Happy Valentines Day…

…even if it’s not your most favorite holiday.

I haven’t always been a big fan of Valentine’s Day. Maybe because I’ve viewed it as sort of a made up holiday by the greeting card companies. Or more than likely because I’m traumatized from never getting one of those Valentine carnations on my desk from a secret admirer at school (yes that was a real thing).

So, now that I’m a wife (with a full time admirer thank you very much) and two kids who love Valentine’s Day, I’ve changed my opinion (somewhat) of this holiday dedicated to all things mushy and disgustingly romantic.

Full disclosure, my husband and I have really never been big on going out to dinner on Valentine’s Day. I’ve always thought that those price fixed Valentine’s Dinner packages are kind of cheesy and over-priced, not to mention usually crowded. That’s probably why even before we had our kids, we usually opted to make a nice dinner at home and open a bottle of wine. Now that we have two small kids, we still make a nice dinner at home with some wine, but now we’ve got a couple of little ones gobbling up our dessert. Here’s my idea for this year’s Valentine’s Day at home dinner.

Valentine’s Day Dinner

Steak Frites & Asparagus – Steak Frites is a small cut of steak (we usually use strip steaks) with crispy french fries. I like to add a little bit of gorgonzola on top and asparagus on the side. This is a fairly quick and easy dinner but it feels special and maybe a little bit french if you close your eyes.

Red Wine – don’t forget the red wine, I like a Bordeaux with this dinner.

Mac & Cheese – for the kids

Chocolate Croissant Bread Pudding – my husband makes this once every couple years and its a great ending to this special meal. My kids like a little bit of whipped cream or ice cream on the side and I prefer a few raspberries. I guarantee that you will not be disappointed with this one.

Now that dinner is taken care of, you’re probably thinking of buying that special someone a gift. Roses and chocolates are nice – but it’s even better to think outside of the (chocolate) box when you’re looking for a Valentines Day gift.

That being said, if your Valentine loves a certain kind of chocolate, spoil them with their favorite treat. If they love roses, pick them up a dozen. I love tulips, so sometimes my husbands surprises me with a colorful bunch. I think that Valentine’s Day is about small indulgences to let your loved ones know that you care.

MEN -let me give you some critical advice – if you are at CVS, Rite Aid or some other drugstore – LEAVE NOW- this is not the place to be buying any type of romantic gift unless you’re trying to avoid romance for the foreseeable future. Your wife does not want a plastic rose and drug store chocolate. YOU’RE WELCOME.

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Gifts for Women

Now that we’ve covered the basics, here are a few ideas for things that SHE might really like.

What’s her favorite perfume or scent? My husband bought me this for Christmas a few years ago and I love it because it has a very light but feminine scent. Tocca makes several different scents that are all very nice.

I’ve been coveting these for a while. Consider surprising her with a pair of trendy Veja sneakers in pink or red.

This phone case just feels like spring and makes you happy to look at it. Get rid of that plain black case.

Gifts for Men

Here are a few ideas for the MAN in your life that he might actually like.

My mom bought this organizer for my husband for Christmas and he actually really likes it. It keeps his nightstand super organized.

Fan of cold brew? He can brew it at home with this Iced Coffee Cold Brew Maker.

Men have skin too. We sometimes forget that they might want fancy soap too. This Marlowe starter kit is a nice gift for that man in your life…with a face.

Gifts for Kids

I like surprising each of my kids with a card, a box of treats and a small gift (like really small). My 9 year old has been asking for erasable pens. I haven’t seen those since I was in 3rd grade, but I guess they’re still cool. My two year old is in desperate need of some bubbles. I’ll add a tiny box of candy and a card – and Valentine’s Day is done! We keep it simple around here but we still have fun!

Check out my gift guides for kids if you’re looking to surprise them with something a little more substantial than pens…and don’t tell my kids.

Galentines Day Gifts – Under $20 – February 13th

Have you thought about celebrating those special gals in your life this Galentines Day? Galentines Day is a made up holiday that became popular after it was a topic on Parks and Recreation a few years ago. It’s a great reason to leave the hubby and kids behind and head out with your best girl friends and even exchange gifts to show how much you love them! How cool is that?

TIP: Consider buying an individual gift for each of your friends based on their tastes or you could make it fun and buy everyone the same thing. (For example: different colors of earrings, journals or wine tumblers).

I’ve been a big fan of leather earrings ever since I saw Joanna Gaines rock them on Fixer Upper a few years ago. These braided leather earrings are slightly different and perfect for the Joanna in your life.

Do you have any Type A personalities in your gal group? (Are you saying it’s me in your head?) Your friend (or you) will love this bullet journal to organize all of their…organizing.

Is your best gal a bookworm? The latest by JoJo Moyes is a NY Times best seller but if you’re still unsure, my book club highly recommends it and my BFF Reese Witherspoon gave it a great review too (not really my BFF).

Do you have a wine enthusiast in the group? Or one that likes wine on the go…really who doesn’t. This wine tumbler has me dreaming of prosecco on the beach.

Happy Valentine’s and Galentine’s Day!