Sweet things to do on Valentine’s Day, Part One

Some sweet and simple ways to celebrate Valentine's Day.

Long before it was a Hallmark holiday, Valentine’s Day was a celebration reserved for enjoying the love in your life. But what to do during those precious hours after work?

“Date night on a Tuesday? No fun,” you might think. But why not?

If you think outside the box, Valentine’s Day 2012 can be a fun and memorable one to spend with your significant other. Here are a few last minute ideas for sweet things to do on Valentine’s Day:

Recreate your first date.

Did you do something simple, like go to the movies? Head out to the big screen for a date night. Hang with friends? Invite them over. Create a home-cooked meal? Pretend you’re on Top Chef and reinvent the dish.

Use the rustic cherry wood placemats shown to the right with full place settings to inspire your table, or cover it in a hand-made red tablecloth like the heart one pictured above.

Was your first evening together something more significant, like a special event or occasion? Pay homage to the memory by resurrecting the dress, food, or festive atmosphere of the first big night. Make handmade signs or menus to give hints. It doesn’t have to be exact. Remember, it’s the thought that counts.

Take it outside.

Nothing lifts the spirits quite like some time in the open air. Besides, walks are a great time to reconnect with each other, which is what Valentine’s Day should be all about. If it’s unbearably cold near you, skip this step, but otherwise, throw on a scarf and a nice coat and head out for some fresh air.

Bring your significant other and your dog, if you have one. Take a walk to a nearby café with outdoor seating or head downtown to stroll around. Find a coffee shop and grab a cocoa to keep warm – and don’t forget to hold hands!

Want to keep warm in the great outdoors? Snag this PDF for a beautiful knitted scarf and hand-knit something beautiful just for the occasion – you can even create a his n’ hers set!

Indulge each other’s hobbies.

I don’t love Go-karting, because I am afraid of crashing. But my boyfriend does, so a good gift to him would be a round or two at the local facility. Likewise, he’s not ever going to want to see The Help, but I do, so when we get home from Go-karting after work on Valentine’s Day and freshen up, it will be just in time for a movie.

Is there something similar you and your spouse could compromise on? Make sure you genuinely try to enjoy the activity, though, or it doesn’t count.

Do something unexpected.

Not so serious yet? Dating someone, or considering an exclusive relationship? Don’t settle for the flowers-and-dinner date night that everyone else has planned – woo him/her with an adventurous, or at least unexpected, evening. Go to karaoke or open mic night. Not your speed? Find a bookstore and browse the aisles together, then stake out the coffee shop; or head to a local park after work for a twilight hike.

Write about your adventure in this journal, which appropriately reads: “Start exploring now.”

Consider some of these suggestions for sweet things to do on Valentine’s Day, and Cupid’s arrow is sure to hit its target.

Stay tuned for a new blog, Sweet things to do for Valentine's Day, Part Two, coming this week!

What sweet things or surprises has your significant other planned for you on Valentine’s Day? For this holiday, do you prefer to celebrate with a quiet kind of evening, or extravagant event? Share your stories in the comments section below!
 

Photo Credits:
Red Heart, Crochet Table Cover by The Knitting Lady
Cherrywood Placemats by Billyboy
Knit Reflection Scarf PDF by PetiteTuques
Explore Art Journal by Naturally by Denise