Here’s the thing…Mama loves holidays. Any holiday. It could be National Pie Day, Take Your Dog for a Walk Day, Christmas, Mother’s Day…and Valentine’s Day. Perhaps it’s because people always seem to be nicer around a holiday or it could be the exchanging of pleasantries or treats…whatever it is…holidays are an evil necessary in this world. They are meant to be celebrated with those around you to bring you closer together for the love of pie, peanut butter or love.

But for the kids, celebrating holidays each month or however often they seem to pop up can be overwhelming. Sometimes Mama has to stop herself and think…“do they really need a gift or a prize to celebrate this holiday or is a big hug, kiss and homemade treat enough?” 

Of course that’s enough. But then it isn’t. In this day and age, kids have been led to believe that love is equated by the amount of gifts one receives. (Jaw drops to the floor…NOW). Yes, absolutely that is the truth and it is NOT how Mama wants her kids to think. Love is much more than iPads and video games and so much more than American Girl dolls and Elmo toys. Teaching the kids this lesson hasn’t been easy. In fact, it’s more like a work in progress because explaining to a four year-old that he doesn’t need every single car ever made is like telling them SpongeBob isn’t yellow.

In fact this Valentine’s Day, Mama has a couple of gifts for each of the kids but really it’s the time leading up to the holiday that Mama is most looking forward to. Making the Valentines and the treats together is much more fun than receiving a gift. It’s something you can’t buy and to Mama it equates to love.

So the question to you Mama’s on this Wonder(ful) Wednesday is…do you give gifts for the little holidays or just skip it in lieu of quality time together, hugs and snuggles? 

While the kids may get little trinkets of love like chocolate hearts or a new game, Mama is thinking of making it more of a Valentine’s Day month with each week doing a new activity as an act of love.

Think…

• LOVE thy neighbor — delivering treats to a neighbor or friend that may be going through a hard time. Just making a simple delivery, is sure to brighten their day and know that you care about them.
• LOVE thy family — send a homemade Valentine to a long lost family member that you may not talk to frequently (Facebook does NOT count)! Snail mail is the way to Mama’s heart so I’m sure others would appreciate a break on their in-box.
• LOVE thy home — this one could go two ways…pick a room to clean and declutter together or go outside and clean up trash at a park, the beach or someplace close to home that you visit frequently. Mama’s kids have a habit of saying…“but it’s not MY trash!” It drives Mama nuts because trash is trash. Pick it up and be a good friend to the earth because you love living here…unless you want me to send you to Mars…which can be arranged.
• LOVE yourself — this is where they can benefit from doing all of the above and showing that they’re capable citizens of love and random acts of kindness. Let them have a little treat to congratulate them on a job well done. They’ll feel great and you as a Mama will too.

Now you all know Mama better than that because shopping is like breathing around here so come back on Friday for some V-day shopping inspiration for you, the littles and maybe you’re man!

Happy Wednesday! XOXO