1. Three Valentine Bible Verse Craft Ideas at Heart of Wisdom.
2. Ruby Valentine Saves the Day by Laurie Friedman. Recommended at Hope Is the Word.
3. Check out the finalists announcement at the Cybils blog. Winners of the Cybils Awards for Children’s and Young Adult Literature are announced every year of Valentine’s Day.
4. Poem: To My Dear and Loving Husband by Anne Bradstreet, 1678.
5. Very Valentine by Adriana Trigiani. Recommended at Books in the City.
6. Valentine’s Day read aloud books at Hope Is the Word.
7. How To Write a Love Letter and Salvage Valentine’s Day (for guys) by Joe Carter.
8. Make a strawberry cake.
9. Ideas from All for Love by Tasha Tudor (a lovely book, by the way).
10. Love Links, Lists, and Quotes.
11. Real Romance for Grown-up Women. Choose a book that speaks to the romantic who’s outgrown chicklit and Harlequin.
12. The Valentine Edition by Robin Shope. Recommended at Wendi’s Book Corner.
13. Red Hot Catholic (Christian) Love. A good read for engaged, dating, or married couples.
14. Love-ly (free) computer desktop wallpaper for February.
15. Free Custom Valentine Maker at invys.com
16. Anatomy of a Marriage: Novels about Romance in Marriage.
17-26. More recommended novels about love and marriage:
The Love Letters by Madeleine L’Engle.
Secret Keeper by Mitali Perkins
Random Harvest by James Hilton
Green Mansions by WH Hudson. ““Our souls were near together, like two raindrops side by side, drawing irresistibly nearer, ever nearer; for now they had touched and were not two, but one inseparable drop, crystallised beyond change, not to be disintegrated by time, nor shattered by death’s blow, nor resolved by any alchemy.â€
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. Yes. Heathcliff and Cathy were actually the worst of lovers –capricious, unfaithful while remaining bonded to one another, but let’s not quibble. “I am Heathcliff!” says Cathy, and what better description of the marriage of two souls is there in literature?
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Jane and Mr. Rochester are as radically faithful and loving in their own way as Cathy and Heathcliff imagine themselves to be. And they actually get together before they die, surely an advantage for lovers.
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen. Elizabeth Bennett and Mr. Darcy are the epitome of lovers in tension that finally leads to consummation.
Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers. Lord Peter Wimsey and Harriet Vane are such a hesitant, battle-scarred pair of lovers that thye almost don’t get together at all, but that’s what makes the series of romance-within-a mystery novels that culminates in Gaudy Night so very romantic. They’ve used the same formula in TV series ever since, but Sayers is much better than any Remington Steele (Laura and Remington) or Cheers (Sam and Diane). And Ms. Sayers was even able to write a credibly interesting epilogue novel in Busman’s Honeymoon, which is better than the TV writers can do most of the time.
At Home in Mitford by Jan Karon. Who says love is only for the young? Father Tim and Cynthia make it through thick and thin and through five or six books, still in love, still throwing quotations at one another. They’re great lovers in the best sense of the word.
27. My Love Song Playlist (very retro–70’s)
The Twelfth of Never by Donnie Osmond.
Cherish by David Cassidy and the Partridge Family.
The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face by Roberta Flack
Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel
The dizzy dancing way you feel
As ev’ry fairy tale comes real
I’ve looked at love that way
I’ve looked at love from both sides now
From give and take, and still somehow
It’s love’s illusions I recall
I really don’t know love at all. ~Joni Mitchell
I Honestly Love You by Olivia Newton John.
Evergreen by Barbra Streisand.
Can’t Help Falling in Love With You by Elvis Presley.
Laughter in the Rain by Neil Sedaka.
L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole.
28-34. Recommended Movies for Valentine’s Day
Marty. “Ernest Borgnine (Oscar for Best Actor) stars as a 35 year old Italian butcher who’s still not married in spite of the fact that all his younger brothers and sisters have already tied the knot.”
It Happened One Night. Clark Gable is a reporter in this romantic comedy about a run-away rich girl.
Much Ado About Nothing. Kenneth Branaugh and Emma Thompson. The reparte between Benedick and Beatrice is so memorable that you may find yourself quoting Shakespeare in spite of yourself.
My Big Fat Greek Wedding. I really loved the fact that Ian knew that he was not just marrying a girl but also her family.
The Princess Bride. Romance at its finest and funniest. “That day, she was amazed to discover that when he was saying ‘As you wish’, what he meant was, ‘I love you.’ And even more amazing was the day she realized she truly loved him back.”
You’ve Got Mail. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are a great pair.
Romeo and Juliet. The Franco Zefferelli version.
35. A love gift from Jama Rattigan’s Alphabet Soup. Shhhh. Don’t tell. I’m going to make one of these for my sweetie for Valentine’s Day.
36. Valentine’s coloring pages from Elizabeth O. Dulemba.
37. John Donne poetry wallpaper for Valentine’s Day, or anytime, really.
38. Valentine’s Day song: Give It Time by Andy Gullahorn
39. Valentine’s Day Unit Study helps for homeschoolers and teachers.
40. 39 Chocolate Treats at Family Fun. I think maybe Chocolate Mint Brownies or Chocolate Chip Banana Bread.
