Thinking Outside the (Chocolate) Box for Valentine’s Day

By Crystal Cobert-Giddens

Pssst…Valentine’s Day is on a Tuesday this year. You may need to plan something for the weekend before Valentine’s Day. As in 10 days from now. Need a little help?

It doesn’t matter if you’re single, in a relationship, somewhere in between or just looking for something to do with your best friend. Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be flowers and boxed chocolate or dinner and a movie. I have a bunch of unique Valentine’s Day ideas, from a backyard bonfire with gourmet s’mores, to a scenic train ride…with lots of ideas in between!

Is food your thing? Skip the fancy dinner and plan a picnic in your living room or a pizza cook off in your kitchen. Are you the outdoorsy type? What about a drive up the Adirondacks or down to the Catskills followed by a scenic hike or lunch in a little café?

How about a cool afternoon date at a local brewery or cider distillery? Order some munchies, request a beer/cider flight and try something a little different. If you don’t want to go out, you can go to your local store and buy everything for a home version of a brew flight! Make sure you buy cheese, pretzels, maybe some stone ground mustard, sausages and kielbasa and all the things that go with beer or cider.

When was the last time you made breakfast in bed? Make sure the room is clean, the bed has beautiful, soft linens and fluffed pillows. Try to find one of those breakfast trays, and if you can’t find one, a serving tray or even a cookie sheet covered with a tea towel will do. Cloth napkins are always a plus and so are nice dishes. You can stop off at any second hand store and buy a few mismatched pieces of china for less than $3.00. If you don’t have champagne glasses, pick up 2 (even if they don’t match) at the same store. While you’re there, look for heart shaped pans, cookie cutters or mini treat molds. If you can’t find any, your next stop should be a home goods store or a big box store that has a kitchen department. There you can find cloth napkins, candles, cupcake liners and heart shaped pans. You can find cards too…or you can write a love note on pretty paper and leave it next to their pillow.

I love homemade, heart shaped waffles. Served with fresh strawberries or raspberries and whipped cream? I’m swooning! But, what if you don’t cook? No worries. Frozen waffles will do!

How about mini bagels and cream cheese? Homemade egg sandwiches on sourdough bread with bacon and cheese? Yogurt parfaits served in martini glasses is a beautiful and light breakfast. It’s usually just berries, maybe some sliced banana, yogurt and gra nola, layered in a beautiful glass and served with a small spoon. One of my favorites is plain, French style yogurt with fresh blueberries, a drizzle of honey with a little spoonful of lemon curd on top, garnished with shaved almonds.

Now, queue up some jazz or coffee house style music, brew up some coffee or tea, gen tly open up the bedroom curtains and bring your person breakfast in bed. I guar antee, you will watch them melt into relaxation mode.

Are you and your significant other bookworms? Grab your person and head out to your local book store. Make sure you have a little notepad or 2 pieces of scratch paper and two pens or pencils. Once you park the car, take a piece of paper and pen or pencil and hand the same to your partner. Tell your person that you both have assignments today. Each of you need to write down 5 topics that interest you, book styles that you enjoy read ing, or titles of books that you’ve been wanting to read, but haven’t had time.

As an example, my list would look something like this: 1. How to start gardening in a greenhouse. 2. Making Mexican food from scratch. 3. 5 minute journaling . 4. Is there a new book from J.K. Rowling? Daily med itation in the form of poetry that isn’t by Rumi.

Now fold your paper in half and hand it to your partner. Don’t look at the paper yet! Set your watches and choose a place to meet when you’re fin ished. Give yourselves an hour to find a book that your person would like, go inside, read your partner’s paper, purchase a book and keep it hid den in the bag until you get back in the car. Then, exchange books! You’ve probably learned something new about your partner, you will have a memory to treasure and a memento (your book) to keep forever.

Other ideas include going to a boutique chocolate store or old school ice cream parlor. How about bowling, ice skating or a roller skating adventure! Skip the flowers and buy a cool potted plant like a Monstera or a huge air plant! Schedule a couple’s massage or try the famous baths in Saratoga. Create a spa themed night at home complete with robes, slippers, face masks, a rom com movie, some light tapas (lots of recipe ideas are on the internet) and spa waters or spritzers.

What will you do this Valentine’s Day?

Crystal Cobert Giddens, FACES of Saratoga, 55 Beekman Street, Saratoga Springs, NY - 518-396-7403