Image: stock.adobe.com By Natalia

Whether you are in a new relationship, or you have been married for more than 25 years like us, celebrating Valentine’s Day does not have to be expensive or elaborate. It is about authenticity and expressing yourself in a meaningful way in your relationship, at whatever stage that may be and with safety in mind. In this post, we share ideas for celebrating with the entire family, newly dating couples, and long-term relationships without breaking the bank.  

Ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day Safely:

Social Norms: Most women (51%) and men (68%) would be disappointed if they did not celebrate Valentine’s Day with their partner. 

Valentine’s Day at home with the Whole Family 

  • Baking Valentine’s cookies together
  • Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt 
  • Valentine’s Day crafts 
  • Game night (unless your family is super competitive)
  • Family discussion based on Moments Generations card deck 
  • Card or Poker night with wrapped candy or chocolate prizes
  • Karaoke evening with chocolate prizes for the winners 
  • Wear Matching PJ’s

Couples Celebrating at Home 

  • Romantic comedy movie marathon
  • Cook a romantic meal together
  • Order in advance from your favorite restaurant
  • A yummy car date with dessert and music under the stars 
  • Ideas to create a romantic date night at home
  • Dress up as if you are hitting the town!
  • Do not forget dessert 
  • Light candles
  • Break out the china (if you have it)
  • Set the tone with music

Ideas for Long-term Relationships or Married Couples:

Long-term relationship/married – 3 ways to wow your partner at home

  • Use Our Moments Couples to dive into meaningful conversation
  • Load images (or enlist teenage assistance) of your latest travels onto VIDDAY along with a personal video love message 
  • Have the virtual wedding photos, video, or wedding album ready and relive the humorous moments
  • Ideas to create a romantic date night at home
    • Dress comfortably and as if hitting the town
    • Include dessert 
    • Light candles
    • Use china, your best dinnerware, or borrow some
    • Set the tone with music

Social norms: Newly Dating – Ideas to Celebrate without Breaking the Bank

Social Norms from Science 

Many women (85%) and men (76%) celebrate Valentine’s Day with someone they have been dating –  for at least 6 months. 

  • Newly dating? Celebrate without breaking the bank & Covid safe
  • A car date with pre-ordered dessert; listen to music under the stars 
  • Make it game night unless one of you is super competitive! Consider Original TableTopics, Charades, Pictionary 
  • Romantic Comedy movie marathon
  • Cook a romantic meal together
  • Order in advance from your favorite restaurant

Social norms: Serious Dating & Proposals:

Serious dating – Is Valentine’s Day the day to make it official? Social Norms from Science: Proposing marriage

  • Customized marriage proposals are extremely popular and today, with few guidelines about how or when to pop the question.
  • Some days and seasons are just more popular, specifically:
  • Annually, forty percent of all marriage proposals occur between November and February. The top five days in descending order are:
    • December 25 (19% of engagements occur in December)
    • December 24
    • January 1
    • December 22
    • February 14 
  • Historically, some folks used this date as a romantic time to propose with a ring over dinner or in a romantic location.
  • Today, many customize proposals. 
  • Others believe it is too much pressure; they are not ready or do not want to rush a special moment, preferring their own plan.
  • What is most important: make it a meaningful and genuine moment.
  • Social norms evolve and it is a personal preference.

Valentine’s Day will look different this year for most of us; so, let us look at it as an opportunity to shake things up a bit! I hope you can use some of the tips from above to make it your most memorable Valentine’s Day to date. 

Sharon Schweitzer, J.D., is a diversity and inclusion consultant, cross-cultural trainer, etiquette expert, and the founder of Access to Culture. In addition to her accreditation in intercultural management from the HOFSTEDE Centre, she is an attorney and mediator. Her Amazon #1 Best Selling book in International Business, Access to Asia, won a coveted Kirkus Star, and was named to Kirkus Reviews’ Best Books. She’s a winner of the British Airways International Trade Award at the Greater Austin Business Awards.

#SharonSchweitzer, #AccesstoAsia, #AccesstoCulture, #Cross-CulturalTrainer, #Valentinesday2021 #valentinesday #InterculturalCommunication, #InternationalCommunication, #Interculturalist  #socialnorms #modernmanners