41. V is for Valentine: Valentine’s Day Lapbook.
42. Favorite Valentine’s Day crafts at Kaboose.
43. Frugal Valentine crafts, recipes, and traditions from The Common Room.
44. Folding Paper Hearts and Valentines.
45. Leah’s favorite Valentine’s Day picture books for kids at The Friendly Book Nook.
46. Homemade Valentine’s Day cards: vintage and modern, lots of links at Brimful Curiosities.
47. Valentine’s Day poems for children and teens.
49. How to Say “I Love You” in many languages.
50. Memorize The Love Chapter: I Corinthians 13.
51. Create in Me a Clean Heart devotional Bible study and verses to memorize: Motivational Devotional for the disorganized.
52. Heartlight: ecards, devotional Bible studies, graphics, wallpaper, and other resources.
52. Make a valentine mailbox. Or a Because Box.
53. If you didn’t manage to send out Christmas cards or a Christmas letter, or even if you did, use Valentine’s Day as an excuse to communicate with family and friends by sending out a Valentine card and family letter.
54. Another movie: classic weepy, Love Story.
55. History of Valentine’s Day:
56. Make cinnamon rolls for breakfast.
57. Online Valentine’s Day games.
58. More Valentine craft ideas.
59. Crazy Love by Francis Chan. Recommended by Ruth at There Is No Such Thing as a God-forsaken Town.
60. Make a list of fifty famous couples (Romeo and Juliet, Adam and Eve, Isaac and Rebekah, Scarlett O’Hara and Rhett Butler). Put each name on a separate slip of paper or card and see how many your kids can match together.
61. Make silhouettes of your children for valentines. Or make a silhouette valentine garland. Use pink and red links for the chain.
62. Host a Valentine’s Day tea. Another plan for a Valentine’s Day tea.
63. Have a Valentine’s Day Poetry Party. Everyone brings a poem to share with the group.
64. Eat red: lasagne or spaghetti, fruit slushie
65. Have a “Golden Girls Valentine’s Day Party” for the over sixty ladies in your church, your family, or your neighborhood. From The Common Room.
66. 1968 movie: The Love Bug with Dean Jones, Michele Lee, and Buddy Hackett. Herbie the Volkswagon Beetle with a mind of its own inspires love wherever he goes.
67. American Film Institute’s Top 100 Greatest Love Stories.
68. Spelling Love with Candy Hearts.
69. Write a love letter to someone you love. Or paint/draw a picture for your loved one.
70. Valentine’s Day short stories for children.
71. How to make a paper bouquet for your valentine:
72. Jan Brett Valentine selections.
73. Give out valentines to all your friends and neighbors with these verses printed on them: “Beloved, let us love one another. For love is of God, and everyone who loveth is born of God and knoweth God. He that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love.†I John 4:7-8
75. Make a mix CD of favorite love songs for someone you love.
76. Give someone you love a massage for Valentine’s Day.
77. Invite your friends to share their love and courtship stories, either in writing or in person. Here are a few love stories that Joe McKeever, a retired pastor in New Orleans, solicited and received via Facebook.
78. Read about the saint in St. Valentine’s Day.
79. Easy Valentine’s Day from Kendra at Preschoolers and Peace.
80. Make some heart-shaped cookies.
81. Geek Valentine’s Day gifts, since I’m proudly married to handsome geek, Engineer Husband.
82. Printable coupons for things like a “free hug” or “breakfast in bed” to give to your loved ones.
83. Write a poem and give it to your valentine. “Roses are red . . . ”
84. OK, men, if you’re thinking that you should ask her to marry you, you should, and Valentine’s Day is a good day to ask. Ten Ideas for a Romantic Proposal. More Marriage Proposal Ideas.
85. Go walking on the beach, if you have one nearby. Very romantic.
86. Tell everyone you love that you love them Say it out loud. Call them on the phone. Just do it.
87. The Love Letters by Madeleine L’Engle. Semicolon review here.
88. Carney’s House Party by Maud Hart Lovelace. Semicolon review here.
89. Is Marriage Outmoded? I say NO!
90. Read some Jane Austen, anything by Jane Austen.
91. The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe.
92. Ogden Nash’s definition of marriage.
93. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. Semicolon thoughts here.
94. Do something really hard for the sake of your beloved.
95. Christy by Catherine Marshall. The TV series was OK, but the book is better.
98. A Severe Mercy by Sheldon VanAuken.
99. Gaudy Night by Dorothy Sayers.
100. Happy Valentine’s Day, everybody!
Love-ly list, Sherry. I LOVE Christy–one of my favorite books ever! I might have to try a few of these ideas myself this year. Thanks so much for the shout-out–I hope to have more Valentine’s Day books up for this week’s Read Aloid Thursday.
Thank you for #13. I really enjoyed reading that.
Thank you for #13. I really enjoyed reading it.
Wow! That’s quite a list. Thanks for the reminder to check to Cybils winners on Monday and also for linking to my blog post about homemade valentines! We’re just starting to make our valentines for next week…hope to have all of my daughter’s classmates’ cards done this week.
Thank you for the shout-out Sherry. I hope you don’t mind if I link right back to you on Valentine’s Day! 🙂 e
Pingback: Tweets that mention 100 Valentine Celebration Ideas | Semicolon -- Topsy.com
Pingback: Hope Is the Word » Blog Archive » Read Aloud Thursday–Valentine’s Day Edition, Take Two
Pingback: Valentine’s Day Books Round-Up | Hope Is the Word
What a great list!
Pingback: Once Upon a Time . . . We All Believed in Marriage | Semicolon
Pingback: Saturday Review of Books: February 11, 2012 | Semicolon
Pingback: Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson | Semicolon
Pingback: Love Twelve Miles Long by Glenda Armand | Semicolon