It’s that time of year again. Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. I can already smell the scent of dark chocolate candies, the glass of champagne and a fresh bouquet of roses. Personally, I’m a sucker for Valentine’s Day. Sending and receiving cute Valentine’s grams, munching on as much candy as you please and preparing a nice meal at the end of the day — sounds like a great holiday to me.
Now I know what you’re probably thinking, “the only reason she likes Valentine’s Day must be because she’s in a relationship.” Well, think again. I’m as single as one can be. But I am not about to let my solo act stop me from enjoying a romantic holiday with myself. Want some tips on celebrating Valentine’s Day by yourself? Here a few ways to be your own best date on Valentine’s Day.
Bake some sweets
Bring out your inner sugar rush spirit and treat yourself to a sugary delight. There are so many fun baking recipes out there to try like red velvet cupcakes, red wine brownies, cinnamon rolls, love and kisses cookies and chocolate lava cake just to name a few. Sweet treats never fail to put a smile on my face, and it’s an even bigger flex when they’re home baked. Just to challenge yourself you can go completely rogue and try to fix something following no recipe at all. You just might surprise yourself on your natural baking abilities.
Enjoy a bubble bath
Show yourself some love by sitting back and relaxing in the comfort of your own home. You can pop in a couple of bath bombs, turn on some calming music, pour yourself a glass of your favorite drink, recline and enjoy the moment. It’s all about setting the right mood. If you need ideas on where to start, check out these self-care night essentials so you can make bubble bath night a constant in your routine.
Unplug from the gram
There’s no need to torment yourself by spending the day on Instagram looking at the endless photos of happy couples and Valentine’s Day surprises. Let this be a total “me day” where you can unplug from your social media and focus on doing things that make you happy. Don’t get stuck thinking about societal views on what happiness and love looks like, because truth is, that image is different for everyone. Take a step back from the digital world, look inside yourself and remember that being single does not mean you’re alone.
Have a shopping spree
Use the money that was originally meant for flowers and a bottle of champagne, and put it towards a new wardrobe. You can never truly have too many outfits anyway. Besides, Valentine’s Day in general is a great excuse to get dressed up, so why not have the fit be brand new? Shopping in person may look a little different due to Covid, but online shopping is alive and well. Most stores even have holiday sales going on, so you can buy cute things at a great price.
Treat yourself and go out to a nice dinner
Go all out and be extra AF by treating yourself to some fine dining. Who said that only couples can go out to eat on Valentine’s Day? Gloss those lips, slip on some heels, strut in that dress and enjoy yourself a nice meal at a fine establishment. At first thought it may seem embarrassing or even intimidating to eat at a table for one. But seriously, don’t stress. Being your own date at a restaurant is awesome because you can dress however you want without the pressure of impressing your date. You can order as much as you want without worrying if you may be eating too much. It’s a completely stress free time where you can enjoy a night for yourself, as it should be.
Learn something new
Spend some time learning something you’ve never done before. Let’s be real here, we all have goals in life that we want to accomplish, but it seems like the responsibilities in our everyday lives block us from going after them. Well not anymore. Spend the day trying out something that you’ve always wanted to learn. Maybe you can download Duolingo and learn a new language, go to the neighborhood gym to take a spinning class, go on YouTube and learn how to sew or start reading that book that lies abandoned on your bookshelf. The possibilities are endless.
Self-love
At the end of the day, the most important type of love is self-love. It’s like RuPaul, drag queen and creator of RuPaul’s Drag Race, says, “remember, if you can’t love yourself how the HELL are you going to love somebody else.” Do things that make you feel great about yourself. Maybe that’s practicing meditation, having an at home photoshoot, trying out different makeup techniques or roller skating in the park. Whatever makes you happy, just do it.
Janelle Sessoms
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