Add some verve to your Valentine’s Day

Make this date fun for the whole family with innovative planning tips

By Natalie Bahadur

You don’t have to be madly in love to reap the rewards of Valentine’s Day. In fact, this annual fête can be celebrated by all! Check out our innovative ideas to make this year’s holiday creative and memorable for you and your family.

Involve each family member

Get everyone involved in making Valentine’s Day-themed boxer shorts to wear around the house or a little outfit for baby.

Step 1: Select an iron-on image from the Clip Art files in Digital Image Suite or Word.

Step 2: Print on T-shirt transfer paper. Make sure you print any text in reverse.

Step 3: Iron image onto the clothing, using the highest heat setting. Let cool then peel back paper. Click here for a more in-depth explanation about using T-shirt transfer paper.

Select, size and print image on transfer paper.

Iron to clothing and remove paper when cooled.

Your Valentine's Day outfits are ready to wear.

Your family could learn to make chocolates. Js bonbons, located in Toronto, offers chocolate-making classes. Or taste their chocolates and compare seven single origin chocolates from various countries. Search online for similar classes in your area.

Consider assembling an album of memorable photos or making a calendar out of photographs.

Create handmade keepsakes

Instead of buying cards in a store, encourage your child’s creativity by making valentine cards together. You can create lovely customized cards on your computer with Microsoft Home Magazine’s instructions. For more inspiration, templates and Clip Art, check out Microsoft Word.

Plan a romantic evening for two

If you are going to celebrate Valentine’s Day as a twosome, how about planning a romantic evening at home? Start by selecting the menu.

They say that the fastest way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but gentlemen shouldn’t underestimate a woman’s appreciation for a fine home-cooked meal. Just don’t get too carried away. Food expert and cookbook author Dana McCauley suggests keeping things uncomplicated.

“I recommend that people keep the menu for Valentine’s Day simple, light and fun to eat so that the couple can spend as much time as possible focusing on each other and not on the ringing of timers or choosing the correct fork for the fish course,” she says.

For a really romantic repast, pick up a copy of InterCourses: An Aphrodisiac Cookbook (Terrace Publishing, 1997) for a spicy dinnertime menu that’ll turn up the heat.

“Generally speaking, ingredients that have exotic smells or sensual shapes and textures fall into the aphrodisiac category,” says McCauley. “Such ingredients include oysters, truffles (both chocolate and those from the ground), artichokes and asparagus.”

For more mouthwatering meals, visit the Valentine’s Day page at AllRecipes.com or log on to the Food Network’s Valentine’s Day Eats.

Before you sit down to your well-deserved dinner, check out some simple and elegant ideas for setting your table. Create a romantic ambience by making decorative votive candles based on our holiday design or consult our autumn article to craft a Valentine’s Day-themed table setting.

Select your entertainment

“Setting the mood is really the important part at Valentine’s Day,” says McCauley. “In fact, the meal is almost secondary to the ambience. Throw some romantic CDs into the player. Classic choices are crooners like Nat King Cole or jazz divas like Sarah Vaughan, but if you and your honey have a ‘song’ this is probably a good night to play it,” she suggests.

Another fun idea is to cuddle up on the couch for a movie marathon. Pick a flick from the American Film Institute’s 100 most romantic movies.

Give a thoughtful gift

This year, surprise your sweetie with a gift that reflects his or her personal interests. Theatre or concert tickets, cooking classes, or lessons for something he or she has always wanted to learn make wonderful gifts.

You could also plan a romantic getaway. GreatCanadianHotels.com offers fantastic romantic weekend deals that you’ll both enjoy. Looking for some rest and relaxation? Leading Spas of Canada offers online listings of spas across the country. Check for couples packages. If flowers are still a Valentine’s Day must-have, you can order them easily online at sites such as Flora2000, which delivers nationwide.