I love Valentine's Day! Actually - I love all holidays (I'm already looking forward to our Earth Day crafts!). There's usually not much going on at our house for V-day, but, I am all about the love - so we often try to think of other fun ways to celebrate. Growing up, my mom always encouraged us to do random acts of kindness. Fun story, she once initiated a "Kindness Club" in my class to try & unite the catty girls in 3rd grade. Go mama, I think I would have done the same thing!
Valentine's Day can be super fun & romantic (we got engaged on Valentine's Day, 10 years ago!), but it can also be a little lonely and even disappointing. If you are expecting flowers & candy and all you get is dishes & laundry (can I get a witness?!)...maybe it's time to cheer someone else up. They say that making someone smile is the best medicine, anyway! So, gather a few supplies this weekend, hop in the car on Feb.14th & try out some of these suggestions!
Here are 14 Random Acts of Kindness to Try This Valentine's Day...
- Vending Machine Love. Put $2 inside a Ziplock Bag & tape it to a vending machine at the mall or the movie theatre. You know you will make the day of someone who is digging through their pockets for that spare change. (For extra love? Attach a note saying "Enjoy your treatie, sweetie!")
- Cookie Love. Bake a batch of cookies the night before, wrap a few of them up all pretty with wax paper & baker's twine and drop the sweet packages on the door steps of your neighbours on Valentine's morning. Who wouldn't want to wake up to COOKIES with their morning paper! (*Extra Love? Attach a note saying, "Have a LOVEly day, neighbour!")
- Drive-Thru Love. By now I think we've all heard of the Drive-Thru Difference - why not extend that hand this Valentine's Day? Offer to pay for the car behind you in your morning coffee run. If you're short on cash, order a $5 gift card and ask the cashier to give it to the car behind you to help with their order! (*Extra Love? To make it more fun for the kiddos, drive up an extra 2 feet, roll down the back window & let them place the order!)
- Letter Love. Is anything sweeter than a hand-written letter? Why not write a letter to someone you appreciate (a friend, a grandparent, a teacher...), or to someone you know may be down & out this V-day? Whether it's you who writes from the heart, or y'all break out the crayons & let the littles have at it - who wouldn't want to receive some handwritten love Valentine's Day? (*Extra Love? Add some candy, of course!)
- First-Responder Love. Stop by Starbucks for some short hot chocolates (they are the cutest things!) & drop them off at your local Police Station or Firehouse. These men & women are such hard workers and their days can always use a little more love! (And honestly, what mama wouldn't mind a visit with a Fireman on Valentine's Day! ;) (*Extra Love? <--- See previous sentence!)
- Feathered Friends Love. Get out your birdseed, friends! Whether you buy a new birdhouse, fill up your hummingbird feeder, put out some suet, or make one of these little DIY bird-feeders - you know the birdies will thank you, this Valentine's Day, for the love! (*Extra Love? Have some friends over & make it a bird-brained Valentine's craft party!)
- Library Love. If you're like me, you always have at least a few dollars in late fees at the local library (what is with that?!). Why not pop in on February 14th & leave $10 with the librarian for that next mama who comes in? Let your kids lead in handing over the money, and then ask the librarian to please use it to pay off the next person who comes in with late fees. It will be sure to make someone's day a little brighter. (*Extra Love? Bring in a chocolate lollipop for the librarian, as well!)
- Hospital Love. Thankfully, we haven't spent a full overnight in the hospital, but we can relate to the uncertainty & loneliness that your little one feels in a hospital room. If you have a healthy child this Valentine's, why not write up a batch of Valentine's cards & drop them off at the Paediatric Ward of your local hospital? (*For extra love - stop by the dollar store & pick up some stuffed animals for extra cuddles on love day!)
- Parks & Rec Love. Love your local park? Grab some rubber gloves & trash bags and give a gift to your neighbourhood by cleaning up the park! Pick up the trash, clean the gravel off of the slide, while you're at it - give the parking lot a little sweep! (*Extra Love? Bring along friends & play at the park when you're done! Just don't leave your garbage behind!)
- Babysitting Love. Call a friend (or just drop by) & offer to babysit her littles while she goes out to celebrate a few hours on Valentine's. Whether she has a hubby to bring along or will just enjoy a coffee in peace - she will be sure to come back home feeling loved. (*Extra Love? Bring her flowers, too!)
- Telephone Love. In a world where EVERYTHING is typed and hardly anything is actually spoken, how nice would it be to receive a phone call "just because"? Pick up the phone this Valentine's and make a few phone calls, just to tell the people you love, that you love them! (*Extra Love? Arrange a coffee visit, while you're at it! The true "Face Time"!)
- Mama Love. Leave a little post-it note on the *clean* side of a change-table in the public family bathroom that says "You're a great mom. (Yeah, you!)" (*Extra Love? Attach a $5 Starbucks card to make it that much sweeter)
- Shopping Cart Love. Hang out in the parking lot of your local grocery store for 15 minutes after your shop & go gather all the loose carts spread throughout the lot. Your kids will love racing the carts to the "finish line"! (*Extra Love? Leave a little treat on the handle bars of one of the carts for the next shopper to enjoy!)
- Puppy Love. Love your furry friends? Stop by your local SPCA & ask if they need help walking dogs. If it's not 'dog walking time' when you arrive, you know there is an animal there in need of a good cuddle. Settle in for a spell and get ready to be licked! (*Extra Love? Take one home!!!)
Hopefully you can go out & try some (or all) of these ideas this Valentines Day & spread the love! And - don't forget to take your little one out for a random act of kindness of their own! (Ice Cream date anyone?!).
XOXO,
Love From,
Valerie
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