Pretties for Your Girlies


When I was growing up, my father would always give flowers to his four daughters on Valentine’s Day (flowers for Mom too, of course!). Nothing fancy. Often just a single rose or carnation. But I loved it! It made me feel loved and acknowledged — especially during those years when I was longing for, but not receiving, a love note from a particular boy at school.

I really like the idea of small, simple tokens of affection and I thought this series of 24 pretty projects would be perfect for anyone who wants to give a sweet nothing to her daughter this year.

How about you? Did your parents ever give you Valentine gifts?

P.S. — In case you’re curious, the brothers weren’t left out. My Mom would have a little box of chocolates or other tiny treat for each of them. : )


28 thoughts on “Pretties for Your Girlies”

  1. How sweet. I like the idea of giving flowers to our daughters and chocolates to our sons. I want to pick up that tradition in our home. Thanks for the idea.

  2. My mother always sent Valentine’s gifts to my sister and me when we were in college. It was so lovely to get something in the mail. One year she sent us apples–a little weird, but it was nice to have fresh fruit. “They’re red and heart-shaped!” my mom explained.
    I think I’ll probably do a little something for my kids once they get out of elementary school (where everyone gets valentines).

  3. My dad did the same thing for me and my 2 sisters! He would get us flowers, or a “real” greeting card valentine, or some little trinket. It was definitely a treat to look forward to. The last Valentine’s Day that he was with us, he gave me a tiny little teddy bear with an even tinier teddy bear in it’s arms because I was expecting my first child. So sweet! Since he passed away, it’s been such a precious memory to keep and it’s a tradition that I’m going to carry on with my own children.

  4. (It’s a little odd for us since the Babby was born on Valentine’s Day, so we need to figure out if we’ll celebrate at all – we don’t want her to grow up thinking we just copped out with Valentine’s Day gifts!)

  5. While we did not celebrate Valentine’s Day when I was growing up I do now with my kids.

    Each Valentine’s Day they get a book, a little bag of sweets and then a homemade gift. This year my girls got hair bands that I made.

    I also have a 12 year old son and as he gets older it gets harder to find a project. I think this year he is getting a mixed CD that you had showed on your site a while back. I did fine him a great hardcover Archie Comic book. It was red and seemed to be fitting for such a holiday all while still being preteen friendly.

  6. Aw, my parents would always get me a little something on valentines (flowers or my favorite candy), and my dad always wrote a sweet card. Dads are the best!

  7. I grew up with a single mom and on valentines day we would both get new pajamas, and drink hot chocolate and eat candy in our pj’s. Even if she was dating someone at the time, she would stay in with me on valentines day. I think she started the tradition because red pj’s were always on sale after christmas!

    Now she is married and my stepdad gets my sister a stuffed animal on valentines day and flowers for my mom and they all go out to dinner.

  8. My mom always did something for me for Valentine’s. But the best was when I was 12 – she woke me up early, it was still dark out because she had to go to work in the hospital, and gave me a little pink and red gift bag with hearts, and pink gillette razors and a little can of shaving cream. My gift was that I was “officially allowed” to shave my legs – a big deal since I was one of the last in my class. It’s something that’s superficial, but she knew it was important to me, and just whispered “don’t tell your father”. I can remember it like it was yesterday.

  9. My husband gives boxes of chocolates to our daughters and I give one to my son. The first time we did this, the difference between girls and boys was very apparent. My girls gushed over their boxes and savored each chocolate. My boy said, “Thanks, Mom,” then proceeded to eat all the chocolates at once and then smashed his pretty box (which was useless to him now) into the garbage can. It cracked me up.

  10. My dad always gave us (he only has girls) a Valentine. Always a card with a hand-written note and usually a book. I will never forget the year I got SUPERFUDGE – my first hardback! I can still feel the thrill.

  11. My mother always did things for us for Valentines. And when I was in college, she would secretly send flowers……………………..when I moved back home after college I received some flowers from someone for Valentines that my mother SWORE were not from her. 3 years later, I learned that the person who sent those flowers, also sent flowers to all his other “girl” friends in his circle of friends to add a little cheer to their “lack of love day” and that I had, unknowingly, married the giver of those flowers. I’m a lucky girl!

  12. My mom would always make cherry muffins for breakfast (they were pink!), and she always made us sweet little handmade Valentines. We also always had dinner together and Valentine’s Day was just a little extra special. Sometimes my dad would bring us all flowers but probably not every year. I honestly think my parents’ tradition of making Valentine’s Day special for all of us is why I have always loved the holiday. Even when I, too, was hoping for and not receiving love notes from a special boy.

  13. Oh! And I LOVE these little ribbon/bead necklaces! I’ll have to keep them in mind for when my daughter is a little older.

  14. My Mom knitted me a little, red round purse with two lollypops crisscrossing on top (with yarn). She hung it on the chair in the morning so when I woke up for school I saw it. I don’t know how old I was maybe 8 or 9? It was filled with hershey kisses and a note. I can remember that clear as day. I don’t remember absolutely loving it or appreciating it at the time but now that I’m older – I just love the memory so much.

  15. My parents would usually get us a little something, but the one I remember most is a pencil case filled with glittery colored pencils when I was five. I still remember getting it and how much I loved it.

  16. My mother always had a little gift for each child at the dinner table on Valentine’s Day and a card–nothing big or fancy, but all wrapped up festive. When I had my own six children, I did the same–following my mother’s example. I decorated the table all Valentine-y with a small gift wrapped in red, a card, and a small box of chocolates for each child.

  17. I find it so much harder to find little things for my boy (age 8) than my girl (age 5). For girls it’s endless: etsy necklaces, lip gloss, art supplies, pretty hair clippies, etc. etc. I’m hard-pressed to come up with ONE little thing my son really wants, except an iTunes gift card. Sigh. Does anyone have any interesting boy ideas? (He is NOT arty/crafty at all. He is video games/sports/books.)

  18. My Dad worked second shift so he was gone before we got home from school. On Valentines Day he would always leave us a small heart shaped box of Fannie May, a box of conversation hearts, and a card on our beds to find when we got home. My sister and I loved it. Great memory for us both now that he’s gone.

  19. So sweet to read all these valentine memories. The ribbon and bead necklaces are adorable! I want to save that idea for Easter gifts for my girls – I like to hang something pretty in the blossoming trees for them to find on their egg hunts, then they can wear them to church. For my son for Valentines Day, I found Target has a selection of chocolates aimed at men this year – I got my little guy a chocolate tool set which I think he will love!

  20. Last year Jake and I started a tradition with our 3 year old daughter, we threw her a private tea party just the three of us. If you live in Manhattan you have got to go to Mitchelle and London for their tea sandwiches and beautiful mini tarts in the shape of hearts. She felt so special and we loved every minute of it.

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