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16 - The Oakville Beaver, Wednesday February 4, 2009 www.oakvillebeaver.com Valentine's Day Make your child's Valentine's Day memorable (NC)--Most kids enjoy Valentine's Day. They relish the time to eat chocolate and show their affection for friends and family. You can helkp make your child's Valentine's Day more memorable by: Hosting a Valentine's Day party: Take the time to let your child invite a few of their closest friends over to the house for some heart shaped cookies and red punch. Orchestrate some games and have them share one thing they really like about the other person. It will be a fun day that they'll always remember. Giving your child the opportunity to show compassion to another child. Valentine's Day is the perfect day to teach your child compassion towards others. By logging on to charitable websites you can browse the online gift catalogue and help your child send chickens, a food basket or even a school uniform to another child suffering in extreme poverty in a developing country. It will be something different to do, they will learn compassion and tell all their friends about the wonderful Valentine's gift they gave. Giving your child Valentine coupons: Put your creativity to work and give your child some home made Valentine coupons. Make a couple for hugs, others for treats and a few more as "stay up late" late passes. They won't forget your Valentine's day present because your kids will use them all year long. Seven days of Valentine fun (NC)--Valentine's Day can be pretty predictable with the purchase and delivery of flowers, boxes of chocolate and cards with big red hearts on them--all of which are nice to receive. But there are so many additional ways you can show your special person how big your heart really is. Day 1- Say it in a letter. A note of admiration to your loved one at least a week before Valentine's Day will be a welcomed and unexpected surprise. Leave them little notes each day with one thing you appreciate about them. Day 2- Full of hot air? Use it. Blow up an "I love you balloon" and leave it in an unlikely place, it will make them laugh and brighten up their day. Day 3- Give her a flower as unique as she is. Instead of the predictable rose, however, try presenting her with a rare flower like a purple foxglove that symbolizes how unique she is to you. Day 4- Show compassion for others. Endear yourself to your loved one by making a donation in their name. Charities like Christian Children's Fund of Canada have websites that offer many life-changing gifts that you can give to a child living in extreme poverty, like a basket of food, a school uniform or even some art supplies that help them enjoy their childhood. Just visit www.ccfcanada.ca, select the item(s) you want to give in your loved one's name. Day 5- Sweets for the sweet. Leave five message heart candies on your sweetheart's pillow before bedtime. Day 6- Eat, drink and be merry. Take him or her out for a delightful dinner in the middle of the week to break up the monotony of a hum drum work week. Day 7- Say those three little words in seven different languages. This is not for the faint of heart, try learning to say "I love you" in a few different languages. It will bring new interest to those classic words. Prepare a breakfast to remember for the one you love (NC)--There are plenty of nice gifts to give on Valentine's Day. But instead of buying something nice, why not celebrate by doing something completely unexpected that shows how much your loved-one means to you. Executive chef Brad Moore of SCHOOL offers the following advice on how to surprise your sweetie with a breakfast to remember: Plan a simple menu ­ Plan a simple menu in advance with fast recipes that can be secretly prepped the night before or put together quickly in the morning. Make sure the menu includes 'heart'-healthy choices that will help keep both of your hearts beating for each other for years. Choose seasonal produce ­ When picking fresh fruits, choose those that are in season and top quality for taste and freshness. Fresh grapefruit from Florida are at the height of their season during February, making them a tasty pick to start the day. Not only are they sweet and juicy, but they're also considered a superfood ­grapefruit contains important antioxidants that may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. Presentation is everything ­ A nice tray with a cloth, folded napkins, handwritten love note and a single flower go a long way to transforming a basic breakfast into a memorable experience. Ensure your food is presented neatly with lots of colour to bring an instant smile on your partner's face.