Valentines Day 2021 is almost upon us and it's fair to say that this year it's going to look a little different for most us!
With the UK in the middle of a national lockdown, just how can we find a way to celebrate Valentines Day at home when we're juggling working from home, home schooling and managing our mental health through a global pandemic?!
It would be easy to think that it just can't be salvaged this year, but I disagree. Lockdown through the winter is tough and I'm sure I'm not alone in thinking that everyday feels very much like Groundhog Day - so one way to combat this is to go a little extra on celebrating events wherever we can.
I know that I'll certainly be making a much bigger deal out of Pancake Day this year than I usually do! And Valentines Day is the perfect opportunity to do something fun and out of the ordinary.
Here are my top 5 ideas for celebrating Valentines Day in lockdown.
1) Have A Valentines Themed Brunch
This is one that we'll be doing ourselves and I'm really looking forward to surprising the family with it.
I'm a firm believer that Valentines Day doesn't need to be about romantic love only - it should just be about love in general! And for me that means including the whole family.
So I'll be laying out a special Valentines Day Brunch - I've picked up a red tablecloth, some rose confetti, Valentines themed party plates and cups, and some heart-shaped bowls to set the scene. We'll feast on heart-shaped chocolate chip pancakes, and I'll set up our mini chocolate fountain with a buffet of dipping options such as banana, strawberries and marshmallows. The kids are going to love it!
2) Leave Surprise Love Notes
I've picked up some heart-shaped post-it notes, and I plan to surprise everyone in my family by leaving them dotted all around their beds - each with reasons why I love them written on.
I think it'll be a really cute sight to greet them when they wake up on Valentines morning and it's minimal cost too!
3) Have A Romantic Dinner At Home
This one seems obvious, I know - but the good thing about having Valentines Day in lockdown is that lots of restaurants and bakeries are offering At Home Valentines In A Box options.
We usually go for the typical M & S Valentines Dine In Deal every year, but I've seen SO many great offerings from local businesses this year so I think we'll try something different and make an evening of it - lay the table, get dressed up and finish off with a romantic black and white movie.
I've seen everything from heart-shaped giant sharing pasties and pies, to elaborate 3 course lobster dinners on offer - the hardest part is going to be deciding which to go for!
4) Spend The Evening Star Gazing
If the weather permits it, then what could be more romantic than setting up a picnic blanket outside, wrapping up warm and snuggling up under a blanket to share a bottle of wine under the stars?!
5) Have A Home Spa Day
This is something that my partner and I actually did ourselves a few weeks ago after a particularly stressful day with the kids.
Once they were in bed, we put on our dressing gowns and set about pampering ourselves for the evening. My partner isn't usually the spa type but he let me put a face mask on him and we laid down on the bed together with cucumber on our eyes, and enjoyed a guided meditation from YouTube. We lit some scented candles, and let ourselves just spend some time relaxing - it was bliss and would be such a lovely way to spend Valentines evening!
I hope these ideas have given you some Valentines inspiration, how do you plan to spend the day?
COMPETITION
If you're looking for a way to make Valentines extra special this year, why not take a look at this great competition from The Flower Shops - they are offering one lucky winner the chance to win 100 Roses Delivered!
All you need to do is send a photograph of yourself with the person you love the most, and explain why you think that person deserves 100 Roses - it's that simple!
To enter the competition or find out more, just take a look HERE
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