That time of year came again. The one with sweet treats, red hearts, and flowers galore. One major difference, though–distance. On the surface, it didn’t look like Valentine’s Day would be anything similar to the past but thinking outside the box and honing creativity became the name of the game and kept the spirit of the day front and center.

PORCH DROPS

Oh the childhood memories of passing out cards and goodies to classmates while receiving them in return. Those were traditions that became engrained in our minds. It’s not yet a make-or-break for our kids, however. Some schools eliminated the option this year (ours being one of them) and while it was a little bit of a bummer to me, I noticed that my kids didn’t care a lick about it! That’s when I realized that the ‘traditions’ I thought we (collectively) were missing out on were actually MY own and not that of my kids. Onward we went coming up with other ideas to keep the fun of V-day alive. Some great friends and family were at it, too, and helped make this Valentine’s Day as great, if not better than any that had come before it. Cute bags filled with themed candies and a gaggle of goodies began making their way to our doorsteps in the days leading up to the 14th. Some did drive-by porch’ings and others hung around to chat. Front lawn chats with masks while standing 10′ apart would have sounded real strange a year ago but now? Nope, it’s perfectly fine. Admittedly, it’s a very surreal way to operate but here we are, right? We’re doing what we’ve got to do to stay safe, healthy, and still have fun!

These porch drops made everyone’s heart so bright–from the deliver-er to the recipient. You can’t help but get warm and fuzzy when you think about how kind other people can be. We did a few drops, too, and the kids were excited at the idea of making their friends happy amid a pandemic.

CONFECTIONERS’ DELIGHT

Why not do some fun baking for the world’s second biggest sugar-filled celebration day?! Chocolate chip cookies?! Yes, please! We found the perfect mix of easy (which I like) and delectable! This recipe from Pinch of Yum nailed it! It will yield a batch of the softest cookies you’ll ever taste, not to mention you can make them super-sized. Plus, it was the perfect fun activity/science experiment mixed with old school home economics. Win!

We didn’t stop there. The treat making continued with chocolate covered strawberries. All you need is a container of chocolate dipping wafers, strawberries & sprinkles from the grocery store. Follow package directions and add in a joyful heart and a hungry belly. Professional, these were not. Fun & delicious, they most certainly were!

THE BEST KITCHEN IS YOUR KITCHEN

For dinner, there was no need for restaurant reservations. This year’s Valentine’s meals were brought to us by: The Oven, The Refrigerator, The Mom and The Dad. Heart-shaped pizzas made of Boboli personal-sized crusts for lunch. Prime rib, baked potato and green salad for dinner. Yum, yum! That prime rib was made possible thanks to a fabulous rib roast that I had bought on sale and masterfully stored in the freezer. Being frugal pays off (and yes, there is such a thing as ‘proper freezer storage’ for food). Cheers to a day of fun eats!

THE CLASSICS

In all their chalky glory, Conversation Hearts celebrated the 1-year anniversary of their return. These mini boxes of disgusting but nostalgic little candies probably pull in an approval rating of 0.05% but they are practically an icon of Valentine’s Day. Even after their retail store hibernation and comeback, they’re still horrible but we continue to gift them. Haha. Ohhh and those deliciously fiery Brach’s Cinnamon Jelly Hearts. Man were they hot. So good but so hot. Helpful Hint: Bite the hearts a small chunk at a time to enjoy. Popping the whole thing in your mouth will make you pay dearly. If you brave it, I send your tongue my condolences.

Now that V-day is over, I’m looking forward to the next big one – Easter. We’ll no doubt still be dancing with the devil (COVID) so it’ll be interesting to see what creative tricks people come up with.

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