Oftentimes, we forget to plan ahead and as Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly, it seems all the dinner reservations are gone, so we’re left to get creative and plan a Valentine’s Day night in. Luckily, we’ve got some great tips for creating a romantic date night at home for Valentine’s day. Some are simple, and some are splurgy, but when it comes to creating a cozy night in, sometimes all you need is a fun cocktail or a new candle to make the evening feel a little extra special.
1. Put on a classic rom com and cuddle up on the couch
Sounds easy, right? Well, yes, yes it is. But, it’s all about creating a romantic, new ambiance in a space like your living room that you probably spend time in everyday. Fluff the couch pillows, tidy up the coffee table, maybe buy a new throw blanket or candle to spruce up your space. Need romantic comedy suggestions? Here are some of my favorites: 13 going on 30, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Enchanted, Clueless, Pretty Woman, Moonrise Kingdom, Princess Diaries, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, The Prince and Me.
2. Make homemade heart shaped pizzas or try a new recipe
Whether you’re a great chef or usually order takeout, making something new or baking up some heart shaped goodies with a loved one is a great Valentine’s Day activity. It might be a little bit cheesy, but so is Valentine’s Day, so throw some extra cheese on it! We’re not in the pizza recipe development business, but here’s a great recipe by Kristyn Merkley at Lil Luna you might want to check out! https://lilluna.com/heart-shaped-pepperoni-pizza/
Not into pizza? Not everything has to be heart shaped on Valentine’s Day! Just pick something you and your partner or kids might like and give it a go. There’s tons of great recipes out there that’ll make the night extra special. One of our favorite places to go to find new recipes is A Farmgirl's Dabbles.
3. Mix up a specialty cocktail for that someone special
Ordering a festive cocktail or mocktail at a fancy restaurant is great, but it can be even more rewarding to make the fancy drink yourself! Not a mixologist? No problem, we like to keep it simple. Here are three of our favorite Valentine’s Day themed cocktail recipes you must try! Whether you’re treating yourself to a nice V-Day for yourself or you’re trying to impress a new crush, these cocktails are sure to hit the spot this love day.
4. Don’t forget the dessert
Who doesn’t love a little something sweet at the end of the evening? This little touch wraps up the evening like a kiss at the end of a first date. Grab a bar of specialty chocolate or splurge and get that cookie dough ice cream - you deserve it! Not into sweets? Maybe try a night cap or a bottle of dessert wine to top off the night with.
5. Dress up your dinner table with fresh flowers
Maybe you’re wanting flowers from your significant other, but I say you can never have too many flowers, and if they end up forgetting to get you good ones, well at least you got some for yourself. Look up your local florists and see if they have same day pickup, or just grab some that catch your eye at your local grocery store. Flowers don’t last long, so don’t overthink it! I like to separate a bouquet into a couple small arrangements so I can have several little bursts of color and joy scattered throughout the house to brighten up a couple rooms.
6. Buy your favorite scented candle and light it (or try incense cones)
You’ve got all the senses down, now all you need to do is find the perfect Valentine’s Day scent. We love lighting incense cones at our house, here are some of my favorites:
Candles are great too! There’s so many to choose from, you can just pick up a new one at your local Target or grocery store. Or, if you have the time, find a local boutique nearby! Boutiques always carry the best smelling candles and they often have other little Valentine’s day goodies you won’t find anywhere else.
7. Write someone a love note
Unlike the pizza, this may be too cheesy for some of you, but love notes are a sweet fun activity that requires little effort. It could be as simple as exchanging cards, or you could find a prompt or list of questions and share your answers with your partner. If this is too cheesy for you, well, skip it - it’s the last tip anyway!
