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 are crafted for parents and then handed over with pride. Your child is surely very happy about this, as it allows them to express their love and 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, have a small picnic at home or plan a nice Trip as a family to celebrate the day.

But even with a child, togetherness shouldn’t be too brief. 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 in high demand. :)

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 they are not very environmentally friendly, because cut flowers are mostly grown in Kenya, Colombia, or Ethiopia, and the long transport routes cause 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 native early bloomers , such as crocuses or primroses. Another nice idea is to give seeds or plant bulbs for 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 them longer and can even plant them in the garden.

Give small love messages

Who doesn't know it: a quick kiss and a shouted "Love you" at daycare, and the next appointment is already coming up. In everyday family life, things can get hectic, and there often isn't enough time to talk in detail about feelings. Take some time on Valentine's Day to deliberately 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 can do a compliments round as a family: everyone takes turns saying what they like about the other—it feels good and costs nothing. :)

Your partner will appreciate a small expression of love just as much. 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 small things are enough to brighten someone's day. How about a Post-it with a compliment for your partner on the bathroom mirror, or a small heart in the lunchbox? You can surprise your child at breakfast with a piece of bread or their favorite vegetable/fruit cut into a heart shape.

Sustainable treats

Like roses, pralines are an absolute classic on Valentine's Day. Unfortunately, they still share one thing in common: long transportation distances. Additionally, cocoa cultivation is often associated with issues such as environmental impact, exploitation, and child labor. However, more and more providers are emerging that use sustainably produced cocoa for their chocolate. Therefore, pay attention to seals when purchasing, such as the "Fairtrade" and "Rainforest Alliance" seals. Also, check whether there are smaller near you chocolate manufacturers —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 will appreciate it, too, 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 is 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 colors or pens for drawing.

Here are three ideas for how you can decorate the card with your child:

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

• Hand or footprints : Do you have watercolors or finger paint at home? Perfect! Use them 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 watercolors or finger paint, and the stamping can begin.

wood bouquet

A sustainable alternative to a bouquet of flowers—and 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, wrap colorful wool or felt around the wood to create a bright eye-catcher. Just place everything in a vase and you're done! If you want a little more Valentine's Day atmosphere, you can cut out paper hearts and either glue them directly onto the sticks with a hot glue gun (you should probably do this yourself ;)) or attach them with thread. Our tip: heart-shaped cookie cutters can be easily repurposed as stencils.

Upcycling Flower Pot

Empty plastic bottles or Tetra Paks are easy to find at home. Instead of throwing them away, you can craft an individual flower pot out of them. And here'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 in 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 it however they like. 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 intentionally spend quality time together. 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!