Valentine's Day Surprises

Valentine's Day is fast approaching and while candy, flowers and cards are great gifts, it is also nice to surprise your loved one with a gift that is truly unexpected.

For adults:

• Surprise your sweetheart on their lunch hour with their favorite take-out or with a meal that you prepared and packed yourself.
• Same with dinner. Cook your valentine their favorite meal or order from a nice restaurant and eat it in the comfort of your own home.
• Buy your special someone a new outfit. I am not talking about a gift card to Haywood Mall. I am talking about purchasing an outfit that you would like to see your significant other wear. This is a way for your valentine to see what style of clothing you like best on them.
• Place a gift for your valentine under their pillow. This is truly a great way to catch them off guard and surprise them. Their anticipation has been building all day and just when they've thought that you've forgotten about them, they go to bed and find a gift waiting on them.

For children:

Children enjoy being involved in holiday decorating and cooking. Valentine's Day provides many opportunities for quality time with your child along with opportunities to surprise your little one with a special treat.

• Buy a heart-shaped cookie cutter (Hobby Lobby carries these with prices starting at around $1) and use it in various ways throughout the day. Start the day with heart shaped pancakes, tinted pink with red food coloring. For lunch make your child their favorite sandwich cut into a heart. And for a snack, have your child help you make red Jello and once it is ready to be cut use your heart shaped cookie cutter instead of a knife or spoon.
• Give your child a dollar or two and take them to the Dollar Tree. Have them pick out a gift for themselves or they can use the money to buy a surprise gift for you or their other parent.
• Give your child paint and construction paper that represent Valentine's Day colors, such as red, pink and white. Ask them to paint you a Valentine's Day picture to put on your refrigerator. And while they paint one for you, paint one for them. You will be surprised at how much your child enjoys spending time with you, creating pictures for one another.

Feel free to leave any of your thoughts or other Valentine's Day suggestions in the comment section below. Wishing you and yours a Happy Valentine's Day!