Everywhere you turn, love is officially in the air.  Jewelry ads run rampant on TV and most stores look like a red (and pink) sea of hearts and flowers.  It’s hard to miss the fact that Valentine’s Day is almost here.  Traditionally a day marked by couples to celebrate their love, don’t miss out on the fact that even your littlest ones will enjoy getting into the spirit of this heart felt holiday.  Here are some simple and easy ideas to get your whole family feeling the love!

I Wear My Pink Pajamas:  Or my red ones…!  Your child is going to be thrilled at getting some fun and whimsical pajamas that will surely add some excitement to Valentine’s Day.  Look for super cute heart designs or for a really unique and special gift some stores will embroider your child’s name on the pajamas for a more personalized touch.

Bake it Homemade:  It’s easy (and fun) to bake special Valentine treats to give to your kids, even if it’s just for an extra loving lunch box surprise.  Even better, let your children participate in the fun with you.  Ready-made cookie dough found at your supermarket makes it really easy to bake heart shaped cookies with very little effort but your kids are going to love it!  Have red and pink sprinkles, red hots and other heart shaped candies nearby to decorate your home-baked creations!

Heart Tattoo’s or Stamps:  An easy yet fun way to get your child into the Valentine’s Day spirit is with temporary tattoo’s or with a Valentine themed stamp.  Kids love to wear their heart on their hands, arms or even their cheeks!  You can find a wide variety of these items at your local novelty store. 

Get Crafty!  Your child will love creating something extra fun for Valentine’s Day, whether it is special handmade Valentine’s or some other craft item.  If you hit your local craft store you will find numerous arts and crafts sets or items that will make a perfect Valentine gift that will keep your child busy for hours!

Something Bear-y Special:  There’s a reason why the Teddy Bear is still considered a child’s favorite toy!  Your child will love a special Valentine’s rendition of this old stand by–huggable, loveable and likely to be carried around to love on all day long.  Build-A-Bear makes a very special Bear made just for Valentine’s Day–and there are of course many others to choose from. 

Have a Heart:  Heart shaped accessories are super fun for kids to wear and dress up with on Valentine’s Day.  You can find a wide range to choose from, including heart shaped hair clips, jewelry items, sunglasses and even socks!  These items are inexpensive but are very fun for kids to wear to make their Valentine’s Day extra special.

Fun & Games:  These are old stand by’s but games are very fun for kids to receive as a Valentine’s Day gift.  One of our favorites for Valentine’s Day is Operation, where kids try to perform a little careful heart surgery before they get buzzed!  Another fun idea for a little bit older kids is a Jr. Archery set.  Perhaps the “Cupid” association will go over their heads, but your kids will still enjoy trying to hit the bull’s eye.

Heart Room Décor:  Many kids will enjoy having something fun to put in their room for Valentine’s Day and beyond.  Adding heart-shaped pillows as an accessory is an easy way to perk up most any child’s bedroom theme.  Cute pillow sets that look like conversation hearts or even a poster with hearts and flowers can do the trick nicely.

Candy:  Obviously candy is always going to be a favorite of kids for Valentine’s Day as it is for any holiday.  Your local store is likely to be filled with special treats made for kids with a Valentine theme.  Traditional favorites like boxes of conversation hearts will always be appreciated, but look for special bags of Valentine colored M&M’s as well as other special candy treats!

Costumes:  Dressing up for Valentine’s Day (or any day, really) is super fun for kids.  Consider getting a costume for fun dress up time for your child as a unique gift that will give him hours of imaginative playtime fun.  Superheroes, princesses, movie characters and occupational favorites are a great place to start.  Don’t forget to add some fun accessories to your child’s wardrobe just for Valentine’s Day, too–ruby slippers, red hair extensions, red-striped socks/tights, silly hats–all of these are perfect to accessorize all your planned Valentine’s Day fun!

Even though traditionally Valentine’s Day is a special and romantic day for couples, your kids will love getting into the fun and spirit of this unique holiday, too!  Use some of our great ideas to make their Valentine’s Day one they will always remember and can really put their heart into!

