10 Valentine’s Day Ideas for Sweethearts and Friends
Get inspiration for ways you can make the day special with DIY cards, decor and treats
Laura Gaskill
9 February 2017
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
Valentine’s Day is almost here — and whether you’re planning a sweet kid-friendly celebration, a romantic dinner for two or a fun and festive “Galentine’s Day,” we’ve got you covered. Read on for handmade card ideas, decorating touches and a sweet, chocolatey cocktail.
1. Whip up a hot chocolatey cocktail for your valentine. Woo your sweetheart (or treat yourself) to a mug of homemade hot chocolate, with or without a splash of bourbon. For a party, set up a bar cart with all of the ingredients and let guests mix their own.
Get the recipe
Get the recipe
2. Frame a meaningful photo. Dig out your own wedding photos or those from your parents’ or grandparents’ wedding, and have one framed. For a heartfelt photo wall, cluster a group of family wedding portraits.
More ways to romanticize your home
More ways to romanticize your home
3. Make kraft paper cards for friends. These homemade valentines are easy and economical. Use white paint or a paint pen to write your message on plain kraft paper cards, and finish with a berry candy.
More ways to personalize your Valentine’s Day
More ways to personalize your Valentine’s Day
4. Celebrate enthusiasm for good design with a witty card. Whether you or your sweetie is an architect or you just love good design, these clever cards are sure to elicit smiles this Valentine’s Day.
See more architect’s valentines
See more architect’s valentines
5. Host a Galentine’s Day tea party. Celebrate friendship with a tea party, complete with crafty projects (like DIY pompoms), sweet treats and strong tea brewed in your best china.
Throw your own Galentine’s Day party
Throw your own Galentine’s Day party
6. Share a favorite food. Whether you choose to give a home-baked treat (like a loaf of banana bread, as shown here) or pick up your valentine’s most-wished-for food from a local bakery or market, nourishment makes a simple yet meaningful gift. For an extra-special touch, wrap your parcel in paper, tie it with baker’s twine and finish with a personalized tag.
More easy Valentine’s Day touches
More easy Valentine’s Day touches
7. Make corsages with the kids. Wish there were a way to keep that bouquet of gorgeous flowers with you all day? There is! Get the little ones in on the Valentine’s Day festivities by working on this craft project together, and transform a few blooms from the florist or farm stand into sweet wrist or pinned corsages
Get the full DIY
Get the full DIY
8. Paint a kraft paper table runner. Whether you’re planning a party at your house or need a quick way to jazz up the lunch tables at your child’s school, this DIY project couldn’t be easier. Grab some pink paint or a thick paint pen and a roll of kraft paper, and write large “X”s and “O”s down the center for a (nearly) instant runner.
More ways to personalize your Valentine’s Day
More ways to personalize your Valentine’s Day
9. Take your Valentine’s Day table to the tropics. It may be February, but your drinks don’t have to know that! Bring a dash of the tropics to your table with little paper umbrellas stuck into heart-shaped slices of fresh fruit. Tropical soundtrack optional.
Get more ideas for setting the Valentine’s table
Get more ideas for setting the Valentine’s table
10. Make a statement with flowering branches. If you’re tired of classic red roses, consider something different and reach for the most luscious-looking armful of flowering branches you can find — from a flower shop or, if you’re really lucky, clipped from the yard. It will make a stunning display and last a long time.
More ways to romanticize your home
More: The real importance of Valentine’s Day
More ways to romanticize your home
More: The real importance of Valentine’s Day
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Except for the See's candy my mother insists on sending we don't celebrate. Instead, my husband surprises me occasionally with flowers for no reason at all, which means a lot more to me. And, we force ourselves to eat the candy, lol. The hard part is waiting until the 14th to open it, we have to hide it from ourselves.
Of course, Hubby & I have our Valentine's exchange. And this year I am having a coffee gathering and making sugar cookies for my girlfriends.
Some interesting DIY gift ideas