Leighton Meester shares how Valentine’s Day feels different as a mom

Leighton Meester has embraced the modern spirit of Valentine's Day, especially now that she shares it with her two children.

In an exclusive interview with People, the 39-year-old actress and singer reflected on how the holiday has evolved since her own childhood in the 1990s. 

“With my kids, there's this nostalgic little cereal box where they get Valentines, and everyone's included. It's really great,” Meester said, referencing her daughter Arlo and her son, whose name has not been publicly shared, whom she shares with husband Adam Brody.

Meester noted the contrast with her own school days: “It's not how I did it in the '90s, which was that you would hope you'd get one from someone you liked. That's not how they do it nowadays, thankfully.”

The former Gossip Girl star also reflected on how Valentine’s Day takes on new meaning as an adult. 

“Being married and in a romantic relationship over so many years, it takes on such an intimate, different meaning,” she said. “I think it grows and expands, and it just feels even more and more meaningful over time.”

Meester and Brody, who met on the set of The Oranges, made their relationship public in 2013, got engaged later that year, and married in February 2014. 

Their daughter was born in 2015, and their son arrived in 2020. “My [wedding] anniversary is near Valentine’s Day too, so that whole season is meaningful to me,” Meester added.

Discussing her broader understanding of love, Meester explained, “It truly is a feeling I don’t think I can philosophize on succinctly, because I think I have a different relationship with it with my own children, with my partner, with my friends, and with myself. And everyone experiences their love with a partner or their kids or their parents in a different way.”

She concluded with a heartfelt reflection: “It's the meaning of life. It really is. I think it's what makes life worth living.”