A Stay-At-Home Valentine’s Idea List
We’re a week into February and riding the wave of our area’s second full-blown lockdown, which can only mean that I have been hanging on to basically any sliver of excitement I can find. Right now, that sliver of excitement is Valentine’s Day.
Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that completely divides people – you either think it is a complete waste of time or a really fun excuse to shower the ones you love with sweets and kisses. Despite how cheesy and usually overrated it is, I have personally always loved the day. After all, we love celebrating the little things around here and that includes cheesy, over-the-top, commercial holidays that encourage you to tell your favourite people that you love them.
All this to say – Valentine’s Day, no matter how trivial, is giving me something to hold onto this year and we are making a day of it!
I figured that I would share what I’m planning for our family in case you want to make the most of the day in this weird season too. This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, which means that we will be spending the day all together. I’m planning to celebrate with my husband and two year old daughter, but some of these ideas could be adapted to use with a partner, some roommates, or a family at different stages then ours.
Valentines for my Valentines. When I was a kid, my Mom would always leave a little Valentine on the kitchen table in the morning for us to find when we came downstairs. It was usually just some chocolates and a little something (like some socks), but it was always exciting and made me feel so loved. I definitely want to carry on this tradition with my own children.
Since we are in lockdown with very few local businesses open, I decided to order this sweet little giftfor my daughter from this beautiful shop. If you decide to pick something up for your own Valentine, it doesn’t have to be over-the-top. For a child, a cute book makes a great Valentine. For your girlfriends, you could pick up a lipstick or nail polish with a playful love-inspired name. For a partner, you could leave a special photo in a pretty frame. If you don’t have time to shop online, try checking out the curbside pick-up options available from local small businesses. Even a specialty chocolate baror handmade candle can be a thoughtful idea and could give you the perfect opportunity to support local.
Decorate. Usually I don’t bother decorating our home for Valentine’s Day, but I decided that it would be a fun way to bring some extra cheer this year. I’m going to keep it simple with a playful balloon arch and maybe put together some simple table decor with items I can find around home. I ordered this pack of balloons to bring all the pink vibes and will more or less create the arch using the same method I used for Mabel’s first birthday.
Definitely Treats. Valentine’s Day is just as much about the chocolate, so celebrating with sweet treats is a must. I pre-ordered a treat box from a local bake shop (like come on, how pretty is this) that I can pick up in the morning. Not only will we have some delicious treats to enjoy, but we will probably walk to pick it up, making it a great way to spend time together as a family. Check out some of your local coffee shops and bake shops to see if they are offering any special promotions for Valentine’s Day. If you are able, choose to show them some love by supporting them in this weird time. If it isn’t a possibility, you could also try making your own treats. This could make for a fun activity to do with a partner, a roommate, or kiddos. These look really fun and these are just too cute to eat (but of course you should eat them.)
Make a (romantic) dinner. And by romantic, I basically just mean pasta because for some reason, I always associate the idea of a Valentine’s dinner with pasta. I have always wanted to try to make my own pasta, so if I’m feeling adventurous, this may just be the perfect opportunity to give it a go. If I don’t end up taking it on, I may just make this easy and delicious recipe using store bought pasta with a side kale caesar and a glass of red wine. Along the line of treats, the real star of the show is going to be this chocolate mousse that I want to make for dessert.
Making a dinner alongside whoever you live with can be a really fun way to connect. If you don’t like pasta, a few other ideas include these cuties (very family friendly!), this (who says you can’t have breakfast for dinner?), or this (and now I’m hungry).
Cocktails are my love language. Making fun cocktails at home is one of my favourite hobbies. Once we put our daughter to bed, I am going to curl up on the couch with my husband and sip on one of these pretty babies.
If you like to experiment with cocktails too, there are a lot of cute Valentines-themed ones out there. This Chocolate Martini sounds delicious and don’t we all love rosé?
I just want to put this out there and say that just because I am amped up for Valentine’s Day this year doesn’t mean that you need to be. This has been a strange year that has brought about a lot of change in people’s personal lives. I am choosing to celebrate with these ideas because it truly makes me happy to do so. But this day is all about love and sometimes you need to prioritize some self-love, however that may look for you. If you don’t have it in you to do anything, then don’t worry about doing anything.
On the other hand, if you can’t get enough, why not make the most of this week leading up to Valentine’s Day too? There are tons of great craft ideas for kids, like these DIY Valentines cards or these cute treat poppers. You also could consider reaching out to others outside of your circle to spread the love. Maybe you could safely make some cute treats to deliver or send a pretty card by mail.You could also spend the week decorating your home – why not try a cute garland or a pretty DIY door wreath.
Which ideas made it on to your list this year?
