Valentine’s Day is an annual celebration of love and
affection every February 14th of the year. Historically, the day is
named after several early Christian martyrs who were named Valentine.
Although, there were no romantic connotations for the initial
commemoration of the feast day of St. Valentine’s, romantic legends,
poems, writings, and artworks through time eventually started to
associate courtly and romantic love to Valentine’s Day, and eventually
to what we now make of it.
As we all know, the day is marked
with sending flowers, giving out confectioneries, preferably chocolates,
exchanging greeting cards either commercially made or DIY/custom made,
or even giving out jewelries to our special loved ones. Romantic dates
and getaways, and the prom season also relate to Valentine’s Day
celebration. But more importantly, the season could actually best be
revered as also a special day of celebrating love in one’s family.
Looking at the ornaments that adorn our stores and malls right after the holiday season, we can say that Saint Valentine’s Day, now commonly referred to as Valentine’s Day, is now actually celebrated with the same fanfare as much as the other seasonal festivities we observed in the Philippines. Hearts, doves & winged cupids line store window trimmings of the malls, retail shops, and restaurants. Timely, when the town seems to be painted in red, also in anticipation the Chinese New Year, it means that Valentine’s Day is also just around the corner.
Maybe, when we actually begin to celebrate it as a family affair more than the romantic aspects of it, we can actually begin to start looking forward more to it as much as we look forward to birthdays and even the Christmas Season. Then, it will not only be by visiting the dining areas, or going on a movie or concert date, as with the usual observance of the day, that will make each and everyone of us appreciate, and enjoy more what Valentine’s Day has to offer. Instead, a family gathering will mark the celebration of love for this year’s Heart’s Day. Hence, we can also actually begin to celebrate it at home with our family by:
1. Appreciating one another. First and foremost, the day can also be celebrated by appreciating each member of the family. It could actually be an extended “Thanksgiving” celebration. If on that day, we celebrate things and people, basically the “what” we are thankful for, on Valentine’s Day, we celebrate the “why”. It’s about reaffirming each and every one in the family of their love and kindness. It’s about telling them how much each and one of them in our family means to us. Truly, action speaks louder than words, but wouldn’t it be more fun and equally memorable if we hear one another actually let one another know what they feel about us. Find a special time for an exchange of greeting cards, which tell one another why we appreciate them, or a round table discussion where everyone could have a turn to tell one another’s appreciation message for each and every member of the family.
2. Dressing up for the occasion. Dressing in red and wearing the color of the day could be actually the easiest and the basic activity to set the mood in our family celebration. The scrapbook worthy photos we take during the day would best remember every Valentine’s Day that is shared by the family.
3. Celebrating the joys of sharing the season of love with our children. Everyone plans to celebrate Valentine’s Day in his or her own special ways. But one things for sure, it is a day marked by sweet acts of giving and receiving, or simply says, showing acts of kindness however big or small.
For our school children, Valentine’s Day season is marked by making heart-shaped paper cut outs or art works. For our teenagers, it progresses to giving flowers or chocolates or other gifts. Share the joys of sharing with our kids, by helping them prepare simple greeting cards or tokens for their teachers, classmates, friends, and most especially to the other members of the family. Or enjoy a trip to the mall, to the florist or to the garden together. Walk an extra mile, by making this day extra- special by giving simple tokens or gifts to our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Make it more memorable by associating it to something your children can relate to. Like maybe choosing recipients of gifts that are close to his age, or close to mom’s/grandparents’ age, something he saw in a movie like giving to children or elders on welfare.
4. Having a family dinner. A meal could be even best enjoyed when everyone had a share in preparing it. Mom or Dad could be the chef, while the kids can share the task of setting up the meal table. Dressing up a matching Valentine’s table setting theme with red hearts and cupids and the like can even make the dinner table colorful.
Plus points if we let our kids practice their artistic skills when it comes to cutting and coloring paper cutouts. Moreover, our little ones can actually improve their culinary skills if we let them have a hand in preparing a meal or homemade (could even be no-bake) desserts. These can even be served in a heart-shaped dish tray. As always, start and end the meal by saying grace. This can also be the venue for the exchange of “appreciation gifts” or messages for each member of the family.
5. Getting flowers for everyone and sharing a chocolate cake. Brighten up your dinner table with a flower bouquet centerpiece! It’s not just only for mom, or for our older or younger sisters, but it can actually be for everyone’s token of celebration of love. Getting a flower bouquet or a flower stem (a popular choice would be a rose bud), either in the stores or in the garden could actually be a family affair that each member of the family can all cherish.
So just in case dad is busy with work, there is no excuse to miss flowers in the table for today’s big event. It can actually be an adventure that parents can share with their little ones. This time, they can actually be allowed to pick flowers in the garden.
I remembered during our previous school trip with my son, as a culminating activity for their botany month, they visited a garden. And most of the time they were constantly reminded not to pick flowers. So sharing a trip to the florist or to the garden, could even be an educational activity that our little ones can enjoy as they see different kinds of flowers and decorative plants. Along the way, as we put together our floral bouquet / centerpiece, our kids were able to explore their creativity and skills in floral arrangement. Make this act extra meaningful and relevant by showing our children to make an effort to take care of the flowers afterwards by watering them, and even re-planting, if possible, the flower and the stem cuttings.
