Another gift giving holiday is around the corner...Valentine's!

Do you buy gifts for a loved one? What is your budget for gifts for Valentine's?

Well, I spent $2 on discount ribbon at Michael's for DD and I to make her valentine's for classmates; the rest of the supplies will come from the craft stash.  And I bought M&Ms on sale after Christmas and seperated the colors; the dark and milk red ones will be for chocolate chip cookies.  The leftovers of those along with the red peanut M&Ms will be for gift bags both in my house and for grandparents -- along with cookies of course!  I will say $20, including the $12 I've already spent.  I still need to buy a small bag of candy that's peanut-free (I'll go with some type of hard candy) for DD's class and, if I don't already have them (have to look), I'll need a few food giftbags (can get at the dollar tree @ 10/$1).

I'm really trying to focus on the homemade.  DD loves arts and crafts projects so we'll be working together on the stuff for her classmates.  I'm making little boxes and the ribbon will be a trim on the top box.  A little heart will pop out (attached with a strip of accordian-ed paper) and there will be a piece of candy inside.  DD will decorate the hearts and write the names on the boxes and put the candy inside.  I will make the boxes and the accordian strip of paper.

We will put together little gift bags for grandparents and DH that include cookies, M&M's, and homemade cards.  We are also going to make a hands-and-hearts "wreath" with foam paper for the front door.  I'll trace DD's hands and then we'll cut them out.  We'll glue a heart in the palms of the hands and the line the hands up into a circle wreat formation.  In the middle of the wreath we'll add a sheet of paper that DD can write "Happy Valentines Day".

I am thinking maybe skip this holiday except for getting ds1's cards for his class. If his stepmom wants to do it, I will let her. I really want our "gift" to each other to be paying off home depot. I will make a nice dinner, but hopefully that's it. Not to sound like the one who took cupid's bow away, but we need to focus on our budget.

besides, Dh's birthday is jan 30 and I have no clue what to do for him.

We don't do much.  I think the kids have parties at school.  I have discounted halloween candy for giving out with cards. I think they don't really do much in her school with candy. in preschool they go a bit nuts.   i have mini playdoughs left from halloween to give out for that.

I have some leftover cards from last year and I bought a package from value village that had 3 new packs of kids valentines in it for 1.99 so I am set.   cards for the grandparents and us and that is it.

We have valentines on the 14th, mil birthday the 15th, and our anniversary on the 19th so it all kind of blends in together.   I get flowers normally too. we don't go overboard.  we might buy each other something small if there is something we want under $30 that crops up.

mil birthday will be dinner out or delivery in because we don't cook on hers and mine birthdays.  the only cooks!   dh got a keg restaurant gift card from a coworker for $25 so that covers one meal so i will order one from airmiles rewards for $25 so we are covered for a very cheap meal out.

We don't do much either. I usually make up treat bags for the kids classroom parties, and I usually make a nice steak dinner for all of us. Last year, I got the kids each a small box of candy, but this year, I think I'm going to make up little coupon books for them. Coupons will be for things like 30 minutes to watch what they want to watch on tv; get out of  a chore for the day; make cookies with mom; a special treat out (like a small frosty from Wendy's for example); a game day with mom and/or dad (board/card games), etc. Their birthday is Feb. 11th, and I'm thinking they'll get plenty of candy at school. I might even think about getting them a $5 GC to Target or Barnes & Noble. I usually don't spend more than $10 on both of them, so if I got them each a gc and made a coupon book, that would be it!!

I'll get Brian a really nice card, and I usually make him a heart shaped chocolate chip cookie. Something I've done since we were dating. Plus his birthday is 2 weeks after V-Day on March 3rd.

We take DD out to eat with us.  DH buys something for me & DD.  I buy something for DH & DD.  DD takes cards to daycare and something for the daycare party.  I have leftover cards from last year.  I don't know if I have enough.  Will wait and see.  If I have my CVS ExtraCare $, I can use them for cards.

We usually just exchange cards with each other and DH always buys me a Whitman's"heart" sampler.  Just something he's done every since we've been together.  We have a busy month in Feb.  DS#1's birthday is 2/9, dear nephew is 2/12, Valentines 2/14 and then DH's birthday 2/23.  So, we keep valentine's day pretty low key at our house.  I will be making the Valentine's cards this year from supplies I already have on hand. 

Shellia

I moved in with dh and we started our lives together on Valeintes day so we treat it as one of our 2 anniversaries (other of course is our wedding) this year will mark 24 yrs. We try to get each other something small and eat out usually on the weekend after. I've got several boxes of candies in the freezer for this year and boxes of valientines for dd#2 (till she's in 6th grade and no longer doing Valentines day parties) bought last year when they were on mark down. I'll have to get his gift as the day comes closer his b'day is 1/25 so I wait to see what is left on his Christmas list after both Christmas and his birthday to pick something out. Also ds#3's b'day is on the 16th so I try to make sure he gets a nice b'day gift when I'm shopping.

I will buy candy for the boys' classmates. Usually I can budget about $10 and cover both classes. For DH and I, this year we are taking advantage of another "parent's night out" at church and going to a movie. We have $20 in movie bucks so the movie will be free. The only cost will be paying for the babysitting at church. We decided no dinner out that night to avoid the long lines and crowds.

I tell DH no flowers. I don't really want any and the price goes up just for the holiday. But I tell him I will never say no to dark chocolate, lol.

Since our anniversary is the 19th, dh gets me the fancy flowers then instead of overpriced ones on the 14th.  purdys choc is always welcome!