It’s really important to remember that Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love in all its forms. This means that as important as it is to show significant others how much we love and appreciate them, it’s equally as important to show your parents, siblings, college friends, work wife and mentors your gratitude. It’s easy to do this with a gift or a card, but it would mean even more if you were able to find a way to spend quality time together to celebrate your special relationships. Here are a couple of ideas for you to make time for everybody who counts.
Write cards together
A really productive and meaningful way to spend time together is to accomplish a task that requires you to sit down and really reflect on why you appreciate certain people in your life. Even if you’re not necessarily writing cards for each other, it can be really nice to think about all the special people in your lives together. Invite your friends over, get some fun pens, turn up the music, grab a few bottles of wine and really make a night of it. It’s inevitable you’ll end up sharing fun stories about all the people in your lives who you love.
Enjoy a spa day with a meaningful woman in your life
Many of us are incredibly lucky to have powerful guiding women in our lives. For some it’s their moms or aunts, while for others it’s a mentor or “work wife.” No matter who it is, these women are really important to celebrate. They have shown us what it’s like to be strong and guided us on our way to becoming our best selves. Show them how much you appreciate them by treating them to some quality, relaxing time together in an indulgent setting.
Have a craft night
One of the greatest feelings in this digital era is getting to use your hands to make something tangible. Even if your friends aren’t particularly creative, this can be a really fun way to explore something you don’t get to do all the time. If you do happen to have particularly creative friends, it can be a great way to have them show off their skills by leading you all in a guided activity. Whatever it is, making something with the ones you love will always be a special thing to share.
Host a potluck
Few things warm the heart like sharing good food with loved ones in the comforts of one’s own home. It can be extra special to share food with the intention of celebrating with loved ones. Assign everyone a dish and then enjoy breaking bread together! You can even make it more Valentine’s themed by providing a themed-dessert or playing a themed-game.
Happy hour with friends
This might seem pretty basic, but it can always be nice to get together with friends for a special holiday. After all, ever since the holidays and catching up on New Year’s goals, it’s likely you haven’t seen everybody you want to yet this 2018. Seeing how Valentine’s this year is on a Wednesday, that’s the perfect excuse to plan to hit up that great happy hour across town that you’ve been talking about with your pals for ages. It’s also perfect seeing as how everyone else is making dinner reservations — you can have some quality time while missing the crowds!
Watch home videos with your sibling(s)
If you’re lucky to not only have siblings, but also live near them, it can be really special to relive childhood memories of mutual torment and terror (as well as joy and laughter) via VHS tape. If you live near your parents, head over to home to share in the sweet memories. If you don’t live nearby, FaceTime together and share your favorite old memories and pictures of when you were young.
Help out a friend with a chore
Instead of a physical gift, often the most meaningful thing you can give is the gift of time. Help a loved one out by doing them a favor and allowing them to make time for themselves. Offer to watch their kids for an evening so they can get out and have dinner with their significant other, or pick-up their dry cleaning or laundry next week to save them the trip. It’s a small thing to do that will speak volumes.