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Valentine’s Day offers an excellent opportunity to explore cultural history, culinary traditions, and science education. This holiday can be celebrated in various ways, such as exchanging cards inspired by Esther Howland or creating handmade valentines with STEM-based themes. Furthermore, learning about Valentine’s Day sweet treats is a chance for us to discover how our favorite sweets are made, making the holiday an enriching experience for our hearts and minds.
Discover more: Self-Directed Learning: Social Studies/Valentine’s Day
For Valentine’s Day, many folks are spreading and receiving tokens of friendship and kindness by participating in the Hilltown Families’ annual Handmade Valentine Swap! Participating or not, here four STE(A)M-based ideas many of our participants have tried over the year to inspire your family to get creative by making and giving these tokens of community connection to your friends and neighbors.
February celebrates Black History Month, Chinese New Year, Valentine’s Day, and Snow! Here are reading lists and literary guides to connect you to the season with books for all ages.
Every year, Americans exchange an average of 142 million Valentine’s Day cards – making the holiday near the top of the list of card-exchanging holidays (second only to Christmas). Valentines come in many different shapes and sizes, and can be handmade or store bought, clever and creative, or very traditional. Whatever form they come in, the valentines that we exchange each year have their roots right here in western Massachusetts, and are symbolic of the love, caring, and appreciation that we have for the important people around us.
Think about this:
- How has the Valentine card industry changed over the years?
- In addition to participating in Hilltown Families Handmade Valentine Swap, what are other non-commercial ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with loved ones and friends? How can the giving of a handmade valentine be an expression of kindness?
- When was the last time you sat down to write a letter on paper? Where did that paper come from? How did the manufacturing of that paper impact the community and environment from which it originated?
Love is in the air! But what does that mean? Valentine’s Day is a special opportunity for parents to support local culture and express kindness to each other by shopping at a local business, buying flowers from an artisan florist, take museum trips, volunteer your time for others, or relax amongst fellow adults while the sitter takes over for the evening. But it isn’t just about hearts and chocolates!
Featured here are three evening community events parents can engage in for a special Parents’ Night Out in celebration of Valentine’s Day, including a ticket giveaway for two pair of tickets to see a show at the Calvin Theater!
While it’s easy to let Valentine’s Day pass in a blizzard of pink and red heart-shaped candies, the holiday’s historic roots and deeper meaning provide learning opportunities that are not to be missed! From valentine exhibits to local history to celebrations of love and appreciation, opportunities for holiday-themed community-based learning abound!
Here is a post from our archives written by Joe Kelly: “Valentine’s Day Tips for Dads and Daughters.” These tips will help fathers and stepfathers show daughters that they care on Valentine’s Day and beyond..
If you were to write a love letter to your children, what would it say? This month in “The Good Life: A Year of Thoughtful Seasons,” Hilltown Families Contributing Writer, Sarah Mattison Buhl, shares what her love letter to her children would read like…
Hilltown Families’ Friends Share a Little Love! Moon hugs and star kisses! Our friend Charity Kahn from Charity and the JAMband in San Franciso wishes us all a Happy Valentine’s Day in this archived episode of the Hilltown Family Variety Show which aired last year for Valentine’s Day on Valley Free Radio: HFVS Valentine’s Day 2012 Episode with Guest DJ, Charity Kahn. This year Charity gathered artwork from children all over the… Read More
Old Sturbridge Village’s annual Be Mine: Chocolate and Valentines event offered families an immersive experience into the history of chocolate in early New England and the evolution of Valentine’s Day cards. The event showcased 19th-century chocolate-making techniques, taught about the process of grinding cacao beans, and let attendees create their own antique-inspired valentines. Families witnessed demonstrations of chocolate-making techniques and explored the transformation from cocoa beans to chocolate.
