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teachingmyown
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Since St Valentine doesn't get the rank of a major feast, he's not even listed as today's saint on my calender, do you break your Lenten fast to celebrate the holiday?
We give up all sweets as a family. I am always unsure whether we should forgo treats for St Valentine's Day, or celebrate it.
Just wondering. Dd 11 is baking a heart cake right now, so I guess I have made my decision. 
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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Mary G
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We do -- but since it's not a BIG feast (like St. Pat or St. Joseph), we don't go too overboard. But we are having French Toast for dinner and watching a family movie; and the kids got candy from their 16yo sister which they ate pretty much before I could snag it, but that's ok ....
So, short anwer Molly? YEP!
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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SusanJ
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Valentine's Day is not always during Lent so if you normally celebrate it in a big way, you might be justified in doing something to commemorate it. We don't normally celebrate St. Valentine's Day so it would really be a stretch to eat cupcakes or whatever today.
FWIW, I think that connecting this holiday to the liturgical year is a bit of a stretch in the first place. Butler's is pretty discouraging about St. Valentine (though Butler's is sort of discouraging in general!). I think Cyril and Methodius are kind of cool and JPII's encyclical on them "Slavorum Apostoli" is a good, short read.
Just my two cents . . .
Susan
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Matilda
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We are choosing not to, officially, but that is mostly because we don't usually give candy today anyway. In the past we have made a special dessert and that is all. I also know that my mom is sending a giant box for the children with an insane amount of candy that only a Grammie can get away with sending in it and that should arrive this weekend.
Unofficially, I made scones with red sugar sprinkles for breakfast with hot cocoa, they will get to have heart shaped pizzas for dinner with strawberries and cream for dessert. I am still allowing for some special things that are outside of the typical treat fare.
I am glad I didn't plan a special dessert only because my oldest woke up sick this morning and he would be sad to be left out of the fun.
But that's just us and just for this year. Can't say we wouldn't celebrate if things were different. Enjoy your cake! I can't wait until my girls are old enough to bake a heart shaped cake for Valentine's day. What an extra special treat! 
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11 , 10 , 9 & 5 ) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
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stefoodie
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| Posted: Feb 14 2008 at 10:29am | IP Logged
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We *were* planning to (break the fast) -- but the kids discovered the Valentine chocolates that I hid a couple of weeks ago and begged to have them. So no treats today, which is just as well.
And yes, we do break the fast every year, though like Mary, not too much.
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stef
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Sarah M
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We're gluttons  . We're all about candy, hearts, parties and fun around here on Valentine's Day. We're even having a party here this afternoon. I don't try to link it to the liturgical year- we just enjoy it for its own sake. We're (obviously) breaking fast today- I even let the kids watch 30 minutes of TV this morning (it's been turned off for Lent)-- we tend to do Valentine's Day in a big way every year, so I figured that it could be a ray of sugar-filled light during Lent. 
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Rachel May
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Yes.
Valentine's is hardly a holiday in my mind, but today I discovered that to the kids it is very important. While we try to encourage a fairly strict Lent, we try to err on the side of gentleness when we think it would be more helpful to their faith. Like Sarah's family, we love treats, and it's been hard for us to give them up, so breaking the fast in a small way for a holiday which is important to them seemed ok to me. Does that make sense? Just our approach.
Bill is picking up cupcakes for after dinner, and I did let someone bake banana bread with chocolate chips in it. That was bigger than I had planned....
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Matilda
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Oh Sarah, sounds like a blast!!!! Enjoy your party and I am sure your little ones will have fond memories of your fantastic celebration of familial affection!
I have one addendum to make...when I said we don't do candy, I meant we don't do cinnamon hearts (my kids hate them) or chocolate boxes or things like that, but I forgot that we always have Brach's candy message hearts. They HAVE to be Brachs because my husband's grandfather use to work for them and was one of the inventors who worked on the machine that stamps the messages. He also helped invent the candy coating process for medicines, but hopefully we won't need to enjoy that invention today!
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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JennGM
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We do. The children just think this is such a special day, so we go out to eat with the cousins, share Valentine's and just spend a nice fun day together. Dh brought me Starbucks and a scone and we have some candies and treats through the day.
I guess I put it on the same level as a family birthday. It's an innocent fun day for the children. I don't play it up big, but the kids just love it and their enthusiasm is of their own making. Since it's not always in Lent, I don't think it's quite right to put a damper on it just because it falls during the penitential season.
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wwandsprmn
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We love Valentine's Day. But then we celebrate lots of ordinary things, and are always creating traditions, memories, etc. (Ex: when a movie we are looking forward to is premiering we have a premiere party, and dh takes off work so we can go to the early show. Since this is so rare we do it up big)
For Vday we have lots of family dates. My dh and dd go on a "date". Hubby in suit and tie, dd in a beautiful dress. She gets flowers and the whole bit. She absolutely LOVES this tradition and this is her 7th yr. She is 12. We try to imprint on her a standard for any man in her life, that she would always be treated with dignity, respect and always like a lady. This is just one way to reward, reaffirm and model it.
My sons take me out too. They pay, hold doors, etc. it's so much fun. Training them up to be honorable men, again this is a real life opportunity to practice. We bond so much during this time and I can't tell you how much I look forward to it. (love it!!!) I went with my 7 yr old last night. He planned the whole thing! He told dh he was taking me to my favorite restaurant (fav cheeseburger -yes!) Culvers!! Think glorified Dairy Queen!! He ordered, paid for things from his Fantastic Four wallet! chose a table, held my chair, got my drink, cleared the table, and had a bracelet for me. SO sweet!!!
