Think you can’t have an amazing Valentine’s Day date at home? Think again! Whether you’re celebrating with your partner, kids, or even yourself, these tips below will make it feel truly special.
How to Have an Amazing Valentine’s Day at Home
Valentine’s Day is the perfect excuse to celebrate love, but let’s face it—between skyrocketing restaurant prices and the chaos of booking a reservation, going out can feel more stressful than romantic. Luckily, staying in is not only easier on your wallet but also offers endless opportunities to create a truly special and personal evening. Whether you’re planning a cozy night with your partner, family, or even flying solo, we’ve got you covered with creative and budget-friendly ways to have an amazing Valentine’s Day at home!
1. Give your breakfast a heart-shaped makeover
Start your Valentine’s Day at home on a healthy yet fun note by giving your breakfast a Valentine-themed makeover! Buy some heart-shaped cookie cutters and use them on everything from pancakes (like my healthy banana pancakes) to toast. You could even just arrange fresh fruit in a heart shape.
2. Make treats for each other (or yourself!)
Forget those pricey artificially-flavored candies. Save money and give a gift that truly comes from the heart by making your own! I love making these 4-ingredient dark chocolate raspberry hearts. If you’re not a fan of raspberry, swap it out with other fruits (blueberries are amazing, too), or try these simple DIY chocolates.
Can’t stand chocolate at all? Make strawberry roses! Seriously, the possibilities for handmade Valentine’s Day gifts are endless. If you’re not crafty, don’t worry about creating something flawless. The fact that your gift comes from your heart makes it far more perfect than anything you can buy in a store.
3. Cook dinner together as a couple (or a family)
Rather than ordering take-out or delivery, make meal prep part of your date night. If you have kids, get them involved, too. Cooking together is a wonderful way to bond and encourage healthier eating habits. Bonus: picky eaters are more likely to try something new if they have a hand in making it. That goes for finicky kids as well as adults.
Need some recipe ideas? This cauliflower risotto with grilled shrimp makes an amazing Valentine’s Day dish. If you’re not a fan of seafood, try these grilled Hawaiian chicken kebabs. They’re easy enough for even novice cooks (or kids) to help with and oh-so tasty!
4. Sing love songs to each other
Once upon a time, if we wanted to sing karaoke we had to go to a bar. Thanks to smartphones, YouTube and other technology, we can hold an entire karaoke machine in the palm of our hands! So, queue up that love song playlist and belt out tunes to each other. Don’t worry if you sing off-key, that’s half the fun of karaoke, anyway!
If you REALLY just don’t like singing, then use that playlist to set up your own dance under the stars. Head outside (or string up fairy lights inside if the weather is too cold) and slow dance to your favorite songs. It’s simple, sweet, and oh-so-romantic.
5. Fill jars for each other with love notes
Spend some time thinking about all the reasons- big and small- that you love each other. Write them all down and pop them into a jar (one for each family member). If you want to really stretch out this activity or enjoy crafting, you can decorate the jars and use colorful paper for the notes. However, the words are what really matter.
After dinner, take turns reading the notes out loud. When you’re done, put all of the notes back in the jar and save them for when you really need a reminder of how special you all are to each other. Ooh, or better yet, bury the jars in your backyard like a time capsule and dig them up next year! Make it a whole new tradition, adding new notes every year. If you don’t have a yard, hide them in your attic, basement, or back of your closet.
6. Lift a neighbor’s spirits
Halloween has “Boo” boxes.” Christmas has “You’ve been Elf-ed.” While those are adorable and all, if you ask me, people REALLY need a surprise like that on Valentine’s Day. After all, for those who are alone on the holiday, it can be one of the hardest of the year.
Fill a box with uplifting messages, tasty treats, and other fun little surprises. If you have kids, let them decorate the outside of the box. Then, leave it on a neighbor’s doorstep, ring the bell, and run. There’s really no better way to celebrate a day that’s all about love than by showing it to someone who needs it most.
7. Write your own love story
Take a trip down memory lane together by spending the night writing down (or typing up, if you prefer) your love story. Start from the moment you met until the moment you said “I do.” Not only will this remind you of all the special moments you’ve shared together, it’ll also give your kids (and their kids, and so on) an inside look into your lives before them. When you’re done, you can even send it off to be printed up into a hardback book that will last throughout the generations.
What if you’re spending Valentine’s Day alone?
You don’t need to be in a relationship to have an amazing Valentine’s Day. So, spend the day focusing on your own self-worth. Make all those treats above for yourself. Write down all of the reasons why you’re such an extraordinary person. Try a new recipe, sing love songs at the top of your lungs in the shower. Just remember that we all have at least one person that should always love us, and that we should always love in return: ourselves.
No matter who you spend Valentine’s Day with, you don’t need an expensive meal in a fancy restaurant to make it count. If you just focus on love, you’ll have an amazing day!
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