Chocolate History to Guitar History. Victorian Valentines to Mardi Gras. Winterfest to Fire & Ice… These are just a few of the learning & community highlights we’re featuring this week. Get out into your community and learn while you play! History | Valentine Celebrations | Animals | Community Events | Outdoor Adventures | Mardi Gras | Fiber Arts | Science | Theater Studies HISTORY Chocolate and Valentine’s Day go together like peanut… Read More
Victorian Valentines Workshop Wistariahurst Museum in Holyoke Sunday, February 10th, 2013 On Sunday, February 10 from 1-3pm, come to Wistariahurst Museum for this fun and creative program that will inspire the artist in everyone! In 1847, the year she graduated from Mount Holyoke Female Seminary, Esther Howland of Worcester, Massachusetts received her first Valentine’s Day card. She was so pleased with this English novelty that she tried making some valentines of her… Read More
QUESTION AND ANSWERS Erin Burke Murphy writes, “Can anyone recommend some restaurants my Husband and I could go to with our 20 month old for an early delicious Valentine’s Day dinner?” Matt Grillo recommends: “Bertucci’s (Amherst, Longmeadow & West Springfield) is very family-friendly, inexpensive and tasty. ♥” Lori Shine recommends: “The Apollo Grill in Easthampton! Especially on the early side (5:30pm) they are usually not that busy, staff is super kid-friendly, their… Read More
Listen to Podcast: VALENTINE’S DAY EPISODE with Guest DJ, Charity Kahn Saturday from 9-10am & Sunday from 7-8am Feb. 11th & 12th, 2012 WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA New Podcasts ♦ Archived Podcasts ♦ Subscribe to Podcast Radio ♦ Facebook ♦ Twitter CHARITY KAHN’S PLAYLIST Bob Marley and the Wailers – “One Love / People Get Ready (Extended Version) [Remixed in 1984 by Julian Mendelsohn]” [Legend (Rarities Edition)]… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a family friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, post your event on our “Suggest An Event” page. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening,… Read More
Ruth Moody Band Iron Horse Music Hall ♦ Northampton Wednesday, Feb 14th, 2012 @ 7pm Hilltown Families and Iron Horse Entertainment Group have partnered up to offer a chance to win free tickets to see adult venues in the Pioneer Valley for a PARENTS’ NIGHT OUT! You pay for the sitter, we’ll pay for the tickets! For Valentine’s Day we are pleased to offer a chance to win a pairs of tickets… Read More
Dads & Daughters Valentine’s Day Tips By Joe Kelly Don’t let Valentine’s Day be just one more chance for Dad to feel like a walking, talking (and unappreciated) checkbook. These Dads & Daughters Tips will help fathers and stepfathers to show daughters that they care on Valentine’s Day and beyond. Remember, a Daughter hungers for healthy involvement and attention from Dad (even if she doesn’t always show it). A Daughter wants assurance… Read More
Discover fun and educational events happening this week in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a family friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, post your event on our “Suggest An Event” page. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these events are happening,… Read More
Follow Hilltown Families on Discover fun and educational events happening this weekend in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a family friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, post your event on our “Suggest An Event” page. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that… Read More
Follow Hilltown Families on Discover fun and educational events happening this weekend in Western Mass, along with announcements, upcoming events, links, resources and the HFVS podcast. SUGGEST AN EVENT If you have a family-friendly event or educational program happening in Western Massachusetts that you’d like to let us know about, post your event on our “Suggest An Event” page. The events below are “suggested.” Please take the time to confirm that these… Read More
Notes from Nan BY HF Contributing Writer, Nan Parati When the Moon is in the seventh House and Jupiter aligns with Mars, then love will rule the planets and peace will steer the stars. Guess what this Saturday is? It is the Dawning of the Age of Aquarius, Age of Aquariuhhhhhs! Aquar-ri-uhhhhhhs! A-QUAR-ri-uhhhhhhs! At 7:25, to be exact. So get up early, find your old love beads and come to Elmer’s for… Read More
Listen to Podcast: VALENTINE’S DAY EPISODE with Guest DJ, Uncle Rock Hilltown Family Variety Show WXOJ LP – 103.3 FM – Valley Free Radio Northampton, MA Tuesday evening @ 7pm Feb. 12th, 2008 New Podcasts ♦ Archived Podcasts ♦ Subscribe to Podcast Radio ♦ Facebook ♦ Twitter PLAYLIST: Beatles – “All You Need Is Love” [Love] Art Garfunkel – “I Only Have Eyes For You” [Break Away] Uncle Rock – “Everyday” (by Buddy Holly)… Read More
As the room buzzed with laughter and chatting I watched the children beam over their designs. I thought to myself that creations a professional pastry chef can execute with a frosting filled piping bag couldn’t match what these kids made. Not because a pastry chief lacks any technical skills, but because of the abandon exhibited in their creations that would be very difficult for any adult to match.
Cultural Itineraries
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