Valentine's Day Traditions

Traditions are special things that we do each and every year that are unique to our family. Traditions that we learn in childhood can be passed on to our own children when we become adults. What are your Valentine’s Day traditions? If you don’t have any, this year is the perfect time to start.

Take a family portrait. Remember each Valentine’s Day with a picture to commemorate the moment. Choose to wear clothes that reflect the day. Everyone’s outfit can include red, white, and pink in some fashion. Each year you will see how the family grows and changes from the year before. Also each year, family members can take turns finding the perfect picture frame to hold the photo.

What about a story? Valentine’s Day is named after St. Valentine. No one knows for sure if he was real or a work of fiction, but it is fun to tell the variations of the story to lend meaning to the day. Whether real or imagined, St. Valentine championed the cause of love. The story of Cupid comes from Roman mythology as he was the son of Aphrodite who was the goddess of love.

Give your kids something that is real - the story of your love. Parents can retell the story of how they met and fell in love. There is nothing more intriguing than a story of true love. Other family members can share their stories of love as well. This is a way of passing stories down through the generations - an ancient practice that started before there were written records.

Watch a touching movie. The movies don’t have to be sappy chick flicks. Once the kids become teenagers, especially the boys, they will want out of this tradition, especially if the movies are too mushy. The movie can have aspects of love whether it is friendship, family bonds, or the boy-girl kind of love. Stories of love give kids a strong sense of its meaning so that they are prepared to show and receive love from others as they grow up.

Play a game that tells what each person in the family loves about each of the other family members? Each person will get a chance to write down on a piece of paper what they love about one another. Anonymously, every family member writes their thoughts on a separate slip for mom, dad, brother, sister, and so on. The papers are put in a basket or a small box that is owned by each person. Family members take turns reading aloud what has been written about them. It’ll feel good to know that you are loved and respected by your family.

Valentine’s Day traditions help us teach our kids about love. We grow closer as a family and learn to depend on each other no matter what when we create Valentine’s Day traditions such as the ones mentioned here.