Valentine's Day: Gift and craft ideas for the whole family

Every year, February 14th is all about love. For some, Valentine's Day simply means kitsch and commercialism, while for others it has become a cherished tradition. In any case, the day is a great opportunity to show your loved ones how much you care—without the need for expensive gifts. Here are some ideas for spending a beautiful and meaningful Valentine's Day with your partner and your little explorer.

Celebrate Valentine's Day as a family

The supermarket shelves and advertisements may say otherwise, but Valentine's Day can be celebrated not only as a couple's day but also with family and friends – and all without huge bouquets, jewelry, and heart-shaped pillows. ;) Especially for children, the day can mean a lot: In most daycare centers, small gifts crafted for the parents , which are then handed over with pride. Surely your child is very happy about this, as it allows them to express their love and to bring joy to you and your partner. To show your little explorer how important they are to you in return, plan quality time for example, makes a small picnic at home or a nice one to celebrate the day Trip as a family.

But even with a child, the Togetherness not too brief come A babysitter for the evening allows you to spend time with your partner and do something nice just the two of you. It's best to ask your babysitter early, because Childcare on Valentine's Day is often highly sought after. :)

Sustainable gifts for Valentine's Day

In addition to spending time together, small gestures are a lovely way for many to show their feelings to their partner. Here is some inspiration for you on how to bring joy to your loved ones in a sustainable way.

No Valentine's Day without flowers

The classic among Valentine's Day gifts: a bouquet of red roses. The flowers look beautiful, but unfortunately are not very environmentally friendly. Because the cut flowers are mostly grown in Kenya, Colombia, or Ethiopia, and the long transport route causes a lot of CO2. Additionally, the flowers require a lot of water, which worsens water scarcity in the cultivation regions.

But you don't have to give up a blooming gift entirely: instead, give away native early bloomers , such as crocuses or primroses. Also, a nice idea is to use seeds or plant bulbs for the Self-planting – Your little explorer will definitely enjoy helping with planting. :) If it has to be roses, then it's best to go for Roses in a pot . The recipient will enjoy it longer and can even plant it in the garden.

Give small love messages

Who doesn't know it: a quick kiss and a shouted "Love you" at the daycare, and already the next appointment is coming up. In everyday family life, things can sometimes get hectic, and sometimes there isn't enough time to talk in detail about feelings. Take some time on Valentine's Day to... deliberately taking time to tell your child how much you love them and how grateful you are for him or her. If your child is a bit older, you as a family can a Compliments Round make: Everyone takes turns saying what they like about the other – it feels good and costs nothing. :)

And just as much, your partner will appreciate a small expression of love. Take a moment to pause and tell each other what you appreciate about one another and how your love may have changed since the birth. Use the day to indulge in memories together: from your first meeting, through the first argument, to the positive Pregnancy test .

Sometimes just small things are enough to brighten someone's day. How about a Post-It with a compliment for your partner at the bathroom mirror or a small heart in the lunchbox? You can surprise your child with a piece of bread or their favorite vegetable/fruits in heart shape at breakfast.

Treats Sustainable

Like roses are also Pralines an absolute classic on Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, they still share one thing in common: the long transportation distance. Additionally, the cultivation of cocoa is often associated with issues such as environmental impact, exploitation, and child labor. However, more and more providers are emerging that sustainably produced cocoa for their chocolate. Therefore, pay attention to seals when purchasing, such as the "Fairtrade" and "Rainforest Alliance" seals. Also, check if there are smaller near you. Chocolate Manufacturers gives – this way, you support local businesses and often get unique delicacies.

Crafting for Valentine's Day

Nothing comes from the heart quite like something homemade. Crafting with your little explorer is a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time together. And the environment also appreciates it when you create beautiful gifts for loved ones from items you already have.

Greeting cards

Some greeting cards are anything but environmentally friendly: they are wrapped in plastic and the paper was made from trees that do not come from sustainable forestry. But to give your loved ones a small token of appreciation, you don't have to buy a new Valentine's card. Greeting cards can be easily made yourself Basically, you only need paper or cardboard for that (for example, from your LILLYDOO Monthly Box ) and color or pens for painting.

Here come three ideas , how you can decorate the card with your child:

• Buttons: Searches at home for individual buttons. They can be the same color, but can also look completely different. Glues a heart made of the found buttons onto the card and then writes your greetings inside.

• Hand or footprints : Do you have water or finger paint at home? Perfect! Use it to paint your child's hands or feet, and the card will get a very personal stamp on the front.

• Herzstempel aus Toilettenpapierrollen : Simply pinch the opening of the roll slightly from the top and slightly outward at the bottom to create a curve and a tip. Now just paint the end of the roll with water or finger paint, and the stamping can begin.

wood bouquet

A sustainable alternative to a bouquet of flowers, which is also lots of fun to make: Use Valentine's Day for a walk in the forest with your child and collect equally long, thin sticks and branches . At home, you then wrap colorful Wool or felt one of the wood and creates a colorful eye-catcher. Just place everything in a vase and you're done! If you want a little more Valentine's Day atmosphere, you can choose from Paper hearts cut them and either glue them directly onto the sticks with a hot glue gun (you should probably do this yourself ;)) or fasten them with thread. Our tip: heart-shaped cookie cutters can be easily repurposed as stencils.

Upcycling Flower Pot

Empty Plastic bottles or Tetra Paks You will surely find them at home. Instead of throwing them away, you can craft an individual flower pot out of them. And that's how it works Cut off approximately the top half of the bottle or Tetra Pak, wash the bottom half thoroughly, and remove the plastic layer. Punch small holes at the bottom so that excess water can drain later. If you are using a Tetra Pak, you need to turn and crumple it until it becomes soft and can be shaped. Then your little explorer can start painting and decorating as they wish. Afterwards, just fill it with soil and plant flowers, herbs, and more.

Whether you are on the "Pro-" or "Anti-Valentine's Day" team – especially with children, this day is a wonderful opportunity to spend quality time together intentionally. And to show each other how much you care, you don't need elaborate gifts; a loving gesture or something homemade is enough. We wish you a happy Valentine's Day!