Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, but it isn’t for romantic lovers only. Valentine’s Day is also a day to remember ALL the love you have in your life, which includes your wonderful family and friends. For this reason, Valentine’s Day is my favorite holiday. I just love that here is a day devoted solely to the expression of love.
The latest coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has forced many people to socially distance themselves from others to prevent viral transmission. Even if you feel isolated from your friends during this tough time, you can still spend time with them safely over the Internet. If you and your friends feel healthy, you can try getting together in person, but be sure to limit your group size and the amount of physical contact between you.
This is the typical single way to spend Valentine’s Day with friends, but it’s popular for a reason! Even if you aren’t single, pick a night during “Valentine’s Week” and gather up all your favorite cheesy romantic movies, tons of snacks, and of course tissues. What better excuse to re-watch The Notebook for the millionth time?Stay in and watch a few great movies from the '80s or '90s. Or watch all of the Harry Potter movies (really ambitious). Make snacks and get out all the cozy blankets.
Valentine’s Day is a sweet tooth’s dream holiday! Take advantage of all the yummy goodness that is around by hosting a tasting party. While an in-person bake-off may be on hold this year, you can still put your skills to work by baking a Valentine's Day dessert to give to your besties.Or cook, grill or bake your comfort food. You can actually find a lot of imitation recipes on Pinterest if you’re interested. Maybe you can even try to be more daring and cook your favorite dish from your favorite restaurant.
Remember how much fun it was in elementary school when you got a ton of Valentines from each of your classmates every year? I do! I work with kids so I’m constantly reminded of how much fun this was. Every year I buy a couple packs of cheesy kid’s Valentines featuring my favorite characters and give one to almost every single person I know. It’s really fun to give them out throughout the day; it really puts a huge smile on people’s faces! Plus writing them out the night before is really fun. This will be a great Valentine’s Day with friends idea to put a smile on all your friends’ faces!
A virtual game night is an evening of shared delight provided by online games that include anything from professionally hosted virtual trivia nights to classic board games that just got virtual makeovers. Whether you’re living alone or have a family with children, a great way to stay connected while having fun is playing games. Play games like Monopoly or UNO online, or break out the best board and card games and play together via video chat for a virtual dinner party.
It may be impossible to go to the movie theater or invite friends over for a movie night when you’re social distancing, luckily, there’s a way around that. While on a video call, you and your friends can pick a movie and then start it at the same time. Or there are popular apps such as Netflix Party that allow you to view movies or shows simultaneously. While you’re watching movies set in iconic locations, you can think about planning a trip for after the quarantine is over.
You may not be able to dine together with people under the same roof, but we can still come together at the dinner table like we used to 50 years ago. There are quick and easy dinner dishes you can make out of cans or pantry staples. Make the same dish as your loved ones, cook it together via video chat, then sit down together and have a catch-up session as you dine.
In the days of social distancing due to the coronavirus pandemic, you might be bored and trying to think of things to do now that you’re spending more time at home. It’s hard to invite friends over or visit family members, but there are many ways around this obstacle. In this age of the internet, it shouldn’t be too hard to think of creative ways to stay connected with family and friends while social distancing. Stay inside, far away from the February chill, and plan a fun date night that's more affordable and more memorable than any restaurant dinner. And while that might sound boring, it's actually the perfect excuse to plan a special indoor date or family activity. The more thought you put into the day, the better.
