Celebrating the 12 Days of Valentine's Day helps make lovely gestures a habit. It's a time when you do little things to show love for family, friends and yourself. Wear a pink sweater one day, put red food coloring in your cake batter, set the table with red place mats - everything counts when you are celebrating the fact that you love a lot of people.
There is no set schedule. There isn't a "number" relationship between the days (meaning you don't have to sneak 10 Hershey kisses into a loved one's pocket just because it is Day 10). Nope, you just do what feels right and fits into your schedule on any particular day leading up to Valentine's Day.
When someone compliments your pink scarf, just smile and say that its in honor of the 12 Days of Valentine's Day. If your neighbor questions your sudden gift of 6 muffins, tell her it's The 12 Days of Valentine's Day. Have fun with it. And let me know how your coworkers and friends respond.
Day 1: Call an old friend to talk.
Today we begin celebrating The 12 Days of Valentine's Day! I want this to be a fun time for you. Talk with your friends and family about this celebration. When they realize that this is a mix & match series of fun moments, they may jump on board and start celebrating too!
The 12 Days of Valentine's Day is about expressing love and friendship to those around you.
Here are some suggestions that might help you celebrate:
Gestures can be as big or small as you like
Recipients can be anyone you know - friends, neighbors, family
Wearing red & pink "counts" as celebrating
Celebrating this way should make YOU (and everyone around you) feel good and light-hearted.
I will give you an idea here each day, but it is just to get you in the mood.
Would you believe that this gorgeous cake is from...IKEA!? I found it in the freezer section of the IKEA grocery department (read: buy it and keep it in the freezer until you are ready to celebrate). It is called "I love you gateau" - light sponge cake, vanilla custard, raspberry fruit filling covered with a delicious marzipan fondant. This delightful cake comes with a powdered sugar heart dusted on top! Love it.
Day 1: Plan on having a fancy dessert one night this week.
People all over the world are thinking about the 12 Days of Valentine's Day already.
I know this because they are Googling "12 Days of Valentine's Day" and coming to my site! In 2008 and 2009, I gave hints, tips and suggestions for making the 12 days leading up to Valentine's Day special for friends and family.
This is my philosophy:
The "12 Days of Valentine's Day" are about expressing joy and love for the great people in your life - spouse, parents, neighbors, teachers, friends, family.
It celebrates the fact that it is fun and inexpensive to eat heart-shaped food and wear pink. Seriously.
I can't possibly fit all the "celebrating" I want to do in one day, so the Twelve Days of Valentine's Day are perfect. It all starts on February 3rd.
In the meantime, look back at my suggestions from prior years and starting thinking about how you would like to celebrate the 12 Days of Valentine's Day. Make strawberry muffins? Put on the pink pillowcases? The tiniest gesture counts when it is done with love. And people love to talk about it, so spread the word.
And while you're at it, pick up some pink sprinkles. I know you'll use them.
A few weeks ago, my dear friend, Corinne told me that she had decided where we were going for my birthday.
She told me to look at the calendar and pick an evening to go out, because she had a special dessert in mind.
"Is this whole plan Dessert Driven?," I asked. Her reply? "Absolutely."
The night before she told me the plan. She was sure that the proper way for us to celebrate this milestone birthday was with a souffle at The Ritz-Carlton in Dearborn.
A perfect individual chocolate souffle, a lovely sauce and a scoop of vanilla ice cream in a spun sugar cup. Heaven, simply heaven.
Corinne, you are a birthday genius! It was truly a delight.