Of course, celebrate the sweetness of life together by sharing and enjoying almost everyone’s favorite dessert, chocolate cake. A nicer touch to this is by letting your kids still have fun by incorporating the traditional blowing of cake ceremony, only with a twist since you could sing a family theme song instead of the traditional birthday song.
6. Singing Love Songs. We all have happy songs that we can all share together. And as you celebrate love in your family, start your night of serenading one another with songs of endearment.
Source: smartparenting
Looking at the ornaments that adorn our stores and malls right after the holiday season, we can say that Saint Valentine’s Day, now commonly referred to as Valentine’s Day, is now actually celebrated with the same fanfare as much as the other seasonal festivities we observed in the Philippines. Hearts, doves & winged cupids line store window trimmings of the malls, retail shops, and restaurants. Timely, when the town seems to be painted in red, also in anticipation the Chinese New Year, it means that Valentine’s Day is also just around the corner.
Maybe, when we actually begin to celebrate it as a family affair more than the romantic aspects of it, we can actually begin to start looking forward more to it as much as we look forward to birthdays and even the Christmas Season. Then, it will not only be by visiting the dining areas, or going on a movie or concert date, as with the usual observance of the day, that will make each and everyone of us appreciate, and enjoy more what Valentine’s Day has to offer. Instead, a family gathering will mark the celebration of love for this year’s Heart’s Day. Hence, we can also actually begin to celebrate it at home with our family by:
1. Appreciating one another. First and foremost, the day can also be celebrated by appreciating each member of the family. It could actually be an extended “Thanksgiving” celebration. If on that day, we celebrate things and people, basically the “what” we are thankful for, on Valentine’s Day, we celebrate the “why”. It’s about reaffirming each and every one in the family of their love and kindness. It’s about telling them how much each and one of them in our family means to us. Truly, action speaks louder than words, but wouldn’t it be more fun and equally memorable if we hear one another actually let one another know what they feel about us. Find a special time for an exchange of greeting cards, which tell one another why we appreciate them, or a round table discussion where everyone could have a turn to tell one another’s appreciation message for each and every member of the family.
2. Dressing up for the occasion. Dressing in red and wearing the color of the day could be actually the easiest and the basic activity to set the mood in our family celebration. The scrapbook worthy photos we take during the day would best remember every Valentine’s Day that is shared by the family.
3. Celebrating the joys of sharing the season of love with our children. Everyone plans to celebrate Valentine’s Day in his or her own special ways. But one things for sure, it is a day marked by sweet acts of giving and receiving, or simply says, showing acts of kindness however big or small.
For our school children, Valentine’s Day season is marked by making heart-shaped paper cut outs or art works. For our teenagers, it progresses to giving flowers or chocolates or other gifts. Share the joys of sharing with our kids, by helping them prepare simple greeting cards or tokens for their teachers, classmates, friends, and most especially to the other members of the family. Or enjoy a trip to the mall, to the florist or to the garden together. Walk an extra mile, by making this day extra- special by giving simple tokens or gifts to our less fortunate brothers and sisters. Make it more memorable by associating it to something your children can relate to. Like maybe choosing recipients of gifts that are close to his age, or close to mom’s/grandparents’ age, something he saw in a movie like giving to children or elders on welfare.
4. Having a family dinner. A meal could be even best enjoyed when everyone had a share in preparing it. Mom or Dad could be the chef, while the kids can share the task of setting up the meal table. Dressing up a matching Valentine’s table setting theme with red hearts and cupids and the like can even make the dinner table colorful.
Plus points if we let our kids practice their artistic skills when it comes to cutting and coloring paper cutouts. Moreover, our little ones can actually improve their culinary skills if we let them have a hand in preparing a meal or homemade (could even be no-bake) desserts. These can even be served in a heart-shaped dish tray. As always, start and end the meal by saying grace. This can also be the venue for the exchange of “appreciation gifts” or messages for each member of the family.
5. Getting flowers for everyone and sharing a chocolate cake. Brighten up your dinner table with a flower bouquet centerpiece! It’s not just only for mom, or for our older or younger sisters, but it can actually be for everyone’s token of celebration of love. Getting a flower bouquet or a flower stem (a popular choice would be a rose bud), either in the stores or in the garden could actually be a family affair that each member of the family can all cherish.
So just in case dad is busy with work, there is no excuse to miss flowers in the table for today’s big event. It can actually be an adventure that parents can share with their little ones. This time, they can actually be allowed to pick flowers in the garden.
I remembered during our previous school trip with my son, as a culminating activity for their botany month, they visited a garden. And most of the time they were constantly reminded not to pick flowers. So sharing a trip to the florist or to the garden, could even be an educational activity that our little ones can enjoy as they see different kinds of flowers and decorative plants. Along the way, as we put together our floral bouquet / centerpiece, our kids were able to explore their creativity and skills in floral arrangement. Make this act extra meaningful and relevant by showing our children to make an effort to take care of the flowers afterwards by watering them, and even re-planting, if possible, the flower and the stem cuttings.
Of course, celebrate the sweetness of life together by sharing and enjoying almost everyone’s favorite dessert, chocolate cake. A nicer touch to this is by letting your kids still have fun by incorporating the traditional blowing of cake ceremony, only with a twist since you could sing a family theme song instead of the traditional birthday song.
6. Singing Love Songs. We all have happy songs that we can all share together. And as you celebrate love in your family, start your night of serenading one another with songs of endearment.
Source: smartparenting
No comments:
Post a Comment