Whether you and your significant other have been together one night or fifty years, Valentine’s Day this year will be a little different. Although some states have lifted restrictions, many still have new rules in place due to the deadly Coronavirus pandemic. So how can you make Valentine’s Day a romantic experience despite the challenge of a life-threatening disease?
Socially Distant Activities
- Send Valentine’s cards through snail mail. Old-fashioned, but personal and definitely socially distant. The challenge of this is asking for addresses if you don’t have them. And make sure you have plenty of stamps!
- Create a mix-tape for your significant other. Dancing to it doesn’t equal socially distant, but the act of listening to it can be. You can do this old-school with a cassette or CD, or you can use Spotify or YouTube to send a playlist.
- Take a hike or go skydiving together. Both these activities allow you to have plenty of space between people. They are also energizing and fun, which helps inspire romance!
Quarantine Activities
- Make breakfast in bed. If you’re already exposed to your sweetie, might as well get close and snuggle while you both eat. Make it practical but romantic. Be sure to have lots of napkins and a solid steady tray for food and drinks!
- Decorate your house for the day! Hearts, hearts, hearts! A few flowers here, some lovely gauze there, and what a lovely atmosphere you’ve created. Dim the lights or make things sparkly. You know your significant other best, so make them feel special!
- Make a photo book. Reminiscing about the connections you have with the important people in your life can help bring you closer to them. It also makes a great gift when completed! You can do this manually using good ole paper and scrapbooking supplies, or you can use a website like Shutterfly.com to create virtual masterpieces.
- Watch a movie marathon. If your partner is up for it, romances and romantic comedies would be appropriate for the day. If not, I’d recommend the Marvel movies, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings series, or Underworld for some unique twists on romance and love.
Virtual Activities
- Play a game. Bingo, trivia, Pictionary, Charades, Name-that-tune, Catchphrase, or whatever other game you love. You may need copies of the boards and pieces, or an online version, but this one can be as simple or complex as you want to make it.
- Teach/Learn how to cook a special dish. You can definitely also do this one in person, but it seemed like a fun way to connect through video also. You can act like it’s a cooking show and you’re the star!
- Visit the Zoo. Many zoos have online virtual tours. This would be a cute virtual date with your kids! See the list below for links to several:
Gift Ideas
- Get your significant other a matching outfit. If it’s holiday-based, even better! But it could be matching flannel pajamas, robes, team spirit wear, swimsuits, underwear, or any other passion you two share! Check out Shinesty.com’s couples matching underwear section for cute ideas!
- Food, crafts, and services from local businesses. Now is the time to show them your love also. If you don’t want to lose them, support them by buying gifts locally whenever possible. Gift cards are also a practical, thoughtful option during this unstable time.
- Who doesn’t need more hand sanitizer during this? Whether you get a cute purse-sized bottle, or the wall-mounted dispenser like the hospitals have, you’ll use it at some point.
In today’s uncertain world, you never know how many Valentine’s Days you have left. So no matter what your take on the life-altering pandemic, find a way to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year with the ones you love.
Inspiring the Works of Valerie Jean 
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