Plan a Romantic Date at Home this Valentine's Day

Approximately 144 million cards are exchanged on Valentine’s Day every year. Whether you buy into the biggest Hallmark holiday of the year or not, one thing Valentine’s Day can be good for is recognizing a day to show your love, either to others or yourself. 

While you could contribute to the near 20 billion dollars of spending that goes into the holiday, think - flowers, dining out, chocolates… this year, why not save some money and celebrate love in a creative way right at home? 

Here are some ways to spend Valentine’s Day without breaking the budget.  

1. Movie Night 

Sometimes it’s nice to ditch all the bells and whistles of the most romantic day of the year and keep it simple with movie night. When life gets in the way, we can sometimes forget to put aside time to just enjoy each other’s company. Catch up on some movies you’ve missed recently, or revert to some classics. By using Movies on Demand or streaming TV apps, you can get access to all the best rom-coms with your significant other. Or if you’re enjoying the night with friends, throw on a stand-up comedy. Laughing together brings people together, and it can provide the most intimate moments yet. 

2. Tackle a Home Improvement Project 

Whether you’re in a new home or in a place where you’ve lived together for years, why not use this day to work on fixing it up, together? Working with each other to create or improve a shared aspect of your life with someone else can help strengthen your bond and it’ll give you both a sense of accomplish when you invest towards your future.  

3. Pamper Yourself    

Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be a lonely holiday if you think of it as a holiday to show some self-love to yourself. It can be empowering to embrace your independence on this day and recognize your worth. Pamper yourself by doing a homemade facial or giving yourself a pedicure. This day can be your day to love who you are.  

4. Host a Wine or Beer Tasting  

Gathering with your friends can bring all the love together in one place on Valentine’s Day. A great way to mix and mingle with the ones you love is to host a wine or beer tasting. Have guests bring their favorite bottle of wine or beer and share a sip with others, discussing the flavor notes, cheers-ing each other and getting to know one another’s tastes. A wine or beer tasting encourages interaction and connecting with each other as you exercise your taste palette and actively activate and pay attention to your senses.  

5. Make Dinner Together  

Dining out can definitely be a special event for couples on Valentine’s Day, but making dinner together as a team can be even more interactive and romantic. Make a dish that’s easily a two-person job. For example, you can make a heart-shaped pizza from scratch. Kneading the dough, rolling it out, chopping up vegetables, shredding the cheese—the more you can build with the better! For an added touch to your at-home dinner date, try dressing up like you would for a fancy restaurant. It’ll create an ambiance you can laugh about and enjoy together right from the comfort of your home. 

This year, you don’t have to break the bank on Valentine’s Day. Planning a special day at home in the name of love, be it for a loved one, friends or yourself, can be just as intimate as going out to celebrate. It’ll take out the extra noise out of the holiday and let you focus on what’s important—because with the right people around you, all you need is love, this Valentine’s Day.