You’ve been staying at home with your lover for who knows how long now. Maybe you’ve run out of romantic things to do, thanks (or no thanks) to all those newfound time. You might also think that it’s impractical and risky to go out and celebrate amid the pandemic.
With these on the plate, it seems as if the most sensible solution is to skip Valentine’s Day altogether.
Before deciding on anything, various mental health experts have time and again said that the prolonged stress brought by the pandemic could affect our physical and mental health. Now, celebrations like Valentine’s Day have a newfound purpose. It allows us to switch up our usual routines and do activities that relieve stress and uplift our mood.
For a safe and stress-free Valentine’s celebration, here’s how you can spice up the date night even if you’ve been locked down at home for months.
Bring out the christmas lights
Make the most out of your holiday decorations, especially the red ones. Use the Christmas lights to change the look and ambiance of any room.
If you have battery-powered lights, put them inside a jar and place them in the middle of your table along with garden-picked flowers. These little details should already signal that Valentine’s day is in the air.
Put your Smart TVs, laptops to good use
If you used to have Karaoke or movie date nights, Smart TVs (even laptops) are great at-home alternatives.
For an evening of singing, prepare all your favorite meals and snacks on the table. Dim the lights for a full experience. Search for the Karaoke version of your favorite birit love songs on YouTube. You’ll be surprised to know that almost every song has a karaoke version online. If you don’t have a microphone, use a hairbrush, an empty shampoo or beer bottle, or the remote (It’s your house. Nobody will judge!).
For a romantic movie date night, grab your most comfortable comforter and fluffiest pillows and place them on the floor in front of the TV. If you have extra blankets, you may hang them together to form a fort (just be careful with the wires as you don’t want to ruin the evening with fire).
Transform the living room into a dance floor
Prepare your speakers (and your hips). You can move your furniture to the side to create a dance floor.
For a genuine Valentine’s Day experience, get out of your pajamas and put on the other half of your Zoom meeting attire. Sway to the tune of your favorite love songs.
Remember that one of the perks of celebrating at home is that you can be yourself without feeling conscious. So, you can have a fun dance battle, ala White Chicks.
Recreate your best fine dining experience
Around this time, your Facebook Memories should be showing your pre-pandemic Valentine’s date, perhaps in a fancy restaurant.
If you miss this, go ahead and recreate 2019 Valentine’s day. You may try cooking with your loved one a fancy meal or simply order from your favorite restaurant. Plate them carefully. Take at-home date night to the next level by laying down all your fancy dining utensils.
This is also a perfect excuse to dress up nicely. Go ahead and put on the clothes that have been tucked away since the pandemic. Let the romance light up as you play Restaurant playlists on YouTube or Spotify while you sip on your wine glass.
Dine under the stars
If you have a garden, roof deck, or balcony, you can safely dine outdoors under the stars.
Complete your at-home al fresco dining experience by decorating the space with candles and Christmas lights. If you’re a plant parent, place your most beautiful plants to spruce up the center table. Succulents, cactus, even dried flowers will do the trick.
Dine while your favorite songs serenade you in the background.
When thinking of a memorable at-home Valentine’s Day gimmick for your loved one, remember that beautiful moments are all about the feelings, not the place.