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner.  Now is the time to start planning to make sure all those that you care about feel special and remembered on this day of “all things love.”  We’ve come up with some fantastic ideas to put you into a Valentine’s Day mood, whether it’s by having some family fun or planning a special night of romance with your significant other. 

Homemade Valentines:  One of the longest lasting traditions surrounding Valentine’s Day (and one that even your kids are going to love!) is that of creating handmade Valentine’s to share with friends and family.  Making these Valentines doesn’t have to be complicated either.  Simple heart shapes cut from red and pink construction paper can be glued onto paper doilies.  Decorate these with stickers and cutouts that you can pick up at your local craft store.  Kids will enjoy taping on a Valentine themed sweet treat, especially if these are to be passed out at school.  If you are a grown up making a homemade Valentine, try composing an original Valentine’s poem to put on yours.  Even if it’s silly, a truly heartfelt message will get your point across beautifully and will be far more meaningful than a store bought card.

Heartfelt Pizza:  Buy ready-made pizza dough or use your favorite recipe.  Instead of making traditional round pizzas, make individual serving size pizzas, fashioning the dough carefully into heart shapes.  Top your pizza with pizza sauce and other toppings that you would normally use.  This is a simple but very fun variation on a traditional favorite recipe that will get your entire family into the spirit of the holiday!

Learn The Traditions:  Kids (and grown ups, too!) will enjoy learning about how Valentine’s Day began and about some of the traditions that surround it.

• St Valentine:  There are many variations of the story of St. Valentine around, but here is one you can start with.  St. Valentine was a priest back in the days of the Roman Empire.  When Emperor Claudius ruled, he outlawed marriage for young men, as it was his belief that men without wives and children made better soldiers and the young men were the ones that he wanted in his army.  St. Valentine surreptitiously married the young couples in complete defiance to the law, as he believed the young men should be allowed to be in love, marry and have families.  Even though St. Valentine would eventually be killed for performing these marriages, his memory and legend still remains.

• Cupid:  So where did this strange, blindfolded god come from anyway?  In Roman Mythology, Cupid, the son of Venus, is considered to be the God of desire, affection and erotic love.  The legend of Cupid professes that he is a small boy with wings, carrying a quiver of potent arrows on his back. Even though for some reason Cupid is blindfolded, he will still take aim and try to shoot his victims in the heart.  Once struck by Cupid’s arrow, the victim will fall hopelessly in love.

Valentine Treasure Hunt:  Kids of all ages can tailor this idea according to its most ideal plan.  Trails of candy can be left for the intended recipient until the end of the line is reached, where a bouquet of flowers or balloons is waiting.  Another fun idea is to leave clues around the house, each clue leading to another clue until the final Valentine’s surprise is reached.  A more grown up (and very sexy) version of this same game is to leave clues (along with a few delicious surprises) along your lover’s journey.  For example, leave a clue on a small plate with a delicious chocolate covered strawberry.  The next clue could be sitting adjacent to a glass of champagne.  When your lover reaches the final destination and surprise, it will be you waiting; all dressed to the nines in very sexy Valentine themed lingerie or one of our fabulous Valentine’s Day costumes!  Now that’s a Valentine!

No matter what you choose to do this Valentine’s Day, a little extra effort will make this special holiday far more memorable as well as fun.  Get your entire family together for some heartfelt and super fun Valentine’s Day activities–everyone will be feeling the love!

As we inch up on the last week or two of January, it’s not too soon to start thinking about the traditional day of amour that is just around the corner.  Although Valentine’s day is the classic day to celebrate love for many, Valentine’s Day is also a great day for kids (of all ages) to have some serious fun and to get into the spirit of the holiday, whether you have an actual Valentine or not.  Here are some super fun ideas to help get you thinking about this great wintertime holiday.  With a little creativity and planning this Valentine’s Day will surely warm up your heart!

