Five Fun Ways To Celebrate Valentine’s Day

It only happens once a year, so use it as an excuse to celebrate your loved ones in style!

Of all the festivities throughout the year, Valentine’s is the one to unashamedly show how much you love close family and friends. It’s also a fun reason to bring out the pink and red decor, heart-shaped plates and charming hearts or bow garlands. Valentine’s Day is a special way to celebrate with your kids, whether by having a sweet heart-themed breakfast, baking some delicious Valentine’s treats, giving cards and gifts or having a fun-filled party. Here are five simple ways to celebrate. Spread the love!

Serve a Valentine’s Day Breakfast

An easy, novel idea that gets the day off to the sweetest start. Forget your everyday breakfast table – set the room with beautiful Valentine’s Day decorations and tableware to make everyone feel truly cherished. Our special set of 12 garlands in red, gold and pink, will create a statement loving look to last all day. Team our new pretty heart-shaped plates with a coquettish scalloped edge and a painterly bow

design with matching napkins and some beautiful red flowers. Elevate their normal breakfast menu by adding in strawberries, pastries and macarons – go to town!

SHOP VALENTINE’S DECOR

Send a Message of Love

The most traditional thing to do on Valentine’s Day – send a card. These days, kids love to get involved by writing little cards to their friends and popping them in a school Valentine’s Day mailbox. Our new notelets arrive in a variety of cute shapes like cats with little paper beds to sit in and stickers, or adorable animals with friendship bracelet gifts. Alternatively, you can download, print and make our sweet Valentine's Day huggers. Perfect for handing out to friends!

SHOP VALENTINE’S CARDS

Baked with Love

Baking is a fun bonding activity for parents and kids and for Valentine’s Day, it's especially enjoyable. From heart-shaped cookies and sandwiches, chocolate dipped strawberries, fruit kebabs arranged in a heart shape, and pink and white iced cupcakes, there’s a whole range of creative food choices you can try. Here’s a delicious failsafe Valentine’s cupcake recipe from baker Dee Lewis from Sweet Dee's Bakery, who creates magical cakes for the Meri Meri photo shoots. You can’t beat a classic done well after all!

Ingredients for 16 cupcakes:

• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup (5.3 oz) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks or 5.3 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (5.3 oz) self-rising flour (or make your own: 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/4 tsp salt, then measure out 3/4 cup)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Buttercream icing:

• 1/2 cup (1 stick or 4 oz) unsalted butter
• 4 cups (17.6 oz) powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp (1.7 fl oz) milk or cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for convection ovens).
2. Using a handheld mixer on high speed, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes).
3. Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated.
4. Add the flour and mix on low speed until just combined. Finish mixing by hand with a spatula to avoid overmixing.
5. Divide the batter evenly between cupcake liners and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cupcakes spring back when lightly touched.
6. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Buttercream:

1. Soften the butter in the microwave on low power until soft but not melted.
2. In a stand mixer, combine butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Beat on high speed until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). If using a handheld mixer, it may take longer.
3. Pipe or spread the buttercream onto the cooled cupcakes.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.

SHOP BAKING

Hunt for the Hearts

Make Valentine’s Day something special for the kids, and their friends, with lots of fun and games. Our five favorite party games include the following:

• Heart hunt – hide paper hearts around the house to be found.
• Cupid’s replay – relay races delivering ‘love notes’ to friends.
• Pin the heart on the cupid – a Valentine twist on the classic party game.
• Heart balloon pop – put a challenge inside a balloon for kids to find when they pop a balloon, for example sing a Valentine’s song.)
• Valentine’s freeze dance – play Valentine’s themed songs, dance then freeze when the music stops. First one to move before the music starts again is out, continue until a winner is left. Classic movie-themed tunes your kids will love to slowly sway to include “You’ve Got a Friend in Me” from Toy Story, “Love is An Open Door” from Frozen, “Accidentally in Love” from Shrek 2, “Can You Feel The Love Tonight” from The Lion King and “A Whole New World” from Aladdin.

Final Note: Pair the final clue with a Valentine’s-themed surprise to complete the fun!

SHOP VALENTINE’S GIFTS

Love Sweet Love Party

If your child has a birthday or bat mitzvah around Valentine’s Day, here's your dream theme! Think heart-shaped partyware, like our beautiful new Liberty heart garland in pinks and reds with chic velvet bows, made for joyful celebrations. Layer the party table with a mix of paper plates and cups alongside real crockery and cutlery. Go to town with as many pink and red flowers and foods as you can find. Think everything from chocolate dipped strawberries to red velvet cake. Get creative and max up the theme as much as you want to!

SHOP VALENTINE’S COLLECTION