4 ideas for Valentine’s Day and why I love it

Valentine’s is the holiday of LOVE and I don’t know why some people choose not to celebrate it. It has always been one of my favorite holidays, partially because I love getting into the color pink once a year, and also because it’s about LOVE (as I previously mentioned). I also don’t think it’s just a holiday for couples. Why not celebrate all the loves in our lives? That’s what I intend to do every Valentine’s Day, and so I thought I’d share how I’ve spent the past four Valentine’s, to spark your own ideas for how to celebrate love.

1. host a small pre-party with your guy and girl friends, then go for cocktails.

This is how I spent Valentine’s Day 2017, when I was studying abroad in Florence. Early in the day we set up shop at our favorite cafe in Florence, La Menagere, which happens to also be a flower shop. So while we studied away and mulled over our singleness, daper looking men came to pick up large, beautiful bouquets for their significant others. Just the site of all the bouquets alone made me happy, and in the mood for Valentine’s!

Later, my friend and I turned our bedroom into a living room (our Florentine apartment was quite small) and provided snacks and shot glasses from Flying Tiger. We invited our friends and their friends, and turned it into a great mixer for people from our program and our friends from home.

We all got friendly at our apartment then hit the streets and headed to Moyo, where we had a cocktail or two. It was such a fun way to celebrate the holiday and nurture all these new relationships that were just beginning. Five months abroad meant friends were really important, so I was happy to celebrate with them (and eat allll the heart gummies from Flying Tiger because they are my favorite, to this day).

• 

• 

2. have a pizza and movie night.

Okay I know this may seem like a pretty obvious choice, but it can be elevated. This is how I spent Valentine’s Day 2018. The focus that year was on my two closest friends, as one had just broken up with her long time boyfriend and had no Valentine’s plans. So I made sure we had a great night.

We got pizzas to-go from Punch, wine of course, and my friend brought macarons (a little Parisian touch is never a bad idea when celebrating love). We set the mood with candles and heart candy and enjoyed the pizza on the couch with a Rom-Com in the background. Everyone had a good time and it was a chill way to ring in the holiday with my best friends.

• 

• 

3. throw the classic galentine’s.

In 2019, I found myself with more single girlfriends then I could count. My social circle had expanded since my friends and I had all graduated college and everyone was making an effort to be social outside of their previous bubbles. Plus, I had the best apartment for hosting parties, so this was the obvious choice for Valentine’s that year.

I decorated with a lot of candles and all the pink I could find. I mixed a pitcher of Aperol Spritz’s and laid out popcorn, chips, and candy and my guests contributed additional sweets. We ended up sitting in my huge dining room and chatting until way too late. It was so fun, and mostly I was grateful to be surrounded by people who were all so happy to be together on Valentine’s!

• 

• 

4. host a soiree for your single and taken friends.

This year I’m approaching the idea of galentines a little differently, because I want to make it a beautiful evening with my friends. I invited a lot of my girlfriends and scheduled it for Saturday, since Valentine’s is on a Friday and I know some of them have dates.

I’m planning to make it a very moody, escape kind of night. The playlist is made, the candles will be lit, and there will be a cocktail of the night. In return my guests will be contributing hors d’oeuvre & desserts. The dress code encourages lipstick and pink (duh). I even have a surprise art project planned…I’m hoping my friends enjoy the night and then who knows, maybe we’ll go out for a nightcap if we all look so good? Can’t waste a good look on a night at home, even if you’re with your friends.

As far as my own plans for the actual day of Valentine’s…I’m sure you’ll be able to find me at one of my favorite cafes in the morning, enjoying a pain au chocolat and dreaming about love. Feel free to comment your favorite Valentine’s ideas below!