Things This February

A month that symbolises sincerity and adoration must be filled with acts of appreciation for our loved ones. Typically Valentine's activities are based around significant others, but there is no reason why our friends and family can’t be on the receiving end of our amity.

“You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you”

Jane Austen

1) Letters of Appreciation: handwritten notes, although seem outdated, are very effective in expressing your feelings towards your loved ones. You can incorporate core memories, photographs, drawings, and quotes!

2) Movie Night: select a few movies that interest you and the people you will be celebrating with, and then discuss your reasons for enjoying the film. Post movie discussions can be quite enlightening as they serve as an opportunity to understand others better

3) Annotations: if you and your valentine both have a love for reading, pick out a book that interests them and annotate it with your thoughts in one colour Once you’re done, give it to them so that they can annotate it in a different colour. The difference in ideas will serve as a chance to better connect with one another

4) Homemade Picnic: cook some food and pack a blanket for you and your friends! Go to a place that means a lot to you all and have a meal there. Games such as UNO, JENGA, and Cards are also great ways to increase conversations

5) Flower Crowns: Flowers are a large aspect of Valentine's Day, and can sometimes become overbearing. Instead of giving someone a bouquet of flowers, you could make them a handmade flower crown; this will make the gift personal and add sentimental value to it.

6) Painting: instead of canvas/paper painting, change it up this year by painting on tote bags and T-shirts!

7) Pottery: does your family member have an unhealthy relationship with caffeine? You can go to a pottery class and learn how to make the perfect coffee mug for them! While it does take practice, it will be a very cherishable present for them.

8) Bracelets: use morse code to make bracelets for one another; this way you can write a