One of the reasons we adore Christmas so much is all the fun we have decorating. From the lights to the tinsel to the ornaments and the stockings, you can make the winter holidays exactly how you wish. It’s all about creating a home that reflects a cozy atmosphere. So why not take all that inventive spirit and channel it into, oh, I don’t know…Valentine’s Day?
We decorated orange trees for Halloween, but now’s the time to create a bright pink Valentine’s Day tree to officially commemorate the holiday of love and affection.
Where Can I Get a Pink Tree?
A good place to start would be Amazon. They’ve got a 5-foot “Pretty in Pink” artificial tree, complete with a stand. There are 6-foot pink trees and 7-foot pink trees available as well. You know, in case you want a pretty pink tree all the way to your ceiling.
Honestly, I’d be a big fan of that myself!
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The 6-foot trees go for around $240 each, but think of it as an investment for future holidays. After you spend one year decorating and realize how much you love having a Valentine’s Day Christmas tree, your future self will thank you.
How Can I Decorate My Pink Tree?
There’s no reason to say you can’t decorate it like you would your Christmas tree. Add red, white and purple ornaments. Throw some tinsel or glittery garland all around! Try ribbons and hearts and maybe even some hanging chocolates. A tree is the perfect place to display your Valentine’s Day cards as well—wouldn’t that be just too cute? Even adding some pictures of your loved ones would be a wonderful touch.
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While you’re reveling in your beautiful accomplishment, be sure to grab some hot cocoa bombs for you and your +1. Don’t forget the Valentine’s Day gifts and dinner for the occasion!
Valentine’s Day Cookie Recipes We Adore
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Strawberry Pillows
Make Valentine's Day cookie trays extra special with these mini pie look-alikes stuffed with sweet strawberry preserves. Yum! —Amy Sauerwalt, Columbia, Maryland
Dipped Cherry Cookies
Our seven children and four grandkids voted this festive, flavorful Valentine's Day cookie a “keeper.” We gave a batch to our mail carrier, in thanks for trudging through so much snow, and she asked for the recipe. —Ruth Anne Dale, Titusville, Pennsylvania Want a bigger treat? Try these Valentine's Day cupcake recipes.
Peanut Butter Cutout Cookies
I used peanut butter in place of the butter in my take on a traditional cutout cookie, which turned out super nutty and soft. My children love to decorate the cookie for Valentine's Day with frosting, sprinkles and some creativity. —Cindi Bauer, Marshfield, Wisconsin
Raspberry Pistachio Thumbprints
Thumbprint cookies are a Valentine's Day classic, and I especially like my updated version with pistachios. The rich, buttery bites are not only delicious, but they are also pretty enough to give for gifts—if you manage to share them! —Laura Murphy, Columbus, Mississippi
Be-Mine Sandwich Cookies
These simple cookies are the first thing to disappear from dessert tables. They're cute, colorful and extremely fast to make. —Darcie Cross, Novi, Michigan Your sweetie will love these Valentine's Day cake recipes.
Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Everyone gets a kick out of this fun take on the popular red velvet cake. Take a shortcut and use packaged cream cheese frosting for the filling. —Judi Dexheimer, Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin Find more Valentine's Day dessert ideas.
Marbled Meringue Hearts
Pretty pastel cookies are a fun way to brighten Valentine's Day or any special occasion. Replace the vanilla with a different extract for a change of flavor. —Laurie Herr, Westford, Vermont
Sweetheart Cookies
These rounds filled with fruit preserves were blue-ribbon winners at the county fair two years running. A family favorite, they never last beyond February 14! —Pamela Esposito, Smithville, New Jersey
Shortbread Hearts
These flaky cookies melt in your mouth. Dipped in chocolate, they look festive for Valentine's Day. —Barbara Birk, St. George, Utah By the way, this is the best Valentine's Day baking gear you can buy.
