Since kisses are off the table (thanks COVID-19), now is a great time to get creative in how you share the love on Valentines Day. A lot of us are missing time with our beloved grandparents or even great-grandparents. My 10-month-old daughter has yet to meet her great-grandparents. I’m bummed they haven’t met, but we have been able to connect virtually and also good ol’ snail mail. This easy DIY Valentine Day gift box is the perfect way to let them know we’re thinking of them on Valentines Day.
To put together your DIY Valentines Day gift box you will need:
Bag of Hershey’s Kisses – I choose colors to coordinate with the cookie icing. Check your local grocery store for fun Valentine-themed Hershey’s Kisses.
$3.69 per bag
Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix – I bought two bags so we could have a few extra cookies ourselves.
$3.79 per bag
2-4 Non-Toxic Acrylic Paints – I bought paints at Target in the stationary section. Again, I did my best to coordinate with the Hershey’s Kisses colors and cookie icing.
$1.99 per paint
Brach’s Conversation Hearts – I purchased one 10 pack.
$2.99 per pack
2-4 Icing Colors – If you want to create a nice color scheme, coordinate your icing colors with the Hershey’s Kisses. I purchased icing from JOANN Fabric. They had a great selection of colors. You do not need additional icing tips, but I did buy additional tips for added fun.
$3.99 per icing pouch
$2.24 per icing tip set, (only needed if you want additional design options)
Sprinkles of your choice – We went with hearts of course. I purchased these from the baking section at JOANN Fabrics.
$1-$3, varies
Hand Sanitizer – Again, not necessary, but because hand sanitizer is a hot-item these days, we threw in some fun ones we found at Target. Check their Valentines Day section for special themed hand sanitizers.
$1.59 per bottle (Scentfull from Target)
Valentine’s Day Box – I have seen many cute designs and various sizes at most big box stores. I purchased a 6.5 in x 6.5 in box from Dollar General.
$1 per box, small size
Additional items you may need:
White construction paper, paint brush, heart-shaped cookie cutter, crinkle cut paper, markers, pens, tissue paper and Ziploc bags
Total cost of project (roughly) $20-$30
I made three Valentines Day gift boxes from my supplies and still had leftovers.
How to assemble your Valentines Gift Box:
1. Make and Bake Sugar Cookies
Follow the instructions and ingredients for roll-out sugar cookies. Pro tip: Freeze your dough for 10 minutes or so before using the cookie cutter. It’ll make the dough much easier to handle. I used two different size cookie cutters. Be sure to let the cookies cool on a rack after they are out of the oven.
Time:
Total time, around 25 minutes
10 minutes, prep
6-8 minutes, baking
5-10 minutes, cooling
2. Ice the Cookies and Assemble Cookies
You can get fancy or keep it simple! To keep it simple, I squeezed the icing on to the cookie, spread it evenly with a knife and topped it off with some sprinkles. The icing tip kit made it super easy to switch out tips for a different design. I am far from a pro baker, so this was perfect! Once the cookie icing has had some time to harden, you can arrange them in a Ziplok bags.
Time: Time will vary depending on skill level, but it took me roughly 20-30 minutes.
3. Create the Card
This project is kid friendly! My almost-toddler was the star artist when creating our Valentines Day cards. If a little person is helping you, now is the time to strip them into their birthday suit for easy clean-up or get on their favorite paint shirt. Babes will be very curious about what’s on their hands, so make sure you prep the area for easy clean-up!
I painted my daughters hand three different times to have a variety of colors. I painted and pressed her hand on white construction paper. After the paint dried, I cut out each of her handprints and glued them to the front of a half-folded white construction paper. I then drew in the stems and messaging.
Time:
Total time around 20 minutes
10 minutes to paint
10-15 minutes for assembling remaining card and writing inscription
4. Assemble the Valentines Day gift box
Now is the fun part! First I layered tissue paper in the bottom of the box. Next I sprinkled in some crinkle-cut paper and Hershey’s Kisses. Then, I carefully arranged the cookies, conversation hearts and hand sanitizer. For safety purposes, please seal the hand sanitizers in it’s own bag since it will be mingling with food! If you plan to mail your gift box, you may want to add additional packaging and bubble wrap to ensure the cookies don’t break.
Time:
5-10 minutes
5. Deliver or mail your Valentines Day box
Your box is looking awesome and ready to go! Place the card inside the box, tape and secure everything and send it off to your loved one. You may want to place the box inside another shipping-friendly box for safe keeping. Allow a few days for shipping. If you’re delivering your gift box to a loved one residing at a care facility, double check visitor policies as they may change daily.
Total time to complete project: 1 – 1.5 Hours
I would love to see your DIY Valentines Day box! Tag @kindlykal on social media or use #kindlykal.
Happy Valentines Day friends!
Kindly, Kal