Valentine's Ideas That Don't Suck

Everybody is talking about Valentine's Day (ad nauseam) already. Between fancy dresses, thoughtful DIY gifts, and "I don't need no man!" misandrist rants, it's a wellspring of blog content. Well guess what. It's yet another pointless consumerist holiday. Neither B nor I can truly fathom the hubbub behind V-Day. There's nothing wrong with our relationship, I promise. We just don't do made-up holidays. Thirty dollars for roses? Antacid hearts with corny phrases on them? Mystery-filled chocolates? (Seriously, I swear the candy makers are trolling us and half of them are filled with toothpaste.) Why get all gussied up and have an uncomfortable dinner in an overcrowded restaurant when you can do something unexpected like going to a trampoline park (yes, they exist) or scoping out some wet cement in which write your initials? Trust me. There's a better way.

WITH YOUR S.O.:

 - Netflix binge. Assemble a cheese board or some other fancy snack, sit down with some wine, and watch Friends until your eyes fall out. (If you S.O. doesn't like Friends, why are you even together?)

 - Cook something together. It can be something easy and fun like tacos or you can find something a little more complicated like Ossobuco. (Once again, wine.)

 - Work out. Get your sweat on and make fun of the other losers at the gym on Valentine's Day. Incorporate wine somehow.

 - Volunteer. Work in a soup kitchen, feed the homeless, or go to an animal orphanage and play with the puppies. Giving back is the best way to feel the love! This would probably work best without wine or any other sort of alcohol.

 - Scout out photobooths. Every time B and I pass a photo booth, I drag him into it. I just love the nostalgia! Plus, in this digital age, it's nice to have some actual prints. Bonus points if you can get a stranger to join you.


WITH YOUR BFF:

 - Go bowling. Once again, even better with a flask of some sort.

 - Stand outside of a movie theatre and frown judgmentally at every mom buying a ticket for 50 Shades of Grey. Or see a movie. In keeping with the undertone of this post, go ahead and assume that covert alcohol-smuggling is cool.

 - Go shopping. Find some cute dresses to wear out of the store before you hit the bar. Visiting a blowout bar and then putting makeup samples at each other at Sephora could kick it up a notch.

 - Invite all of your gal pals over for Galentine's day. Remember the one I went to last year? Eat a ton of carbs, listen to lots of Beyoncé and Björk. Make some cocktails. May I suggest my Cranberry and Sage Cocktail, Pimm's Punch, Sparkling Rhubarb & Flower Cocktail, Chocolate & Citrus Cocktail or Blood Orange Cocktail? (At least one of those should have struck your fancy.) If your friends are anything like mine, you might even wanna break out the Cards Against Humanity.


WITH YOUR MOM:

 - Craft something together. I love this felt rose tutorial from the lovely Sue of Giant Dwarf.

 - Have her teach you your favorite recipe from when you were a kid. My mom makes the most amazing meatballs. I'm not sure if I'm ready to hear her secrets yet but I'm still going to try.

 - Visit your grandmother. What a nice surprise for you and your mom to show up at your grandmother's doorstep with everlasting felt roses and meatballs.

 - Check out an art gallery or a museum. If you're not into the idea of trying to explain art to your mom, don't do this.


What are you doing on Valentine's Day? I'm not sure what I'm doing yet but it'll probably involve (responsibly) hitting the sauce. (I really love that phrase.)

xo,
e.m.