Top Non-Traditional Ways to Gather Together This Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day is a holiday to celebrate love and although the focus always seems to be on romantic love, there are a number of ways to gather together for this holiday that don’t include chocolates or roses or romantic dinners. Don’t get me wrong, I love all those things, but there is so much more to a deep, meaningful love, as well as different types of love and relationships to celebrate.
Here is a list of the top non-traditional ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year and I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
1. Plan a Gal-entine’s (or Pal-entine’s) Get-Together
I first heard this phrase when a group of friends on the other side of the country posted pictures from a Galentine’s get-together. They make a point of hosting a Gal-entine’s party every year and I have loved watching from afar as their group has grown and the celebration gets bigger year over year. I realized much later that this phrase originated from the show Parks & Rec and as the beloved Leslie Knope says, “It’s the best day of the year… ladies celebrating ladies.” Galentine’s Day technically falls on 2/13, but says you can’t celebrate on the weekend? Plan a time to get together with your girlfriends for an afternoon tea or morning brunch. There is a business in town that hosts craft classes and they have a fun one scheduled for Galentine’s day. Find one similar in your area or host your own with wine and snacks. To include any guy friends as well, change it up for a Pal-entine’s day to be all inclusive.
2. Family Time
When I was growing up my parents would always do something special for my sister and I on Valentine’s day. Sometimes they brought home valentine’s balloons, chocolate for each of us, or would plan a special dessert. It always made us feel loved and celebrated and I love the idea if we have kids of our own. I have seen so many Valentine’s Father-Daughter or Mother-Son dances advertised in this area which is a wonderful idea, or plan a date night with your little ones for one on one quality time. It would be fun to have a Valentine’s themed meal together as a family as well, or a set aside craft time to make each other heartfelt valentine’s cards. The possibilities are endless.
3. Acts of Service
Valentine’s Day is also often referred to as Single’s Awareness Day. When I was single, I hated the blatant reminder that I did not have a special someone to share the day with. I have always found however, that if I seek out a way to do something nice for someone else, by getting my mind off of myself, I instantly feel better. I think it is easy to get stuck in the hustle of day to day and to think only of our immediate wants and needs. But by stepping outside of our routines we can remember there is a wide world out there and every act of kindness goes a long way to encourage more acts of kindness. Consider taking flowers or valentine’s cards to your local nursing home. Bring a box of valentine’s donuts or cookies to a business you frequent often or to your local police station or fire station. You may never know how much of an impact that can make or how it might brighten someone’s day.
4. Four-Legged Friend Get-Togethers
Ever since we visited Santa at Petsmart for Christmas and got our dogs matching Christmas sweaters, I have been looking for any reason to dress them up in matching outfits. I feel a new tradition coming on for Valentine’s Day! There are endless heart themed ways to dress up your furbabies. Consider these options from Amazon for endless options and unbelievable cuteness. There are a lot of businesses in our area that have patios open for friends, plan a get together with your fellow pet lovers or host a pet-friendly brunch at home.
5. Excursion or Activity
I am not one to turn down a romantic dinner with my husband but we have been exploring ways of having fun on date night in a more non-traditional sense. We recently discovered a mutual love of arcade games that we had never explored together and now I am constantly googling closest arcades for last minute game nights. Plan to go to an arcade or Escape Room with a significant other or group of friends for something out of the ordinary on Valentine’s Day. In our area, there are a ton of museums downtown that host late night events with music and food trucks and late night tours of the displays. Book a trip on a wine bus tour or to celebrate self love this season, book yourself a spa day complete with a massage and facial. The possibilities are endless, don’t limit yourself!
However you choose to celebrate this year, whether you are gathering with loved ones (furbabies or otherwise), or taking some time for yourself, enjoy every second! I am a firm believer that love should be celebrated every day, but it is a nice reminder to stop and celebrate in a way that is outside of the normal. Do you have a tradition for every year? How do you plan to celebrate this year?