DH & I have dinner reservations this weekend but tonight is a special family dinner -candlelit dinner, fancy dishes, sparkling cider, music, and then tell me 3 awesome things about... (each other). Then we'll watch a movie. We practice using our best manners too (my belching boy needs lots of work here). I love Valentine's Day.
so um...yes we do break the fasting for this one :)
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lapazfarm
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Well, luckily we didn't choose sweets as our sacrifice for Lent, so we've no reason not to indulge!LOL!
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Theresa
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mandmsmom2001
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Our version of celebrating Valentine's day involves things red or heart shaped. I made cranberry heart shaped scones and let the kids put the heart shaped cookie cutters and red and white stuffed animals in the dining room bay window and these are the only decorations. We added a picture of Saint Valentine along with Cyril and Methodius on our home alter this morning, particularly because we had another family over for religious ed today. The scones I was making any way. It is just enough of a feeling of fun for the kids to pass as a holiday but nothing big.
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Maria B.
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wwandsprmn (sorry, I don't know your name!)... your Valentine Day celebration sounds wonderful and very beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
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Maria in VA
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lapazfarm
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wwandsprmn wrote:
We love Valentine's Day. But then we celebrate lots of ordinary things, and are always creating traditions, memories, etc. (Ex: when a movie we are looking forward to is premiering we have a premiere party, and dh takes off work so we can go to the early show. Since this is so rare we do it up big)
For Vday we have lots of family dates. My dh and dd go on a "date". Hubby in suit and tie, dd in a beautiful dress. She gets flowers and the whole bit. She absolutely LOVES this tradition and this is her 7th yr. She is 12. We try to imprint on her a standard for any man in her life, that she would always be treated with dignity, respect and always like a lady. This is just one way to reward, reaffirm and model it.
My sons take me out too. They pay, hold doors, etc. it's so much fun. Training them up to be honorable men, again this is a real life opportunity to practice. We bond so much during this time and I can't tell you how much I look forward to it. (love it!!!) I went with my 7 yr old last night. He planned the whole thing! He told dh he was taking me to my favorite restaurant (fav cheeseburger -yes!) Culvers!! Think glorified Dairy Queen!! He ordered, paid for things from his Fantastic Four wallet! chose a table, held my chair, got my drink, cleared the table, and had a bracelet for me. SO sweet!!!
DH & I have dinner reservations this weekend but tonight is a special family dinner -candlelit dinner, fancy dishes, sparkling cider, music, and then tell me 3 awesome things about... (each other). Then we'll watch a movie. We practice using our best manners too (my belching boy needs lots of work here). I love Valentine's Day.
so um...yes we do break the fasting for this one :) |
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Oooohh! This whole thing sounds so amazingly wonderful!!! What a beautiful way to teach your children!
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Theresa
us-schooling in beautiful Fairbanks, Alaska.
LaPaz Home Learning
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teachingmyown
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Maria B. wrote:
wwandsprmn (sorry, I don't know your name!)... your Valentine Day celebration sounds wonderful and very beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
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I agree. That is great!! I will have to talk to dh about starting a similar tradition next year.
By the way, I was trying to figure out what wwandsprmn could mean. Is it Wonder Woman and Superman? I just love figuring out codes. I have a great time with all those vanity plates we Virginians are so fond of. 
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In Christ,
Molly
wife to Court & mom to ds '91, dd '96, ds '97, dds '99, '01, '03, '06, and dss '07 and 01/20/11
Remembering Today
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Matilda
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Dear Wonder Woman,
I am going with Molly's guess until we know for sure! What a lovely tradition you have. So lovely, I might not be able to wait until next year to try it out! Thanks for sharing!
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Charlotte (Matilda)
Mom to four (11, 10, 9 & 5) an even split for now
with bookend boys and a double girl sandwich
Waltzing Matilda
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hopalenik
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We normally have a homeschooling party every year on Valentines' Day-mostly in lieu of a Halloween one. This year only 2 families came but I still baked the cake but that was it. They didn't get any candy or extras. Just one cake that must be eaten by the end of today. Then back to the fasting.
Holly
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Holly
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donnalynn
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Yes and no - we give up all refined sugar but that does allow for the occasional "treat" - the girls made a Maple Walnut pie today with our very own first batch of Maple Syrup!
Not a big day here but we usually do a little something.
I did confiscate the candy sent from Grandma before the kids got into their bags - it's in the freezer - along with a deep dark chocolate bar with almonds, blueberries and cranberries - oh the temptation  .
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Cay Gibson
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We all had dental appts. today (canceled when we were all sick, which we've been for all of February  ) so I figured that was penance enough and today was as good a day as any to "break the fast". 
We stopped for ice cream after our great dental check-ups. 
In the past I've planned a Valentine card exchange for our group at the local park. The children love to decorate their boxes and do the whole card exchange bit. This year we've just been too sick to plan a party. But I did give the children all gifts bags with some Valentine goodies in it.
And dh bought me a chocolate rose and a bag of Almond Joy.
This Sunday, our hs group has a Daddy-Daughter Date Night. They all dress up attend a very nice restaurant and the fathers give flower bouquets to their daughters. It's a very lovely affair and makes the girls feel very special.
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Cay Gibson
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Philothea
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Are all treats forbidden during Lent?
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4Real Forums : Domestic Church
Topic: Do you break your fast today?
