Is your heart bigger than your wallet this Valentine’s Day?

The thought truly must count this Valentine’s Day as many couples just don’t have the money to splurge.

So how do you celebrate the holiday on a budget?

Be thoughtful and creative, some say.

“Each couple has something that’s unique to them,” said Dave Warren of Crystal Lake, who has been married to his wife, Rosemary, for 53 years.

“I imagine each couple can think of something that’s appropriate. It’s just, you know, an expression. It doesn’t have to be too expensive.”

For Warren, that “something” is his wife’s favorite meal: Rack of lamb. Rosemary has Alzheimer’s disease, and the couple doesn’t really have the money this year to go out to a restaurant. So Warren is bringing the restaurant to her.

He already has bought the lamb, some scalloped potatoes and asparagus. He plans to set a small table near the fireplace in the living room.

A white table cloth, some candles, a bottle of wine and that’s all they need.

“We’re going to have a quiet Valentine’s Day together,” he said.

The couple, which has six children and nine grandchildren, met in an elevator where they both worked.
Respect for one another has held the marriage together, he said.

The little things
You can show that respect by doing something for your significant other that you’ve put off, suggested Cammy Seguin, a family life educator with the University of Illinois Extension.

A chore without being asked, perhaps, she said.

A simple letter, poem or note is often treasured more than a dozen roses, she said.

“I think people don’t want so much stuff, well some people do I guess,” she said. “But they want something you’ve done yourself ... something that shows how much somebody means to you. I don’t think we tell people that often enough.”

A craft with the kids, a dozen cookies, a woodworking project, anything that you spend time doing, means a lot, she said.

“I don’t think you have to get a dozen roses,” said Ed Young, who has been married to his wife, Nora, for 56 years. The two live at the Fountains in Crystal Lake where Nora requires constant care.

“I think you just bring one rose. It shows that you’re thinking of her,” he said.

Ed said the two of them made sure to be honest with one another and to show affection throughout the marriage.

“Don’t forget her birthday or Valentine’s Day or anniversaries,” he said. “Those are no nos.”
 

Roses not counted out
Even if you can’t afford a dozen, you still can get a flower arrangement containing roses for a reasonable price, said Richard Harms, owner of Countryside Flower Shop in Crystal Lake.

“I think valentines are still looking for flowers, but they would probably not be happy with their husband or significant other if they spent over $100,” Harms said. “We need to have something for all price ranges in this economy.”

Because Valentine’s Day falls on a Saturday this year, he expects soft sales as couples opt for other ways to celebrate than the delivery of freshly cut flowers.

Still, he said Valentine’s Day remains the biggest one-day holiday for the sale of flowers. “Guys sometimes will spend as much as they can to please the lady,” he said.

Total spending this Valentine’s Day is expected to reach $17.02 billion, according to the National Retail Federation, with the sales of candy, flowers and jewelry decreasing slightly.
 

Still stumped?

Go outside
The Prairieview Education Center in Crystal Lake is offering a “Courtship Celebration” at 7 p.m. Valentine’s Day. Adults can walk along a candlelit trail and learn about the courtship rituals found in nature.

Chicago is hosting a free five-day winter festival on Michigan Avenue Thursday through Feb. 16. An event for the whole family, it includes a snow sculpting competition, dog sled demonstration, a snowboard rail jam and kid activities.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is promoting a Valentine’s Day celebration on its Web site,
www.fws.gov/letsgooutside. You can find recommendations on wildlife books and refuges to visit as well as e-cards for the holiday.

How about a new cell phone?
If you can’t afford that, U.S. Cellular suggests its customers give memory cards preloaded with the favorite songs of their loved ones, picture or video messages or new applications for their phones. MyLovesigns gives astrological advice, including love advice.

Simple pleasures
Or how about a slow dance in the kitchen, a scenic drive or a second “first date”?

It really doesn’t take much, said Ed Young of Crystal Lake, whose wife of 56 years is happy with one simple gesture. “I just tell her I love her,” he said.