Valentine’s Day Ideas – Gifts, Activities, and Fashion
Photo by fragglerawker
Ah, Valentine’s Day. Every year the same thing – couples love it, singles loathe it, Hallmark makes money, and mass amounts of chocolate and candy get eaten. Yawnnnn.
Contrary to popular believe, Valentine’s Day isn’t just about consumerism – it’s about those you love how much you care. Spice Valentine’s Day up this year and celebrate in style! With a little creativity, this can be the best V-Day ever.
Whether your relationship status is attached, single, or “it’s complicated”, If you need some ideas for what to wear, what to do, or what to give your loved ones, I’m here to help.
What to Do on Valentine’s Day
If you’re single, dress up and go out on dancing by yourself or with a bunch of your girlfriends. Laughingly reject every guy that comes up to you, or go the opposite route and see how many numbers you can pick up.
Buy yourself some Godiva and don’t feel guilty about polishing more than one piece off. Everyone deserves good chocolate.
If there’s a cute boy in your life, get him to pick up Chinese food while you supply the DVD’s. Have a movie fest on the couch and boycott the whole Valentine’s Day dinner date thing.
Go to the top of the highest building in your city at night with someone special. Don’t live in a city? How about a walk on the beach, or a romantic picnic on a rooftop? Too cold? Stay in and make a blanket fort, 1st grade style.
Unattached this year but craving some bling? Who says you can’t buy your own? Tarina Tarantino makes some amazingly girly pieces that you’ll want to give to yourself.
What to Wear on Valentine’s Day
Smudge some bright lavender eyeshadow like MAC Beautiful Iris around your eyes instead of eyeliner. It’s unexpected and so pretty with every eye color. Finish with lots of mascara.
Incorporate a little bit of pink or red into your outfit (a fuchsia scarf or a fire-engine red bag are two possibilites), or boycott the entire concept and wear lots of black. There are no fashion rules for V-Day, so wear what you want!
Wear bright red or hot pink lipstick. Why? Because you can. Stick to warmer (peachy, orangey and coral) shades if you have a tan or olive skin tone, and go for bluer, more purpley reds and pinks if you’re fair-skinned or very dark skinned.
Sport a dress with bright purple tights. Add rocker-chick appeal with a pair of badass ankle boots.
Put on a candy necklace and try to avoid eating it for as long as you can.
Dress up for a fancy night out, even if you’re just going to stay in with some friends. Just because you aren’t going out, it’s no reason you can’t look amazing.
What to Give on Valentine’s Day
Read my articles Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas: For Your Boyfriend and Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas: For Your Friends.
Give an edible gift to your candy-addicted friend, like a paint can full of Hershey’s Kisses from Dylan’s Candy Bar. This is definitely the gift I’d like to receive most.
Bring someone flowers – whether it’s your man, your BFF, or your mom! Or get crafty & save money by learning to make a bouquet of origami flowers.
Go traditional & get your boyfriend an Orient Watch – they’re classic and stylish – perfect for the guy who has everything.
If you’re rolling in money, a red iPod Shuffle makes a fabulous gift for the music guru in your life.
Give kisses! They’re always appropriate on Valentine’s Day, and even better, they’re free.
What are your V-Day plans?
Now that you’ve seen some of my Valentine’s Day ideas, I’d love to hear yours!
What are you doing to celebrate? What gifts are you giving, or are you just going to spoil yourself? What will you be wearing while you do it?
Posted on on February 12, 2009 / Filed Under: College Life / Tags: Dating, Gifts, Holidays, Ideas, Inspiration, Life, Valentine's Day
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mara
Such a fun post! i love Vday :)
Unfortunately my boyfriend and I attend different schools and he won’t be able to come home
So i’ll be spending the 14th at work
But luckily serving on valentine’s day = lots of cash
la petite fashionista
i’m treating myself this valentine’s day.. going out with the girls to our favorite bar and wearing lots of red :)
also, baked a bunch of sugar cookies and delivered them to my friends today. I don’t think it needs to be such a couple-y holiday:)
Janie
Haha, my friends are such nerds… I heard that several of them, who share a suite, are writing torrid love stories about each other and exchanging them on Vday. They’re supposed to be short stories, with an element of romance in them, centering around one of them as the main character, and an additional genre (like contemporary Western, pirate, ninja, etc.). They’re bugging each other about details about their dream guy, like what do you feel about peg legs and parrots? Hahaha! It sounded like such fun that I’ve decided to one too! Best of all, it’s free AND thoughtful! And you can have so many laughs that you forget about being single!!!
Kristen
I’m knitting a hat for my bf. I didn’t make much progress on it today, but it’s looking pretty good right now. I need to finish it soon!
We were going to go on a hike and have a picnic, but it’s raining. We cook dinner together pretty often, so I’m not sure what a good alternative would be. We’ll figure something out!
Maria
Nice Plans! This time I was thinking to celebrate V. Day bit different, so I was searching for Free Gifts online for V. Day. This is because I don’t want to spend even a single cent this time due to financial crisis, so I found Vopium which is offering Free International Calls on Valentines Day with some FREE SMS, I am quite happy, So I’ve decided to Celebrate my V. Day with Vopium :)
molly
My man and me are going to the boathouse for some paddle boating and then a picknick in the park! im so excited
Jonas DeSantis - DeSantis Fine Art Jewelry
Unlike previous Valentine’s, this year is going to be different. We will be staying home and I will be treating my girl to a home cooked gormet meal. She’s going to love it.
katrinagee
since me and all my girlfriends are single ladies this year *cue single ladies by beyonce’* lol.
we’re gunna have a “Hugh Grant Night”. yes, our date is the perfect man, WITH english accent! <3
we’re gunna make margaritas, and stay in and talk about how much we hate valentines day!! hahahah we actually call it “Eff V-day Night”. hehehe
k
thanks for the post! I usually dont have any grand v-day ideas =/ I’m going to go on a date, pick up a gift, and send my gfs and mom a little handmade card. This year i’m giving my home made cake with chocolate covered strawberries.
im going to wear a white knitted dress with brown leather boots, just trying to keep it simple.
Lupe
This is a great artical thanks, now i know what to get my friends for V-day and not to sit around the house being bored on V-day, but my one best and only friend lives in another country, i live in mexico, and i cant really get her anything to you have any ideas what to give a friend whos far away, and not just for V-day but for birthdays or something too.
Marie
I have ordered a digitally printed photo pillow with both of us
free dating sites
This advice is really going to help, thanks.
Larissa
Well, hi. I read religiosly the articles in here everyday. I was looking for an tip for what to give for my boyfriend, cause we’re gonna make the first year together. And between letter, perfum and cute fur hearts, I though CHOCOLATE! The thing is: I don’t live in USA, I live in Brazil, South America, and the site you showed this post only deliveries in USA. So, please please please tell me that you know about a site with equally lovely candy for Valentine’s day! Send me an e-mail or something.
Thanks! :)