Share the Love

In February, it's nearly impossible to escape the multitude of heart-shaped chocolate boxes, life-sized teddy bears, and oodles of red and pink greeting cards.

I don't know about you, but I think we are all capable of a little more creativity than heart-shaped candies with flirty phrases on them that taste like chalk and Tums had a baby.... just sayin'.

Now don't get me wrong. I love gettinng a card or a boquet of roses on Valentines Day; it makes a girl feel special, ya know? But I just feel like the holiday would be more special if we reinvented the wheel a bit.

That being said, I have put together a little list of more creative ways to share the love this Valentines Day.

• Get crafty- Make and send cute cards to your friends or family. Let them know that you love them and are thinking about them. Even the smallest note can brighten a day!
• Go old school- Track down some silly valentines and hand them out to your local friends with a lollipop. My personal favorites that are sure to make them crack a smile? Ron Swanson, Justin Beiber, and Phineas and Ferb.
• Bring out the food- Host a Galentines brunch for all your girlfriends. You could even do it "pot-luck" style and have each friend bring a small dish while you cook the main dish. And best of all? Valentines Day is on a Saturday this year, which means you can have the brunch  in the morning and a date with your man later that evening, all in the same day. Woot woot for weekend holidays!

• Help a family- I was reading over at Joyfully Organized and the author suggested something I hadn't really thought of before: instead of getting caught up in what we are doing for Valentines Day, or whether or not we have a guy to celebrate with, we can offer our love and help to others. Think of a family you know who have kids and don't get to go out very often. Offer to babysit their kids for free so that they can have an evening alone at the movies or out to eat. This is something that we can do to share love with others...and isn't that what this holiday is suppose to be about anyway?

• Treat him- Bake him something decadently chocolate (try my chocolate chip cookies or my Nutella bread!) He will certainly thank you!
• Movie night- Get his favorite movie through Netflix or Redbox and have a movie-night in the comfort of your own home. And for all you married couples, amp it up even more by sliding your mattress into the living room and having a "sleep over". My husband loves doing this!
• Get creative- Make him a handmade, flirty card. Who needs Hallmark when you can make your own card. The handmade touch is not only fun, but will make him smile.

So there you have it. Just a few ideas to show love to everyone this coming Valentines Day. You don't have to be dating anyone to make this holiday count. Be determined, regardless of your current relationship status, to share the love this Valentines day. It will be a blessing to others and it will also make you feel good to know you have brightened someone's day!