Making Valentine's Day Mean More Than Fluff

Last year I wrote how sentimental holidays like Valentine's Day inspire me to create things. However, there is also the temptation to get so caught up in the cutting and crafting that the historical meaning of the occasion is lost. Saint Valentine was a Christian martyr. If visions of candy and hearts and fluffy bows are all that come to mind on February 14, I believe my kids and I are missing the point.

With this tension in mind, I decided to tie in some deeper truths to 3 Valentine's Day games I developed recently:

1. Stacking Hearts Game - This activity links to Psalm 103:11.

2. Guard Your Heart Game - Obviously, Proverbs 4:23 is what comes into play here.

3. Ring Around the Chocolate - The truth that "love is patient" (I Corinthians 13:4) can be highlighted through this and many other games people like to play.

I have included a complete rundown of instructions in this article-- Simple DIY Valentine's Day Games for Ages 6 and Up. Another article that I thought captured more of the essence of celebrating love was Valentine's Day Family Fun.  Tuesday's Tip Jar has various project ideas for Valentine's Day as well as a collection of more general helpful tips.

I'm looking forward to doing many of these Valentine's activities with my children this month, with the goal of teaching deeper truths about the different kinds of love. By extending our discussions beyond superficial traditions, we can ponder the nobler aspects of love.