Red … The Color of Love:  Pull out the stops this Valentine’s Day and dress up in all things red.  Red hair extensions or red glitter hair spray is a great way to add a little festive touch to your hair and transform ordinary tresses into true lovelocks.  Red nail polish and lipstick will add more Valentine’s Day drama, and by all means add some red false eyelashes to your eyes for a very bold touch.  If you really are feeling the holiday, go for a bright red wig to get some red-hot attention.  Other accessories to spice up your look include red stockings, sunglasses, hair accessories and of course glistening red shoes!  Dressing up in your best reds is a fun and fire-y way to get into a great Valentine’s Day mood!

It’s a Bird…It’s a Plane…It’s Super Valentine! Put on your best superhero get up…with a twist.  Take an ordinary superhero costume (pick your favorite) and add some heart cut outs and a red mask over your eyes.  A bright red bodysuit also is a great and dramatic start to this silly but fun costume that is truly going to send your Valentine into heartfelt hysterics. Your Valentine will love your rendition of the best superhero ever…especially if he comes bearing chocolates and flowers.

Don’t Have A Valentine?  Try Dressing as Cupid and Go Hunting!   Tradition states that being shot by the arrow of Cupid causes the recipient to fall madly and hopelessly in love.  Even if you are dubious, on this day of love you most certainly can get away with trying.  For you girls wanting to be a sexy rendition of Cupid, try our super sassy and fun Valentine Cupid Costume! For you guys with a sense of humor, a really silly costume that could easily become a Valentine favorite is the Ooo La Lola Costume; try it on for size!  You guys can also easily create a more traditional (yet crazy) Cupid Costume with a skin-toned body suit, an adult diaper and a great set of wings.  (Don’t forget your quiver of play arrows!)

For Grown Ups Only:  Some super sexy Valentine costumes or lingerie ensembles are available that will surprise and delight your love.  Cute and sexy looks like our Ladybug costume are the perfect whimsical choice for some Valentines Day fun.  The Queen of Hearts is also a hot look that will really get your heart in the right place.  For the ultimate in seductive excitement, our Halter Bra and Garter set will send your lover straight into Valentines’ Day orbit!

Pets need Valentine’s Love, Too:  If you want to share the love with your pet, too this is the perfect time to dress up your furry buddy in something adorable that will definitely get him some extra petting and possibly even some bonus dog treats!  Our super charming pet Lady Bug costume is a perfect doggie ensemble for Valentine’s day and your pet won’t mind the extra attention he’s bound to get by wearing this super cute get up!

Add some extra fun and excitement to your Valentine’s Day that goes way beyond simple cards and flowers.  Dress up and get into the spirit of the holiday–make this Valentine’s Day your best one ever!

Who’s Your Team?  Football season is coming to its apex and the really exciting end to a great season is here with playoff games happening and then right around the corner (February 5th) is the Super Bowl! Have you picked your winner yet?  Who are you rooting for?  Make sure you get into the spirit of your best football party with fun costumes and accessories that will make your next tailgate party the talk of the neighborhood!

Who’s Your Valentine?  Have you thought about making this Valentine’s Day your sweetest ever?  Wearing a super sexy costume for your sweetie is an exciting way to surprise your guy on Valentine’s Day.  Wearing something special for him is much more powerful than anything cupid could ever come up with in his quiver of arrows.  Check out our selection of sexy costumes and surprise your Valentine with a decadent treat that is absolutely filled with amour.

Who’s Your President?  All things presidential are happening all around us.  Get into the spirit of the election year and picking your candidate by dressing up in something extra fun as well as patriotic.  With President’s day coming up as well, now may be the perfect time to don your red, white and blue patriotic gear or a presidential costume and show some love for your country.  Don’t forget to check out some of our humorous masks, too!

Who’s Who in Who-ville?  Read Across America is an exciting day that celebrates both books and learning.  This very special day is right around the corner and you won’t want to miss this opportunity to get your kids excited about literature and reading.  Of course this day also pays due homage to one of the greatest authors of children’s books of all time–Dr. Seuss (who’s birthday is on the same day of course!)  Get your Cat in the Hat costume ready!  Sharing the love of and getting kids excited about books is an important step in the right direction toward success in school as well as in life.  Don’t miss getting into the spirit of this very special event!

