Happy Valentine's Day!

Hey everyone! Welcome back to YLC blogs and happy Valentine’s Day! Today is one of my favorite days of the year because today is the day all about spreading the love! I know you might be thinking “well, I don’t have anyone to celebrate with...” and if you’re one of those people, I’m here to help! A common misconception about Valentine’s Day is that it’s a holiday to celebrate the romantic relationships in our lives, and while that is true, it is also a day to celebrate the love we have for our friends, family, and even strangers. For some of us, Valentine’s Day is more like Palentines Day. So, whether you are boo’d up or single as a Pringle this Valentine’s Day, here are some Covid-19 Friendly ways to spread the love today.

For the Lovers:

Wanna celebrate your partner a little extra today? Here are some cheesy Valentine’s Day shenanigans for the hopeless romantics!

• If you live with your partner, a simple date night in would be the perfect romantic gesture this Valentine’s Day! You can spend some quality time together cooking a meal and cozying up indoors with a movie or television show while you eat! Sometimes it’s the simple things we really need to appreciate when we celebrate with those we love!

• I don’t know about you, but a scrapbook is one of my favorite things to make to preserve memories and look back on later. You can print out pictures with a printer at home or at your local Walgreens! I love getting together all of my favorite pictures and craft supplies to make a cute and creative scrapbook! It’s a super fun activity to do with your partner, and you’ll have a collaborative creation to look back on and remember your favorite memories together! 

For the Pals:

Wanna show a little love to your bestie for the restie? Here are two super fun ideas for you!

• Ever wanted to go on a road trip or vacation, but it seems out of reach? Well, I have the solution for you this Valentine’s Day! Take a virtual tour of your dream vacation country with your Buddy or Bestie! Who better to experience a fun vacation with than your best friends? Set up a zoom call and screen share the virtual tour to experience the magic together, and who knows? Maybe you’ll get some new ideas for the real thing! 

• This year, me and my besties are doing a Secret Valentine. We used a hat to mix up the names and assign each person a secret Valentine! This is super easy to do with an online generator if meeting up in person is not an option for you. We are gonna exchange our gifts masked up and socially distanced later tonight to reveal the secret valentines! If you are unable to meet up socially distanced, don’t worry! You can drop off the gifts that you made or bought at their door and open them together virtually over your preferred video-chat method!

For the Fam:

Wanna thank your family for all the support and love this Valentine’s Day? Here are two ideas so that you can show some love to your family!

• Do you and your family love sweet treats that the whole family can enjoy? Well I’ve got just the thing for you! My sister loves to bake, and if your family is anything like mine the whole lot of whatever she bakes will be gone in a day. A family bake off is just the solution so that everyone can get in on the action and bake their favorite treats! If you can’t be with your family in person this Valentine’s Day, don’t worry! Set up a device in the kitchen so that you and your family can bake off virtually this Valentine’s Day. 

• If you live with your family, Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to spend some time with your family and watch a movie! Rom-Coms are definitely my favorite for Valentine’s Day, but if that’s not your style pick a movie you and your family will all love. It’s less about the movie and more about spending some good quality time together!

For the Stranger:

Feeling like brightening up a Stranger’s day today? Here are two ideas to spread the love to those in your community! 

• Lurie Children’s hospital accepts Valentine’s cards around this time of year for their patients. If you have some free time and love to be creative, making a cool card and sending it to your local Lurie Children’s is sure to brighten up a kiddo’s day this Valentine’s Day! 

• One year, my friends and I printed out silly Valentines cards from the internet and handed them out around town. You can do the same this year by going to a local store or community center and handing out these cute printable Valentine’s to those who walk in and out. If you're gonna take up this activity today, make sure you’re masked up and socially distanced when you’re not handing out Valentines! My community loved it, and it definitely brought joy to a lot of peoples day! Spreading the love with a simple gesture of kindness is a great way to celebrate Valentine’s Day! 

I hope these ideas give you some inspiration on how to celebrate this Valentine’s Day! If you use any of the ideas be sure to comment on today’s post and share how you spread the love, we’d love to hear about it! Have a safe and happy Valentine’s Day everyone!

-Madi