Five People To Make Your Valentine

Members of the Armed Forces often miss important holidays, special occasions and milestones while they are deployed overseas, and Valentine's Day is a great time to show your appreciation for their service. Many soldiers are away from loved ones and would appreciate a note of gratitude or cheer from back home in America. You can send Valentine's to members of the United States military through the non-profit organization Hugs For Our Soldiers. This organization also allows you to send letters to soldiers year-round, so even if you miss their Valentine's Day deadline you can still participate.

You can never go wrong when you spend time with senior citizens and the elderly, particularly those who are homebound or widowed. For older folks, Valentine's Day may be a day where they feel lonely or sad, especially if their spouse is gone and they are living alone. It's easy to make a senior citizen your valentine - simply taking the time to send a card to an elderly relative may be very much appreciated. Even better, if you live nearby, take them out to lunch or dinner, or visit in their home. If you don't have elderly relatives or neighbors you personally know, you can drop off cards at a nursing home or retirement home in your area or volunteer to help there for the day. This is also a great day to ask about their favorite memories of Valentine's Day and what they've learned about love through their life - who knows, you might learn a juicy family story about Grandma and Grandpa's first date, or come away with some wisdom on what makes for a happy marriage.

One of the most important things parents can do to help their children build healthy relationships with others is to make their relationship healthy and loving. Although Valentine's Day is most often seen as a time for romantic love, it is also a good day to show your children how much you value and care for them as well. Giving your kids a Valentine's Day card, presenting a small toy or game, or taking them out for a special treat like a trip to the park or ice cream can go a long way towards building their self-esteem and confidence. Memories you create with your kids today will last much longer, and when they are one day dating themselves they will measure their relationships through the behavior you modeled for them. Presents are not important here, but quality time is.

For people who don't have children of their own, take a look around your family or neighborhood - perhaps there is a child of a single mom or the youngest kid in a large family who would like a little positive attention from their aunt or neighbor.

It's never fun to be in the hospital, but for many chronically sick children it is their daily life - many have never known anything else. The non-profit organization Make A Child Smile brings letters and gifts to very sick children between the ages of 2 and 18, as well as their parents and siblings. It's very easy to drop a Valentine card in the mail for one of their rotating group of children on the website, and costs nothing but a stamp for your card.

Alternatively, you can also call your local hospital or children's hospital and ask them how you can volunteer or donate Valentine's cards for the patients that will be there that day.

If you are looking to show lasting love for another creature on Valentine's Day, consider adopting a pet from a shelter in your neighborhood. A pet in need of a home will enrich your life and provide you with a loving family member, just as you provide it with a home. You can adopt dogs and cats, of course, but there are also birds, rabbits, turtles and other animals in need of a loving home. Petfinder can search by zip code and type of animal and get you started on your journey.