Who’s Your Hero?  It’s time to dress up and have some serious indoor fun getting into character.  Whether your kids like occupational heroes like police and firemen or more imaginative characters like Fairy princesses or Army men, putting on a really great costume is a super quick and easy way to give your children hours of indoor imaginative playtime that will keep them happy and busy even if it’s cold and miserable outside.

Now Who’s Depressed?  Hopefully no one!  With so many fun and exciting things to do and get involved in during the upcoming weeks you can easily fill up your time with many good things that are fun and enjoyable for you and your entire family.  Get into the spirit of what’s coming up and take even the little celebrations to the next level!

Tonight is the night for romantic dinners, flowers, cards and for some of you lovely ladies…possibly a wedding proposal?!   However, just because today is known as the “Lover’s Holiday”, doesn’t mean you have to be in a relationship to celebrate and enjoy Valentine’s Day. 

Who says you have to have a significant other to have fun today!  The holiday is supposed to be about spending time with someone you love, someone that means a lot to you.  That can be your best friend or neighbor or even your grandma or grandpa! 

Children even celebrate the holiday by making cards that say, “be my Valentine” and give them out to all their classmates and friends during their annual Valentine’s Day party at school.  We spent the weekend making Valentine’s Day boxes out of old shoe boxes and aluminum foil.  I’m beginning to think kids enjoy getting ready for the holiday a lot more than adults do!

So this year for Valentine’s Day, show that special someone how much they mean to you.  Take them out to dinner, pick them a bouquet of flowers or just stop by their house and let them know you’re thinking of them.  Show that special person in your life how much you love them!

Give An Experience. Treat your Valentine to a very special and memorable date this Valentine’s Day. A special outing together is a unique way of creating a memory that will last a lifetime! If you are feeling a little brave, go for something a bit adventurous like a Hot Air Balloon Ride. If your man enjoys life a little bit more down to earth, perhaps he’d love tickets to see his favorite team play or an evening out at a rock concert.

Give A Getaway. A weekend for two at a local bed and breakfast is a perfect romantic retreat that won’t break the bank. B&B’s are the perfect combination of relaxed comfort and luxury. If you stay close to home there isn’t pressure to sight- see or get out and tour unless you really want to. The ultimate treat might be to just sleep in, take a relaxing nature walk or even go wine tasting. The point is to enjoy a slower pace and quality time together.

Take a Spa Day. Many local Day spas offer Valentine’s specials perfect for couples. This relaxing indulgence might be the perfect way to spend a romantic day together. Day spas offer a wide variety of services including many types of massage. Spending the day with your Valentine at the spa can be very sensual as well as rejuvenating. Look for Day spas in your neighborhood that offer Valentine’s Day specials designed for couples.

Get Crafty! Its very easy and fun to hand crochet or knit a scarf and you can probably do it in a day or two. Another easy homemade idea is to hand dip strawberries in chocolate. This is a very easy treat you can make yourself for your Valentine for maximum impact and little effort. You can create a very cute and original Valentine card to go with your gift by using a blank puzzle that you can buy and personalize yourself with colored markers to create your own message. Your man will have to put the puzzle together before he can read your very personal message created just for him.

Sexy Costume. This is the gift that will be enjoyed as much by you as it will be by your sweetheart. Whether you decide to go for something sweet and innocent or to brave something a little more wild, a sexy costume is a gift that is sexy and fun for both of you. He’s going to love that you picked out something so pretty just for a special Valentine’s Day with him.

Cook Dinner Together. Making a meal together can be a great way to connect with your guy. Learn to make a new dish if you feel brave or even take a cooking class together if you like. Don’t worry if you don’t really know what you are doing or if things don’t turn out exactly perfect—that’s all part of the fun. Set the mood for your meal by lighting some candles and then open a nice bottle of wine so you can fully enjoy your culinary creations.

No matter what you choose to do with your special someone this Valentine’s Day make it something fun and memorable that will create a lasting impression. Valentine’s Day shouldn’t be about the money spent on a gift as much as it is about perpetuating loving feelings and making memories that you will have for a lifetime.

