My husband and I are pretty simple when it comes to Valentine’s Day. We don’t do expensive presents. We skip the gigantic bouquets of flowers. And we easily pass up pricey dinners at posh restaurants. Now, don’t get me wrong, we do celebrate our relationship and Valentine’s Day, but we don’t go overboard. It’s just that gigantic bouquets and posh dinners aren’t really our style…well, not most of the time. Instead, our Valentine’s Day date nights tend to be just us, after we put the kids to bed. Our minimalist approach puzzles some, but makes total sense to us.
But just because we don’t go overboard doesn’t mean that we can’t plan; because even our simple at home dates require a bit of planning.
With Valentine’s Day just weeks away, I started gathering our date night essentials earlier this week. They were sitting in a bag on my dining room table until it came to me that I should probably wrap them up in some sort of festive way. And then I remembered those cookies that came in a cute little jar around the holidays. I looked at the supplies that I had set aside and wondered – What if I could have our entire date planned and set aside in that jar for when the big day arrives?
So that’s exactly what I did. And you can do it too!
Want some ideas on what you could include in your own date night jar? Here are some of the things in mine and suggestions on how to create your own Date Night in a Jar!
Food – Snacks are a must! Crackers, pre-packaged soft spreadable cheeses, and Summer Sausage are perfect to include because they don’t need to be refrigerated (unless they’re already opened). To dress our snacks up a bit, I wrapped our crackers in ribbon and the summer sausage package in Valentine’s Day paper.
Chocolate – We may skip big presents on Valentine’s Day, but we never skip the chocolate! Luckily it’s pretty easy to find in the weeks before Valentine’s Day. This is one place where I might go a little overboard…
Candle light – Add a little ambiance with some tea lights! I selected the electric kind, just because I feel they are a little safer, and put them in the Valentine’s Day votives I made 2 years ago.
Movie Tickets – Our date nights almost always include a romantic movie. To add a personal touch, include homemade “Admit One” tickets to your favorite date night movie taking place in your own living room.
Love Notes – Cards are an absolute must on Valentine’s Day, but it’s even better when you write your own. As a part of your date, include cards and envelopes to write you own love notes to one another. And don’t forget pens or pencils to write your notes!
Tablecloth – Space is an issue, so think smaller for this element – napkins or dishcloths will work perfectly. Plus it will help when it comes to clean up!
How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? What would your Date Night Jar include?
