Confession time: In the past I’ve always sort of criticized Valentine’s Day as being a pointless, made-up holiday that’s just used to sell flowers and chocolates and make single people feel bad. But truth be told, I’ve always felt that way because I’ve spent the majority of my adult life as one of those single people who felt bad for themselves on Valentine’s Day. Now that I’m in a committed relationship, and I realize that Valentine’s Day is more than just a day when you can’t get a restaurant reservation and it’s more meaningful than being the day that’s ‘just one day away from 50% off chocolate sales in stores,’ I’m so excited to spend some quality time with my love. Scroll down for some Valentine’s Day date ideas I’ve been keeping up my sleeve all those years I’ve spent this holiday alone on! (haha!)
Fondue Night
Nothing pairs better with Valentine’s Day than sweets (especially gooey, melted chocolate)! Order one of these neat Electric Fondue Makers and cut up some yummy treats to dip in the chocolate! My favorite things to dip include: strawberries, bananas, large marshmallows, angel food cake pieces, pineapple, and pretzels! (And if you’re feeling adventurous, bacon is actually really good too!)
Make Your Own Sushi!
John and I did this to celebrate Valentine’s Day last year, and we had so much fun with it! We stuck with making easy, pretty basic rolls, but they actually turned out pretty good! There are step-by-step directions for how to make sushi rolls here!
Wine Tasting and Cheese Board (link up with some friends and make it a group date!)
The only thing that pairs together better than two people in love is a good cabernet sauvignon with a slice of aged gouda! You could even link up with some friends and make it a group date night, where everyone brings their favorite wine and cheese and you all have samples of everyone's!
Cabin Weekend in a Secluded Area
Door County is one of my favorite secluded places to visit in Wisconsin, and I’ve been wanting to take John there for a long time. I love the idea of renting a cozy cabin for a few nights, lighting a fire, and snuggling up with the person I love! I recommend search for some cozy cabins on vrbo or airbnb! (They’re usually pretty cheap during “off-seasons!”)
Take a Class Together!
I love learning new things, and it can be even more fun to learn a new skill or try something you've never done before with the person that you love! I would suggest looking into taking a unique cooking class or a fitness-related class!
Dinner out and hotel in the city
If you want to go more of a “traditional route” for your Valentine’s Day celebration, there’s nothing better than treating yourself and your love to a fancy dinner at a nice restaurant. Since Chicago is the closest big city to us, that’s usually where we like to go out for special occasion dinners. We will even sometimes snag a hotel room in the city too, so we have enjoy after-dinner drinks without having to worry about getting home! You can read my post about how to have a Perfect Date Night in Chicago for dinner/hotel recommendations!
Take Out and a Puzzle (or game, movie, etc.)
John and I have been so busy lately, and we have a pretty expensive trip planned for this upcoming spring, so this is what we both agreed upon doing to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year! Last fall, we discovered that we both have a new-found love of puzzling, so we are going to buy a new puzzle, order some take-out, and enjoy each other’s company for the evening!
Do you have plans for Valentine’s/Galentine’s Day this year? Let me know in the comments! And if you’re still looking for that perfect gift for you guy or your gals, make sure to read my Valentine’s Day Gift Guide for some ideas!
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As always, thanks for reading!
