Find ways and reasons to celebrate with your family this week with these National Holidays and fun ideas on how to bring them home.
As a parent, I often get lost in the day to day of running my family. Whether it's running the kids to and from soccer practice, or fighting to get them up for school in the morning, or just making sure they brush their teeth and do their homework, it's a handful.
So sometimes, it's nice to stop for a moment and celebrate. Be sure to make moments and memories with your family so you don't look back years from now at the "fine china" and see the dust from it never having been used.
I looked up some fun reasons to celebrate this week. There are so many crazy national holidays that you can find a little moment to celebrate each day.
Some of these ideas are a little more elaborate, some of them are simple. Just pick and choose which days you want to celebrate and which ways you want to celebrate. It doesn't always have to be a big party or fancy dinner. Find little moments and little ways.
Here are a few ideas:
Monday, February 17: President's Day
With today being a national holiday, it's a good day to spend a little family time together.
I love to dress the dinner table up with decorations I already have so the kids think I went overboard for family
For a fun and easy family dinner, dress your table up with red, white and blue decorations if you can dig out the 4th of July decorations from the garage or attic. If you want aneasy dinner idea, consider having pancakes or waffles for dinner in red, white, and blue colors. The kids will absolutely love it. Decorate the walls with this patriotic pennant banner (just leave off the USA) and enjoy some firecracker poop for dessert.
Play some party games with this US bingo game, or let the kids make Abraham Lincoln cupcakes or Abraham Lincoln paper plate crafts.
Tuesday, February 18: National Eat Ice Cream (for Breakfast Day)
As a mom, I think I might do a little creative rearranging on this holiday. I love my kids' teachers enough not to load them up with sugar and send them to school. (But I may let the kids celebrate by sending these ice cream sweet candy bar wrappers with the kids.) So I recommend changing this holiday to just National Eat Ice Cream day. That should totally be a thing anyway.
Celebrate by having a simple ice cream sundae or banana split bar for dessert. Or make cupcakes and add these cute ice cream cone cupcake wrappers. Or if you are feeling really ambitous for a Tuesday, let the kids paint flower pots into waffle cones and plant some pretty flowers to get you ready for spring.
You can also try some of these ice cream cone recipes and show the kids how fun and easy it is to make their own ice cream. We have this ball ice cream cone maker that really puts the kids to a workout, or you can try this one for an easier time while you craft some ice cream party fun.
Wednesday, February 19: National Chocolate Mint Day
Oh, where to begin on the sweet eats you can use to celebrate this holiday.... it seems after pumpkin spice season ends, that mint season begins. In the midst of all the peppermint holiday treats and the addictive Girl Scout thin mints, you’ll find a whole recipe file of chocolate mint treats to sample and enjoy on Chocolate mint day.
Start the day off with some chocolate mint hot chocolate and some mint chocolate chip donuts. Then add this mint to tell you bag topper to the kids’ or dear hubby’s lunch to let them know you are thinking of them during the day.
Finish the day with some mint brownie cookies or a thin mint chocolate poke cake for a sweet treat.
If you want to take a moment and learn about your favorite mint and chocolate flavors, you can watch Unwrapped tv show you how Junior Mints are made
Thursday, February 20: National Love Your Pet Day
I don't have a pet, so I'm sure if you do, you probably know better than I how to celebrate your pet. I am sure they don't need much more than your love and attention. Take your dog for a walk to the dog park. Give your cat a little extra petting time. Whatever your pet needs to feel loved.
Watch The Secret Life of Pets for some family time celebration. Enjoy this puppy chow or these paw cupcakes while you watch.
Friday, February 21: National Library Lovers Month
There are so many ways that you can celebrate this holiday. The easiest is to actually go to the library and spend some time. Usually there are fun kids activities and an area where the kids can play and learn. Don't forget to grab a fun Library bag before you go. You'll be suprised at all the fun book choices and probably come home with many more books than you planned. You may even get hooked on a new series and need this book planner printable to keep yourself straight.
If you want a celebration that's a little more home bound, try having a dinner party based on your favorite book. We celebrated both the Divergent book and the Harry Potter series with family dinner parties and had a great time. You can do a simple dinner party with any book theme.
Be sure to give this fun Bookworm bag topper to the kids at lunch or as a party favor after dinner for a sweet treat. Or one of our printable bookmarks for the kids to save their place like this superhero bookmark, these dragon bookmarks, or this Sleeping Beauty Bookmark.
Saturday, February 22: Bake for Family Fun Month
I love to bake. Probably more than cooking or anything else in the kitchen. So a fun month where it's a celebration to bake with or for the family is the perfect celebration.
It's also great to celebrate this on a Saturday. After a long week of work and school, the family will love a fun treat to celebrate the weekend. Go the extra mile and let the kids help you with the mixing and baking.
Bake up your favorite cookies or get ready for National Banana Bread day tomorrow and make a batch of muffins for your family and friends. Whatever you bake, make it yummy and have fun doing it.
Sunday, February 23: Banana Bread Day
Probably the best way to celebrate Banana bread day is to enjoy a slice or muffin of yummy banana bread. My kids LOVE this chocolate chip banana bread recipe.
It would be fun to have an all yellow dinner table set up for the family to eat dinner at. Use a yellow tablecloth, yellow dishes, and yellow cups. Serve lemonade and have banana bread as a treat.
You can also give the family these banana bag toppers with banana bread muffins inside. Make a few extra and take them to the neighbors or family friends for a little service activity on Sunday.
I love this post. You are right, sometimes we are so busy that we forget we have a lot to be thankful for.
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party.