It's Valentine's week, as I'm sure you know. Everything is pink and red with little hearts and cupids, constantly reminding us that Valentine's is almost here.
Valentine's Day can be a divisive holiday. Most either love it or hate it. I used to love it, but I'm a romantic. Now I'm still on the pro side, but not in the extreme way some are. Growing up, my dad always got my sister and I a single rose for Valentine's Day. Even if we weren't in a romantic relationship, we still felt loved. That single, sweet action taught me more about what Valentine's Day should be about, and provided an armor against the onslaught of candy, card and flower companies that, let's face it, are just trying to profit off of the holiday.
So what is it I think Valentine's Day should be about, and when I am going to bring up Disney? Valentine's Day should be about taking a day to be grateful for the love you have in your life. Whether that's romantic love, or familial love, or even just how much you love your pet, isn't nearly as important as just taking a moment to think about the different types of love present in your day to day existence. That's why I tell all my loved ones, not just my husband, how much they mean to me on Valentine's Day. I also think it's silly to pay more for flowers and chocolates the first two weeks of February, and often celebrate Valentine's Day on the 15th…by shopping the clearance aisle.
Not everyone can, or wants to, go out on Valentine's Day. Maybe it's a financial thing, or a babysitter thing, or a we-don't-like-crowds thing. After spending two hours waiting for a table on Valentine's Day several years ago, my husband and I decided we didn't want to fight the crowds and barely hear each other over the din in the restaurant year after year. Instead, we decided to start our own tradition of a special dinner at home. So the next year, we bought steaks, and made asparagus, mashed potatoes and homemade rolls as sides. We spend the evening cooking together in the kitchen, ate a delicious meal together while drinking a great wine, watched a movie and enjoyed being loved. It's great. Very little fuss, but we get to spend quality time together. Each year since, for about five years, we've made our special steak dinner and forgone the traditional Valentine's Day hoopla. We celebrate how much we love each other by simply being together.
Where does Disney figure in to this? Well, if you've got kids and are spending Valentine's at home celebrating with them, you need a family friendly movie. Who provides better family friendly entertainment than Disney? Obviously, in my book, Disney is King. There are plenty of romantic movies to choose from. Here are a couple of lists for ideas for movies, depending on whether your focus is familial love or romantic love.
Family love:
101 Dalmatians (coincidentally, releasing TODAY, February 10, 2015 on Blu-Ray!)
The Aristocats
The Lion King
Bolt
Frozen
Ratatouille
Meet the Robinson's
Brave
Lilo and Stitch
Brother Bear
Romantic Love
Enchanted
Cinderella
Sleeping Beauty
Beauty and the Beast
The Little Mermaid
Aladdin
WALL-E
Lady and the Tramp
Up
Tangled
There are, of course, many more Disney movies that could go on either or both lists. Disney is versatile, and can provide entertainment for parents and kids alike. A quality story is a quality story, after all. Our plan is to (hopefully) rent Big Hero 6, since my shame-faced self still hasn't seen it.
So instead of cringing when you run across all of the holiday hoopla, remember that you can celebrate Valentine's Day any way you wish. Me? I'll be cozied up with my toddler and my hubby with a belly full of steak, delighting in a Disney movie. Not a bad way to spend a holiday, in my opinion.
What are your holiday plans? Will you embrace Valentine's Day as a day to celebrate love in general, or will you be holed up burning through your Netflix instant queue? Whatever your plans, I hope your day is lovely! (Ha! See what I did there?!)
Valentine's Day can be a divisive holiday. Most either love it or hate it. I used to love it, but I'm a romantic. Now I'm still on the pro side, but not in the extreme way some are. Growing up, my dad always got my sister and I a single rose for Valentine's Day. Even if we weren't in a romantic relationship, we still felt loved. That single, sweet action taught me more about what Valentine's Day should be about, and provided an armor against the onslaught of candy, card and flower companies that, let's face it, are just trying to profit off of the holiday.
So what is it I think Valentine's Day should be about, and when I am going to bring up Disney? Valentine's Day should be about taking a day to be grateful for the love you have in your life. Whether that's romantic love, or familial love, or even just how much you love your pet, isn't nearly as important as just taking a moment to think about the different types of love present in your day to day existence. That's why I tell all my loved ones, not just my husband, how much they mean to me on Valentine's Day. I also think it's silly to pay more for flowers and chocolates the first two weeks of February, and often celebrate Valentine's Day on the 15th…by shopping the clearance aisle.
Not everyone can, or wants to, go out on Valentine's Day. Maybe it's a financial thing, or a babysitter thing, or a we-don't-like-crowds thing. After spending two hours waiting for a table on Valentine's Day several years ago, my husband and I decided we didn't want to fight the crowds and barely hear each other over the din in the restaurant year after year. Instead, we decided to start our own tradition of a special dinner at home. So the next year, we bought steaks, and made asparagus, mashed potatoes and homemade rolls as sides. We spend the evening cooking together in the kitchen, ate a delicious meal together while drinking a great wine, watched a movie and enjoyed being loved. It's great. Very little fuss, but we get to spend quality time together. Each year since, for about five years, we've made our special steak dinner and forgone the traditional Valentine's Day hoopla. We celebrate how much we love each other by simply being together.
Where does Disney figure in to this? Well, if you've got kids and are spending Valentine's at home celebrating with them, you need a family friendly movie. Who provides better family friendly entertainment than Disney? Obviously, in my book, Disney is King. There are plenty of romantic movies to choose from. Here are a couple of lists for ideas for movies, depending on whether your focus is familial love or romantic love.
Family love:
101 Dalmatians (coincidentally, releasing TODAY, February 10, 2015 on Blu-Ray!)
The Aristocats
The Lion King
Bolt
Frozen
Ratatouille
Meet the Robinson's
Brave
Lilo and Stitch
Brother Bear
Romantic Love
Enchanted
Cinderella
Sleeping Beauty
Beauty and the Beast
The Little Mermaid
Aladdin
WALL-E
Lady and the Tramp
Up
Tangled
There are, of course, many more Disney movies that could go on either or both lists. Disney is versatile, and can provide entertainment for parents and kids alike. A quality story is a quality story, after all. Our plan is to (hopefully) rent Big Hero 6, since my shame-faced self still hasn't seen it.
So instead of cringing when you run across all of the holiday hoopla, remember that you can celebrate Valentine's Day any way you wish. Me? I'll be cozied up with my toddler and my hubby with a belly full of steak, delighting in a Disney movie. Not a bad way to spend a holiday, in my opinion.
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