessed with. It’s important that I let them know what they mean to me.
Then off to the post office!
I plan to put these artifacts of love together — the cute/quirky/silly elementary school cards, the homemade crafts, and the individual notes — to create a galentine’s package for each of my closest gal pals, and mail them off before Cupid’s big day. I want my daughters to know Valentine’s Day isn’t just about roses, chocolates, and romantic love (not that I’m knocking any of that fun stuff!). It’s about loving the people who love you. I’m lucky to be loved by so many wonderful women, and I look forward to making them my galentines each February, year after year!