Berry-Cream Cookie Snaps
My mom and I made up this recipe by combining two others. These cute cookies are crispy on the outside and light and fluffy inside. You could also bake the cookies flat and serve the filling as a cookie dip if you like. —Crystal Briddick, Colfax, Illinois
Chocolate-Covered Cherry Cookies
Although these cookies require a little extra effort, they’re worth it. I make them for Valentine's Day and every family gathering—and they never last long! —Marie Kinyon, Mason, Michigan
Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies
These festive sugar-coated red velvet cookies are perfect for Valentine's Day. They're just as delicious as they are beautiful. —Colleen Delawder, Herndon, Virginia
Strawberry Wedding Bell Cookies
To ring in a joyous occasion like Valentine's Day, a bridal shower or wedding, I'm often asked to make these festive cookies. You can use different flavors of jam to suit your tastes. —Laurie Messer, Bonifay, Florida
Sweetheart Slices
You get the flavor of a snickerdoodle plus the texture of a shortbread in these fun cookies. Make them for your sweeties, or make them together for the memories!—Taste of Home Test Kitchen
Raspberry Coconut Balls
My family loves Hostess Zingers, especially the raspberry flavor coated with coconut, inspiring this treat to make for school bake sales. We can make about four dozen in 30 minutes, and they sell out fast! —Pam Clark, Wheaton, Illinois
Peppermint Cream Sandwich Cookies
My mother and I made these crisp chocolate peppermint sandwich cookies together. They are a perfect addition to any Valentine's Day party. —Donna Williamson, Round Rock, Texas
Secret Kiss Cookies
Here's a recipe that's literally sealed with a "kiss." This cookie's bound to tickle any sweet tooth. —Karen Owen, Rising Sun, Indiana
Chocolate Chip Red Velvet Whoopie Pies
Baking a fun treat is a must when my four grandchildren come to stay for “Grandma Camp.” Sometimes the grandkids help by piping the cake batter. —Linda Schend, Kenosha, Wisconsin
Hazelnut Macarons
You don’t have to be an expert in French cooking to whip up these sandwich cookies. The crisp, chewy macarons take attention to detail, but they’re not hard to make—and they’re simply a delight, both for personal snacking and giving as gifts! —Taste of Home Test Kitchen
White Chocolate Raspberry Thumbprints
When I pass around the cookie tray, all eyes land on these fancy thumbprints. The white chocolate filling and dab of jewel-toned jam will satisfy even the most discriminating sweet tooth. —Agnes Ward, Stratford, Ontario
Chocolate Marshmallow Cutouts
I make rich, fudgy cookies that taste like brownies with a marshmallow filling. I usually use heart-shaped cutters, but I've also left them uncut and filled with pink marshmallow creme.—Kelly Ward, Stratford, Ontario
Honey-Peanut Butter Cookies
When my husband wants a treat, he requests these chewy peanut butter honey cookies. —Lucile Proctor, Panguitch, Utah
Cranberry Lime Macaroons
It wouldn’t be the holidays for my family and friends if I didn’t make these chewy lime-flavored macaroons. I usually make several batches a week during the season..—Alisa Costa, Chatham, New York
German Chocolate Tassies
My son and I love chocolate, so I made this brownie-like recipe to satisfy any chocolate lover. The pecans add a welcome crunch. —John Williams, Beaumont, Texas
Jeweled Coconut Drops
Red raspberry preserves add a festive flair to these tender coconut cookies. Perfect for Valentine's Day and cookie exchanges, these shaped cookies never last long when I make them for my husband and two sons. —Ellen Marie Byler, Munfordville, Kentucky
Butter Cookies
This great butter cookie recipe is a favorite of my nephews, who love the creamy frosting. —Ruth Griggs, South Hill, Virginia
Chocolate-Dipped Cranberry Cookies
These pretty pink cookies always turn out so tender. They are the hit of my holiday! —Barbara Nowakowski, North Tonawanda, New York
Mexican Chocolate Walnut-Cherry Biscotti
I love to combine flavors and spices from different cultures. These cookies have ground cinnamon in them, which is a classic flavor in Mexican chocolate. They are very crunchy and are loaded with maraschino cherries and toasted walnuts. —Nancy C. Evans, Phoenix, Arizona
Strawberry Cookie Cups
I learned to bake beside my mom and grandmother. When I was on break from college, I knew just how to entertain myself: I made cookies. Sharing this recipe with my mom and grandmother was a proud moment.—Andrea Zulauf, Livonia, New York
Double-Dipped Shortbread Cookies
My mom and her friend did a lot of cookie swaps together. They were always finding new recipes to share, including this one. There's something about a dipped cookie that makes it seem so special, so we usually save these for the holidays. —Ginger King, Big Bear Lake, California
