YOU'VE GOT MAIL

Valentine's Day is coming up and in the constant effort my wife and I are putting forth to spoil the mess out of our daughter (or make her childhood as much fun as possible as we prefer to look at it), we've come up with a budget friendly way to celebrate the holiday (is it really a holiday?) aside from the typical cards/candy/flowers.

We found this miniature tin mailbox at Target in the dollar section they strategically have placed by the entrance... I think Target may be hell in disguise with a money hungry Satan filling it full of tempting items because we go in with one specific purchase in mind and always come out with a cart load.  Although to some, I'm sure that sounds more like heaven.

So there we were in the dollar section holding this mini mailbox trying to figure out what we were going to do with it because buying it had already been decided with a single, non-verbal glance between the two of us.  We bought it knowing we would come up with an idea and if not, we'd just give it to her... it's a dollar.  She could put her hairbows or socks in there if all else failed or if she hated it we could use it in the office somewhere.  Or we could see if Benson would fit in it (my idea, not Allison's).  Did I mention it was only a dollar? 

Eventually we decided we would put something small in it every day leading up to Valentine's (sort of advent calendar style) for her to open in the morning.  Before you start yelling at the screen and rolling your eyes and sending me emails that we shouldn't give her gifts 14 days in a row... calm down.  It will not be filled with a 'gift' every day.  We've got stickers and other small, inexpensive items to put in there. Maybe even a cookie or a brownie or some other snack that she doesn't get very often but would jump up and down for.  Sometimes it will be as simple as a note.  A note from us telling her we love her.  Maybe a typed note from a stuffed animal (corny I know, but she would flip out).  Or a note from one (or both sets) of her grandparents because they are the ones spoiling her, that I can assure you.

On the actual day of Valentine's, we'll probably put a message in there somehow directing her towards her gift in a scavenger hunt sort of way.  After all, when looking back she'll probably remember the fun of receiving the gift rather than the actual gift itself.  Speaking of the gift, we got her a set of pretend cupcakes to use with her kitchen she received from Santa.

What are you doing for Valentine's Day?  Do you celebrate with the kids or just the significant other?  Or is it just another day where you park it on the couch for some quality TV time?