One thing young kids like about school is all the classroom holiday parties.  February has a few holidays coming up where they’ll get to have party’s in school - Valentine’s Day, President’s Day and Groundhogs Day.  Another fun day in February that a lot of schools celebrate is the “100th day of school” day.  It’s a big deal to some elementary schools and they make it a fun day for the children with lots of games, crafts and fun!

According to German folklore, if a hibernating animal casts a shadow on February 2, the Christian holiday for Candlemas, winter will last another 6 weeks, and that’s exactly what happened this morning in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania at approximately 7:30am.   Every February 2, people gather at Gobbler’s Knob, a wooded knoll just outside of Punxsutawney (btw – Punxsutawney is located in Western Pennsylvania, about 80 miles northeast of Pittsburgh), to witness Phil, the groundhog, emerge from its burrow to predict the weather.

I just love the whole idea of this “holiday”.  I’ve always known about Groundhog Day, but never really thought that much about it.  Well that’s not the case in Pennsylvania!  I had no idea that cowds as high as 40,000 people have been gathering together to celebrate Groundhog Day in Punxsutawney since 1886.  And this year they have even more reason to celebrate with the Pittsburgh Steelers winning Superbowl 43 last night in Tampa.  

Here are some more fun facts about Phil the infamous Groundhog:

• His full name is actually “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary”.
• For most of the year, Phil lives in a climate-controlled home at the Punxsutawney Library.  He is taken to Gobbler’s Knob and placed in a heated burrow underneath a simulated tree stump on stage before being pulled out to make his prediction.
• Phil is reported to be more than 100 years old.
• His wife’s name is Phyllis.

Don’t forget that Valentine’s Day is in a couple weeks!  Men, it’s still not too late to pick out a sexy outfit for that special lady in your life.  From sexy to sassy HalloweenExpress.com has what you’re looking for!  And ladies if you want to surprise that special man in your life, well you’ve come to the right place.  Check out all the beautiful Valentine’s Day costumes that will make this February 14th a night to remember!   

Unlike adults, children love the snow – the more the better!  More snow means no school and that in itself is a min vacation for them.  My teen-aged nephew, Taylor (being the little entrepreneur he is) probably loves snow more than anyone I know.  Last week he put this big snow plow on the front of his quad-runner with the anticipation of our first big snowfall.  They live right down the street so first thing this morning he drives down, picks up my son Caden and off they went to plow driveways.  Caden is the front walk snow shoveler.  While Taylor is plowing the driveways, he shovels the walk ways.  Then at the end of the day, they split the money they make so it’s a win win for everybody.  As Taylor always says, “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow…”, but me I’m more the “Snow, snow go away…and don’t ever come back”!  I should probably move to Florida!

However, a great way to warm up your significant other this winter is by wearing a nice little number from HalloweenExpress.com this February 14th.  You’ll have no trouble finding love in a Valentine’s Day Cupid costume! 

And don’t forget Mardi Gras is February 24th followed by Read Across America with Dr. Seuss on March 2nd and last but certainly not least the biggest Irish party of the year, St Patrick’s Day on March 17th! 

Once you’ve secured the place and time for your rendezvous, you’re next step is the “wear”.  As you notice I said “wear”not “where”!  Believe me what you wear for your romantic getaway on Valentine’s Day is the most important detail that you have.  And thankfully, with HalloweenExpress.com you don’t have to look any further!  Their Valentine’s Day costumes will make any woman feel sexy! 

Let him see you in the Playboy Cupid costume and you won’t need a bow and arrow to make him fall in love.  I love Valentine’s Day because it is such a romantic holiday and after the craziness and rushing around of Christmas it’s nice to take some time alone with my husband.  He always said that Valentine’s Day must have been invented by a woman, but as we woman know, Saint Valentine was of course, a man. 

Make this February 14th a night he’ll always remember with a sexy and seductive HalloweenExpress.com Valentine’s Day Costume!