Raspberry Ribbons
I make these attractive, buttery cookies to serve at our remote guest lodge, and all the cooks in the kitchen are addicted to them! —Patsy Wolfenden, Golden, British Columbia
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
When I baked this moist, fudgy chocolate crinkle cookie recipe for the first time, my three preschool children went wild over them! But I like them because they're lower in fat and easy to mix and bake. —Maria Groff, Ephrata, Pennsylvania
Red Velvet Spritz Cookies
I had never come across a red velvet spritz recipe, so I decided to create one for Valentine's Day. The hint of cocoa makes these taste like red velvet cake. Add peppermint flavoring for a little extra kick. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
Jumbo Brownie Cookies
These deeply fudgy cookies are a clever way to make a friend. A little espresso powder in the dough makes them even more over-the-top. —Rebecca Cababa, Las Vegas, Nevada
Strawberry Shortcake Cookies
Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorite desserts. I thought it would be great to capture all that wonderful flavor in a cookie. The pastry-like cookie is topped with pink strawberry frosting. —Allison Anderson, Avondale, Arizona
Cherry Kisses
Cookies that melt in your mouth and are practically fat-free—is it any wonder these crispy meringue morsels disappear as fast as I can whip them up? Friends and family love them. —Jo Ann Blomquest, Freeport, Illinois
Chocolate-Raspberry Whoopie Pies
I’ve saved this jam-filled whoopie pie recipe for years after cutting it out of a newspaper. It’s one of my grandson's personal favorites. —Nancy Foust, Stoneboro, Pennsylvania
Cherry Pinwheel Cookies
A crisp, light textured cookie with a mild cherry flavor will add great color to your holiday cookie tray.—Jenn Reagan, Maple Valley, Washington
Raspberry-Almond Crescent Cookies
My flaky, two-bite crescent cookies are sensational treats. Filled with raspberry preserves, coconut and almonds, they might remind you of rugelach.—Kelly Williams, Forked River, NJ
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberry Meringue Roses
Eat these pretty treats as is or crush them into a bowl of strawberries and whipped cream. Readers of my blog, utry.it, went nuts when I posted that idea.—Amy Tong, Anaheim, California
Frosted Red Velvet Cookies
These dreamy morsels take me back to a special place and time—when I was in college and my student job was working in a bakery. Red velvet cake lovers will appreciate this fun riff on the classic, and the color makes them a natural fit for holidays! —Christina Petri, Alexandria, Minnesota
Mint Chocolate Wafers
My grandmother gave me a cookbook stuffed with recipes. This is a slight twist on one of the first—and best—recipes I made from the book. It's best to store these in the refrigerator. —Mary Murphy, Evansville, Indiana
Cherry Kiss Cookies
Topped with a chocolate kiss, these cherry-flavored cookies look super cute on a dessert tray. Share them with family and friends. —Joy Yurk, Grafton, Wisconsin
Truffle-Filled Cookie Tarts
I made chocolate truffles as a holiday tradition for many years. I created this recipe to incorporate my truffles into the center of fudgy cookies. It was a hit with friends and family.—Patricia Harmon, Baden, Pennsylvania
Glazed Strawberry Cookies
I learned to bake with my grandmother and mother. I knew I was giving them a sweet new family tradition when I shared this recipe with them. —Andrea Zulauf, Livonia, New York
Chocolate-Cherry Sandwich Cookies
I make these often at Christmastime or around Valentine's Day, but they're a winner for summer parties, too. Chilling the cookies before you dip them into chocolate is important because it firms up the filling. —Amy Sauerwalt, Columbia, Maryland
Easy Cinnamon Thins
When a co-worker’s husband came home from Iraq, we had a potluck for him. These cookies with coarse red sugar matched our patriotic theme. —Janet Whittington, Heath, Ohio
Sweetheart Coconut Cookies
Ruby red jam and coarse sugar add a festive look to these crisp sandwich cookies that are the perfect gift for loved ones. My husband likes coconut, so I make these for his birthday. —Jo Ellen Helmlinger, Columbus, Ohio
Cherry Almond Delights
A tender cream cheese dough filled with homemade almond paste and maraschino cherries makes an elegant cookie tart fit for a party.—Gilda Lester, Millsboro, Delaware
Linzer Heart Cookies
This specialty cookie takes a little extra effort, but the delectable results are well-worth it. I bake the tender jam-filled hearts when I need something fancy to serve for Valentine's Day or other special occasions. —Jane Pearcy, Verona, WisconsinThe post People Are Decorating Valentine’s Day Trees Right Now, and We Love It appeared first on Taste of Home.
Melany Love