Valentine's Day is a special day in my household, and I try to share the feeling of love and romance with all my family! One of the best ways to do that is to set a holiday table, and spend time enjoying good food and drink with your loved ones. (Include your kids in dinner, and save a special after dinner dessert for romance!) Here are some great ideas for setting the stage for a romantic dining experience, without breaking your budget.

Set a background for your Valentine's Day dinner. Layer your table with fabrics to invoke the sense of a luxurious hotel. Use sheets, quilts, tablecloths and placemats in coordinating colors. Pink, red and white are all indicative of love, but so are deep jewel tones. Look around your linen closet to find what you may already own! Flat sheets can be found at the discount shop for $3!

Invest in a roll of wire edged ribbon from the discount store. Tie bows around chair backs, glass stems, and silverware bundles for that extra touch.

Use a paper punch and create confetti to sprinkle over the table. This is a great use for used wrapping paper, greeting cards, or even the funnies! It adds a great festive touch, and you can even put the kids to work on this one!

Buy a few boxes of Valentine's message hearts (they are only a $1 for three boxes!) and leave special love messages for each family member on their plate. Or use chocolate bars and cut out the letters to spell their name or initial as a sweet place card.

Make each family member a 'Scroll' of love. Write them a personal note telling them all the wonderful things you love about them, then roll it up like a scroll, and tie with the ribbon. Tie to their chair with the ribbon, or tuck in with their napkin. Make sure their names are marked on each scroll.

Use the best dishes you own! Layer plates and soup bowls, make sure (just for tonite) there is a salad fork and a dessert spoon. Pamper your family with simple indulgences such as fresh flowers tucked in wine glasses, or a line of chocolate kisses down the center of the table. Use candles as a centerpiece, you can pick them up at a dollar shop! You may wish to save lighting them until the kids are all in bed, for safety reasons.

Just a few easy and inexpensive changes to your nightly dinnertime routine, and your loved ones will feel special and precious, as well they should.

See Also:

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