who do you love?
By Elizabeth Strada
Celebrate Valentine’s Day by celebrating those you love (no matter what your current romantic situation is!)
Ok, not to be overly trite or predictable, but let’s just admit that when we think February, we think Valentine’s Day. Also, Superbowl. However, I don’t know nearly as much about that, so I’m sticking with Valentine’s Day. Although I do love Superbowl food….. no, focus, Valentine’s Day!
new ways to celebrate valentines day
For me, the traditional, “aww” inspiring (or nausea inspiring, depending on where I was in life when Valentine’s Day rolled around) concept of Valentine’s day revolved around couples. Romantic dinners, heart shaped chocolates, lots of flowers…traditional V-Day stuff.
However, I am now the proud (usually but on some specific moments not so much – you know those moments) wrangler of 3 little girls. Which means I see most holidays through their eyes now. And they have extraordinarily little interest in quiet, romantic, candle lit dinners for two. So, for me, it is now much less about a mushy gushy love fest than a celebration of sugar-fueled crafts and giggles. They like simple things, like candy and foam heart stickers. They like making pink fluffy cupcakes and flinging sprinkles around like they’re tossing beads at a Mardi Gras parade. Everyone in the class gets a Valentine from every other kid, no one gets left out, everyone has fun.
I know these days won’t last forever and soon they will likely experience the agony of “I like you, do you like me, check yes or no”. But for now, for at least a little while longer, it’s just a celebration of which kid handed out their favorite candy, and did our mom try again to make us matching shirts but not mess them up too much this time.
5 love languages
- gifts
- quality time
- acts of service
- physical touch
a place for romance
Which is not to say that I don’t believe in romance and letting my significant other know how important he is to me. It’s just that over the years, my circle of significant others has widened, and my understanding of how to give and receive love has shifted.
Now I see romance in the everyday little things. It’s knowing that every single Sunday night, the garbage will be collected from the house trashcans and moved up to the top of the driveway for pickup the next morning. It’s coming downstairs to make the kid’s breakfast at 6am and knowing that the dishwasher will have already been emptied and put away. It’s the tiny drawing left by my resident artist with a note that says “I love you mommy.”
None of this is meant to disparage large, romantic gestures. Every relationship works in its own way. If your love language is a thoughtful, custom made piece of jewelry, I hope you get bling that would make Elizabeth Taylor jealous. If your love language involves food, I hope you have a culinary experience that makes you feel like you’re at Michelin 5 Star establishment. If your love language is an exciting trip to an exotic new locale…..well, maybe you’ll have better luck in 2022.
share the love
These days, I think we could all use a little more love in our lives. Including candlelight AND glitter crafts is an easy way to make Valentine’s Day celebrations more inclusive to all those special people in your life. And guess what? It’s still just as much, if not more, fun than a traditional Valentine’s Day.
So, have your kids make their grandparents a card, buy your pet a new squeaky toy, leave a homemade treat on your neighbor’s doorstep. You never know whose Valentine’s Day you might be filling with love.
With much love,
Elizabeth
drop us a line here...
Have a photography conundrum, or just want to chat? Contact us here!
Connect with us on Social Media
