Unique Ideas to Celebrate Valentines Day this Year
by Heather Diodati

Want to celebrate Valentine's Day in a different way? We've collected a bunch of unique ideas - special ways to show how much you care about your spouse, family members and friends you cherish.

Heart-Felt Valentine's Meal
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Make up a batch of heart-shaped pancakes for a yummy Valentine's breakfast or brunch. Just pour the batter in the frying pan in a free-form heart shape and serve with strawberries and whipped cream.

Balloon Goodies
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Insert candy surprises into balloons before inflating them - add a folded-up Valentine's message then inflate each balloon. Tie with a red ribbon and attach to your loved one's chair for them to find Valentine's morning.

Family Affair
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Have the children help you prepare red Jello with cinnamon hearts mixed in, mashed potatoes colored with pink food coloring, heart- shaped cookies and any other creative ways to present your Valentine's Day meal.

The Gift of Time
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Give a hand-made coupon for some work you can do to free-up some time for your spouse or parent. For example, a coupon good for cleaning Dad's garage or for a full-house vacuuming for your wife. How about a coupon for your best friend - you can walk her dog or baby sit one evening.

Coupon Day
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Each of you can create individual notes, say 4 or 6 each, to describe a special surprise - a back rub, a bubble bath, kisses from head to toe, a special meal - fold up the notes and toss them into a jar. You can take turns having fun plucking a coupon from the jar and doing what it says.

Scavenger Hunt
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You can prepare this one for your spouse or for your children to enjoy. Write up little notes about how you feel and what they mean to you and place them around the house along with a candy heart or other treat. Add a riddle at the end of each note about where to find the next note. At the last note, have something special waiting there. For example, you can be waiting for your hubby in a candle-lit bubble bath with two glasses of wine. For your children, then can find a teddy bear or other toy or treat.

Less Fortunate
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Visit a hospital or chronic care home to pass out small Valentine surprises to the residents. They will enjoy the care and attention from something so unexpected.

Alone?
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No one special to share Valentine's Day with? Sure you have! You! Why not pamper yourself with a candlelit bubble bath, then prepare your favorite gourmet meal and rent the latest comedy video. Or treat yourself to a day at the spa, or a day at the gym with a step or aerobics class. Plan for Valentine's Day at least a week in advance - you'll find yourself looking forward to your special treats and your quality time with yourself, by choice.

Picnic Fun
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Place a blanket on the floor near the lit fireplace with candles on the mantle and have your Valentine's meal as a candle-lit picnic with a bottle of your favorite bubbly.

Italian Romance
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Some soft Italian love songs on the CD player, a luscious Fettucini Alfredo with a bottle of your favorite Italian vino, then some fresh canoli from the pastry shop and cups of amaretto- flavored coffee for a taste sensation - top it off with a sensuous scented bubble bath for two

A Cereal Surprise
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Sneak in love notes and chocolate kisses in your sweetheart's or children's cereal

Notables
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Little notes in their lunch boxes, on the bathroom mirror, in his briefcase, stuck on the car windshields, in his underwear drawer

I'm fortunate to have you!
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Mix up a batch of fortune cookies (see http://www.whimsies-online.com/valentine.htm for recipe!) and add your own little words of love

Messy but Marvelous
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Make sure you wear old clothes for this one and plan this escapade where cleanup will be easy (no carpets, please!) Make up a batch of chocolate pudding. Feed each other and wind up having a food fight! Ideally, this is more fun in your birthday suits, then the pudding won't go to waste where it lands! Guaranteed for loads of giggles between the two of you - take a shower-for-two after this one and wash each other's chocolate-flavored hair!

Take a Letter
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Take turns writing a love letter or love poem to each other. Read them out loud

Valentine Sharing
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Plan some community work - help out at the local shelter, volunteer at your local church, work with other volunteers to spread some caring amongst your community.

All in the Family
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Spend some quality fun time with your niece or nephew or other child in your family.

Long-Distance Caring
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Call your favorite aunt whom you haven't seen since she moved far away, or your best friend who transferred to another country - let them know you're thinking of them this Valentine's Day

Just For You
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Have you wanted that delicate pair of earrings for awhile but kept putting off the purchase? Give yourself a special Valentine's Day gift

Poetry In Motion
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Write him or her a poem - can't write? Try out the poem generator on http://www.whimsies-online.com/valentine.htm for fun! Print out your creation and place it on your loved-one's night table for when they awake!

~February 2003

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Heather Diodati, is the owner of DDesign, an on-line shop for one-of-a-kind personalized gifts for all occasions. Sign up for our free ezine, On A Whim, for your free time management gifts! http://www.whimsies-online.com
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