Meaningful Valentines

Valentine’s Day has never been about trips to Hawaii and jewelry for me. I remember loving the card exchange at school and searching for the perfect card to give my classmates. It was something I genuinely looked forward to, a fun activity long before it ever became something romantic.

At home, my parents would always do something special for us. Sometimes it was candy and a card, sometimes just a small gesture that made the day feel different.

How Valentine’s Day Became So Meaningful

My parents were married the week before Valentine’s Day, and it became an much more meaningful holiday for our family. The wedding was a small intimate occasion with lost of meaning and personal touches.

One moment stands out clearly. During my parents’ ceremony, the vows weren’t only between them. My sister and I stood beside them as they promised we would become a family of four. I was twelve years old, standing in front of everyone, feeling included in something important. I didn’t have the words for it then, but I remember how it felt.

I also remember the awful shoulder pads on my dress, the early 90’s was quite the era for fashion.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve realized that most of the memories that stay with me are rooted in the little things. The moments that felt thoughtful, intentional, and full of care. I have shown love this way when I cook or make something for someone. I try to create gifts and moments that feel meaningful, even if they’re simple.

A Valentine I’ll Always Remember

The first Valentine’s Day my husband and I shared is one I will always remember. I’m not much of a chocolate person and heart shaped boxes of candy are nice, (I do like See’s candy) but they are not something I crave.

The first Valentine’s Day my husband and I had together he gave me a huge heart shaped box of chocolates. It was thoughtful, and I genuinely appreciated it. He encouraged me to open the box to try a piece. When I did, I realized he had carefully sliced the cover of the box under the ribbon, removed the chocolates, and filled it with a bunch of different kinds of black licorice. My absolute favorite!

Don’t come at me about how you hate black licorice, I am not sharing.

My mom was visiting that week, and we both got all mushy. I was so touched by his gesture. It was sweet, thoughtful, and honestly pretty funny. Over the years he has proven to just be that kind of man.

He then handed me a CVS bag with the chocolates rattling around inside, just in case I wanted those too.

I was already in love with him, but that moment really cemented it for me.

How We Celebrate

Over the years, we have always done something sweet and special for Valentine’s Day. My husband’s birthday is on the 13th, so the two naturally became one special holiday for us. We don’t often give actual gifts other than a sweet and meaningful card. We occasionally try to get away for a night but often prefer we have a quiet dinner at home. I set the table with a pretty set of china and cook a special meal for the two of us.

Planning Valentine’s Day Dinner

With our lives as busy as they are, planning ahead makes this much easier for me. I can sit down and think of the little details that go into a special dinner so I am not rushing around cooking instead of sitting and talking.

I know myself well enough to know that I will forget details I really wanted to include if I don’t plan ahead and do what I can in advance. I pick the recipes, create a shopping list, do the shopping and make a timeline for the week and day of.

This year, I created a printable to use and I thought it might become a fun keepsake to tuck in with the cards and mementos I’ve held onto over the years.

When my kids eventually go through the boxes and boxes of saved cards I leave behind, they’ll get the joy of knowing what we had for dinner on Valentine’s Day in 2026. Lucky them!

All joking aside, I’m sharing this printable with you in the hope that it helps organize your plans and encourages you to try a romantic dinner at home this year without stressing yourself out.

This is my plan this year ready to go for next week.

What Our Plans Are This Year

The dinner I have planned here is close to what we did for our second Valentine’s Day after we were married. We had just had our son three weeks prior, and were both flat out exhausted.

Our local grocery store offered a boxed romantic dinner for two that had everything we needed included and I was sold.

Yes! It was premade mashed potatoes (the horror) and pre-seasoned asparagus. I just had to warm the sides in the oven or microwave. I heated the béarnaise sauce on the stovetop. Pan seared the filet and finished them in the oven.

The box had a little guide on plating that I thought was awesome. I plated mashed potatoes in the middle, filet on top of that, piled the warmed lump crab on top, arranged the asparagus all fancy like and added the sauce.

It was delicious, and easy. The night ended up being both special and memorable for two tired parents of a kindergartener and infant.

The following year, I made the dinner from scratch myself, and have done so many times over the years. It is a favorite for sure.

Making My Plan

I try to plan an appetizer, an entrée, a side dish or two, then a easy dessert. When Valentines falls on a weekday and you have no extra time, keeping it simple doesn’t take away the night. Plus it leaves more time to linger over a yummy appetizer or a fantastic dessert that didn’t require a Cordon Bleu diploma.

Enjoy your time together and the memories you create this year.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Enjoy!