Thanks to Valentine’s Day, February is commonly known as the month of love. On the 14th day of this month, many people show love to their friends, family, and significant others, while participating in Valentine’s Day activities. While we believe that you should express your love for others throughout the entire year, we also know how fun it is to plan special surprises and events on Valentine’s Day. To help you celebrate, we’ve put together a few of our favorite Valentine’s Day activities so you can plan the best day ever for your partner, friends, or family. The best part—you can set aside some of these ideas to use throughout the rest of the year to show people how much you care. Keep reading to discover some of our family Valentine’s Day activities.

Make a Homemade Meal

For many people, food is the key to their hearts. After all, who doesn’t love a home-cooked meal comprised of their favorite foods? Taking the time out of your busy schedule to cook a meal on Valentine’s Day is a great way to show how much you care. And it’s easy, too! All you need to do is find out your special Valentine’s favorite meal, and then cook! Call up your girlfriends for a dinner party at your house, invite your parents or siblings over, or plan a special dinner in for you and your significant other this year. We promise you can’t go wrong with this idea!

 Make a Delicious Dessert

If you’re not much of a cook, but you love to bake, making a Valentine’s Day dessertmay be good choice for you. Here are a few different ways you can use dessert to say “I love you!” #1 Make your partner’s favorite dessert and serve it as an after-dinner surprise. #2 Bake a batch of desserts (like brownies or cookies) and hand them out at the office or to your neighbors. #3 If you have children, make a dessert like cupcakes, and then get the whole family to decorate them and celebrate together.

Go Out for Coffee

Taking a friend, family member, or significant other out for coffee (or tea!) is a great opportunity to spend time with those you love. This Valentine’s date idea is budget friendly, but most importantly, buys you precious time to chat and spend quality time with the ones you care about. Time together is certainly the best gift of all. If you’re able, give your “Valentine” a gift card for future coffee dates throughout the year.

Have an In-Home Movie Night

Avoid the Valentine’s Day crowds and have a movie night in the comfort of your own home. This type of activity works well when you want to celebrate with a bunch of friends, but want to keep the activity cost budget friendly.  Simply put together a list of people you want to celebrate with, pick a movie, and ask your friends to bring a sweet treat to share. A movie night in is also a great option for a more intimate date night. Pick out your significant other’s favorite movie, make a yummy movie treat, grab a cozy blanket, and enjoy a quiet evening  together.

Get Out the Crafts

If you have children, a Valentine’s Day crafting night can be a lot of fun. We recommend using colored paper, stencils, and stickers to write Valentine’s Day cards for each other. This is a great way to remind your children how much they are loved. While the cards are fun, it’s also a wonderful way to spend quality time with your kids…something they will cherish forever.

Volunteer

Not many people think about doing volunteer work on Valentine’s Day, but it’s a good way to show your community how much you care. It’s amazing how much one act of service can impact a person who needs a little extra love this season. This Valentine’s Day, get your family or friends together and pick your favorite place to lend a hand like a soup kitchen, homeless shelter, or animal shelter. Not only will your community feel loved, but you’ll also feel good about making a difference.

Do you have a favorite Valentine’s Day activity? Share it in the comments below!