6 Ways To Keep Valentine's Day Sweet + Simple

Budgeting has been on my mind lately and I recently learned about Personal Capital, who offer a variety of free financial tools to help get your finances on track. It inspired me to write about some fun things that have made our Valentine's Days more significant without having to break the bank!

I realize this is all personal preference and everyone does it differently, but Jason and I have always kept things nice and low-key. Sure, flowers are super sweet (as we all know my floral obsession is a bit cray) but I just don't feel like they are mandatory. When this day approaches I think it's sweeter to feel the love and give it rather than receive it, ya know? Things stay a lot more stress free! I don't like the pressure of having to spend a lot in order to show how much you care. Flowers triple in cost for this particular day so when I see Amber Fillerup's post of 240 roses from last year, I just think overkill! Besides, we all know I would take some simple baby's breath or wild flowers over roses any day!  ;)

I opened this topic up to some friends as we were hanging out a couple of weeks ago and 4 out of the 5 ladies I was with agreed that they also prefer to do away with the pressure and hype of Valentine's Day. The odd girl out explained to us that while she and her husband we dating, he bought her a ritzy Tiffany & Co. necklace for Valentine's Day (heyo!!!). She admitted she hasn't been able to break that standard and expectation because that necklace was just so special to her! We all gave her some props (because they are newly weds and let's face it, the excitement tends to fizzle over time haha) but then carried on discussing how much we love to keep things a bit more toned down.

Disclaimer: not all of these ideas have to be accomplished during the Valentine's Day season. In order to keep it simple, start out by picking 1 or 2! You won't keep things simple by stressing over keeping things simple. Again, it's all personal preference so just do what you're comfortable with! These are just some things we tried out (or HAVE tried out in the past) that make this day worth it to us!

Eat your heart out, Cupid!

6 WAYS TO KEEP VALENTINE'S DAY SWEET + SIMPLE:

1. Jar of Hearts

First thing that comes to mind is a little tradition Jason and I started when we were first married called our "Jar of Hearts".  Throughout the year we write on little slips of papers our favourite memories, events or learning moments and toss them in the jar. On Valentines Day we dump them out and reminisce as we read them one-by-one. I have laughed until I have cried, I have been completely blind sided by some of the things Jason included haha, and I have also become super emotional reading some of those slips of paper because life is just so dang complex and memories are the sweetest! 

I then type them out  and include them in our family yearbook so we can have them in print. Then we start over. Some slips of paper and a jar don't cost much but the moment you read them is priceless!

2. Grandparent Gift

With a sweet little toddler now able to join in on the season, I have been wondering how we could include her in on the love. She isn't even 2 yet so of course I won't sweat it too much but the two people she understandably loves more than her parents are her grandparents! With Jar of Hearts on the brain, we implemented the idea of a "10 things I love about you" jar with a cute little hand-drawn doodle that she coloured.  It's pretty straightforward but still memorable, and they get a jar they can reuse! ;) Win win.

3. Easy Peasy Craft Idea

I don't have to point out to you that Pinterest is FULL of cute little craft ideas that are perfect for Valentine's Day but, uh... it is! I had my sister and her cute kids here the other weekend so we tried out these fun little Popsicle Stick Valentine Foxes. Younger kids aren't as involved with cutting and gluing so we let Remi and Ray paint and mess around to their little heart's content until it was time to actually assemble the foxes. Notice Ray kept his unpainted and Ollie put his eyes up top. That's what I love about crafts with kids -- that they turn out so different but still super cute! 

4. Pink Pancakes

I find it stressful having to cram everything into ONE day so planning fun activities and meals throughout "love week" make it a lot more manageable for me! My dad always dyed pancakes/waffles with food colouring depending on the holiday so this one is special to me. It was always so fun! Toppings like strawberries, heart-shaped bananas, whip cream or sprinkles make it more fun for kids. Remi was in heaven!

5. Party/Hangout with Loved Ones

Nuff said. Just getting together with people you love and having a good time is, in my opinion, what Valentine's Day is all about. Whether it's one-on-one with your significant other or a fun night with a group of friends or family, I think it's important to just have a good time with the ones you care about. It doesn't necessarily have to be an intricate red heart-themed THROW DOWN with heart-shaped food, red plates and glittery dresses, even though that sounds hecka fun! Remember, we are keeping it simple over here! Some of my favourite nights with friends are filled with just some games and snacks. Hosting can still be top notch by keeping things effortless and basic! 

6. Share the Love

This final one seems sappy but it sums up the above points. The reason for this day is to celebrate your loved ones so why not put together a cute treat for the ones you appreciate and deliver them! My sweet friend did this for us this morning and I was pumped! The yummiest and cutest cookies complete with Remi's first official valentine? I melted. It made my day and I felt like paying it forward - BIG TIME! Whether it's treats, a note, a cute stuffy, or a quick visit, someone will appreciate it. I sure did! (Thank goodness for sweet friends!)

Kylie, you have a heart of gold!

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So there you have it! Some sweet and simple ways to keep your Valentine's Day modest and affordable! Whether you are on a strict budget or just prefer to keep things chill, Valentine's Day doesn't have to be stressful or over the top! Keeping it simple is just as meaningful. What are some fun, budget-friendly traditions or ideas you participate in on Valentine's Day? Feel free to share!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone! 
Hope your day (or week) is full of fun and a lot of love!