Save Valentine’s Day With These Last-Minute Gift Ideas

(StatePoint) Valentine’s Day is an age-old tradition, and it falls on the same day each year, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve planned ahead for the occasion.

The good news? There are more thoughtful ways to spontaneously express your love than ever before, thanks to new digital tools. In addition to the classic options, like flowers, you might consider treating your loved one to their favorite meal via a delivery service like Door Dash or Uber Eats, or sending them a heartfelt, customized video greeting with SmashUps from americangreet- ings.com.

If Valentine’s Day catches you by surprise this year, fear not. These days, mean- ingful, creative gift options that can be delivered in hours, or even seconds, abound.

Chase Those Winter Blues Away

There’s one sure-fire way to get through winter and fight the blues: Think spring. This is the perfect time to start planning for warm weather.

Here are some ideas:

Plan a garden,whether that means pots on your balcony,a bigger space in your yard or a spot in a community garden. Send for catalogs and lay out your plans on paper.

Meanwhile,a green plant or two in your living space can help you think “spring,”as well as cleaning the air. (If you have pets,be sure you can put the plants where they can’t get to them.)

Design the perfect cruise or vacation. Check online for information,but go through a local travel agency,as it’s safer than ordering anything online. For adventures closer to home,ask the senior center if it is planning any local trips.

Investigate warm weather volunteer work,such as assisting with Habitat for Humanity. Not all of its work involves heavy lifting.

Meanwhile,staying active now is a good way to fight any depression while we get through the winter. Think “new.”

Look for new places to walk:malls, local high-school gyms,other neighborhoods.

Study something new. Check a local college to see if there are classes you can audit. Find a new author and borrow books from the library. (Reference librarians love the question,“What do I read next?”) Check classes in pottery or stained glass and get a head start on next year’s Christmas gifts.

Join or start a group that exchanges recipes,reads selected books,does photography,plays with animals at the local shelter or rents weekly videos. If there’s a hobby you’ve wanted to try,winter is a good time to start. Take advantage of all the information on the Internet,either on your own computer or one at the library.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions,but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible.

Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service,P.O. Box 536475, Orlando,FL 32853-6475,or send email to columnreply@gmail.com.

Catch a Chill, Catch a Cold?

DEAR DR. DONOHUE:My friend and I have an ongoing discussion about how we catch colds. I believe the only way is by being exposed to a germ. My friend agrees, but also says you can become chilled, and that results in a cold. Please settle this once and for all. — L.G.

ANSWER:The only way to catch a cold is to meet up with a cold virus. But let’s kick this around a little while it lies there quivering.

Rhinoviruses are responsible for many colds. This virus is passed from one person to another most often via the hands and fingers. An infected person invariably will have virus on his or her hands and fingers. If that person touches another person’s hands or fingers,the virus is transferred. All the second person has to do is touch his or her nose or eyes and the virus has found a new home. (The drainage channel for tears siphons viruses into the nose.) It’s also possible to spread a cold through sneezing or coughing,but that’s a secondary route.

Many colds are preceded by a body chill. That’s part of the infection symptoms,and that might be what your friend refers to.

Once a virus lands in a person’s nose, the time till the development of cold symptoms is short — eight to 12 hours. Runny nose,nasal stuffiness,scratchy throat,cough and sneezing are typical symptoms. They peak in 48 hours and are gone in about one week. A person is most contagious during the first three days of symptoms,when nasal discharge is at high volume and when it contains the most viruses.

If by “chilling”your friend means being in a cold blast of air or getting your feet wet in frigid weather and shivering as a result,she has a slight point. That kind of chilling constricts the nose’s blood vessels and decreases mucus production. It might,therefore, permit cold viruses to mount a more effective attack and can contribute to the ease of catching a cold. All the same,without the virus there is no cold. ***

DEAR DR. DONOHUE:I am 34 and have been jogging for 10 years. I do it year-round.

I’ve noticed this winter that my knees feel stiff before I run. They don’t hurt during the run or after. Could this be a sign that I’m getting arthritis? — B.C.

ANSWER:It’s not likely that at age 34 you’re coming down with arthritis. It’s more likely a weather thing. Cold weather thickens joint fluid. That makes joints stiff. Warming the fluid by exercise relieves the stiffness. ***

DEAR DR. DONOHUE:As a calorie counter from way back,will I lose weight if I eat 1,500 calories a day? How about if I eat 1,200 calories one day and 1,800 the next? — K.T.

ANSWER:If you burn more than 1,500 calories a day but take in only 1,500 calories,you should lose weight. You can still lose if one day you take in slightly more and the next day slightly less. You can count the calorie deficit over a week’s time.

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Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters,but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando,FL 32853-6475.