Valentine’s Day at CatholicMom.com

Although not a “Catholic” holiday, Valentine’s Day has become an essential part of our popular culture.  We are pleased to share the following Valentine’s Day resources and articles for you to share with your family.  Click on each link below for additional information.

“Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
He said to him, “You shall love the Lord, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.
This is the greatest and the first commandment.
he second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.
The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:36-40

Let the Children Come to Me/Loving Others – Valentine’s Day Lesson Plan

Related Links:

	Saint Valentine at Catholic Encyclopedia
	Valentine of Rome
	St. Valentine, Patron of Love at Catholic Online
	The Origins of Valentine’s Day – from AmericanCatholic.org
	Celebrating the Song of Songs on Valentine’s Day

Activities:

	10 Kid Friendly Valentine Gift Ideas from the Heart
	Valentine Project: Pocket Love Notes
	A Spiritual Bouquet for Valentine’s Day
	Project: Blooming Valentines
	Recipe:  Chocolate Modeling Clay
	Unique Valentine Gift Idea -   “Message In A Bottle”
	Fun Things to Do with Your Kids for Valentine’s Day
	Help Make Valentines Day Special for Your Child
	Valentine Gifts from the Heart
	True Romance for Couples with Kids:  10 Ideas

Special Family Food:

	Valentine Recipe: Chocolate Pudding
	Valentine Recipe: Strawberry Kisses
	Valentine Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Strawberries
	Valentine’s Day Menu for Kids of All Ages
	Romantic Cooking for Valentine’s Day
	Brownie Hearts for Valentine’s Day

Articles:

7 Powerful Ways to Show Love to Children

Readers Suggestions:

In addition to pink candies and heart shaped cookies, and of course valentines (this year it is dora and blue!), We talk about the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus and pray special devotions to them on this day. This helps when we say things like I give you my heart, to really start to understand what our hearts are to God. We also sing a song called “Create in me a Clean Heart” so that we can talk about how in giving one another our hearts in earthly love, we need to be as pure as possible and only Christ’s heart can help purify ours. Just a few thoughts for tying in the depth of catholic ‘stuff’ about hearts since this is the secular feast of the HEART!!!

At our house, we celebrate early on Valentine’s Day with a chocolate feast breakfast, featuring chocolate chip pancakes, hot chocolate and cocoa puffs!  A great way to start the day!

Help your children to create handmade Valentine’s Day cards to be delivered to a sick or homebound relative or neighbor, or to a local Nursing Care facility.

Remember your parish priests and religious sisters on Valentine’s Day!

To share your suggestions, email Lisa@catholicmom.com with your idea or recipe.