Valentine's Day Ideas 2014: A Dozen Last Minute Ideas and Activities You Can Still Do
Valentine's Day is just around the corner and you may or may not have found something to give to your loved ones.
Regardless of whether you plan on spending the day with a significant other, a friend, or even a family member, there are plenty of options to make the time memorable. If you completely forgot Valentine's Day this year, you might feel as if there is not enough time to do anything or plan anything. But despite the fact that Valentine's Day is just two days away, we can still find a way to come up with some fun activities and ideas for Friday night. What makes it even more exciting than planning ahead is how spontaneous it can be to come up with ideas at the last minute -- or two days in advance. If you're someone who likes to plan ahead most of the time, this can be a memorable way to shift things around for once.
Regardless of whether you've been planning for a long time and just want some extra ideas or whatever your situation, you've come to the perfect place. We'll be providing a list of Valentine's Day ideas for you and your loved ones to enjoy come Friday night.
1. Go to that special, memorable spot -- If you and your significant other have a particular location -- perhaps the place where you two first met -- this is a perfect time to revisit it. On the flip side, if you're partaking in Valentine's Day festivities with family members or friends, you could head to your favorite hangout spot and spend some time together.
2. Turn your phone off and go for a walk -- This may sound simple and obvious when you're looking to spend time with someone, but we use our phones so much that it could be easy to forget. In order to spend some quality time together, switch off the phone and enjoy the time with the person next to you as you take a stroll.
3. Go on a spontaneous vacation -- There is not much time left to plan but that doesn't mean you can't come up with a spontaneous adventure, especially since Valentine's Day falls right on the weekend this year. If you have a car, you could take a short overnight trip to a local city. If you take public transportation, you could take a bus or train to a nearby city and explore somewhere new with your significant other.
4. Host a Party -- Maybe some people want to use Valentine's Day as an opportunity to host a party since it falls perfectly on the weekend, just in time to unwind from the long work week. Whether you decide to have other friends over or even family members, this could be a great way to catch up with everyone who is closest to you.
5. Dress Up -- Even if you don't go to any fancy place, it could be fun to dress up and go somewhere while you are dressed at your best. If Valentine's Day marks some sort of anniversary for you, you could make it an annual thing to dress up on the special day.
6. Make a Homemade Gift -- Jimmy Kimmel made a funny joke on Tuesday night when he told everyone to make sure they stop by the store on their way home from work on Friday, clearly referring to people who might wait until the last second to pick up a card. However, if you take the time ahead of Valentine's Day to create something homemade -- maybe get a special picture framed or make a homemade, handwritten card -- these things are seen as much more meaningful considering the time and effort it took.
7. Find some chocolate -- What would Valentine's Day be like without chocolate? We would never know because chocolate is just quite simply a staple of Valentine's Day and it's always important to make sure you pick some up -- unless you are allergic. Whether you are alone, with your significant other, or with your family, you can always pick up chocolate and indulge.
8. Go out to dinner -- There will be plenty of other people out and about on Valentine's Day too but you could find a place to eat with that special person and then nobody has to worry about cooking any dinner. Plus, if you pick a new restaurant that you've never been to, it can be a nice memory to have in the future.
9. Have Dinner Right At Home -- Even though it is nice to get away from cooking, you could make this homemade dinner in a completely different way than you usually do on other boring weekdays. Set the table nicely and it could become a Valentine's Day tradition each year. You can feel like you're at a restaurant when you're actually just in the comfort of your own home.
10. Buy a special gift -- People can exchange gifts whenever they want -- it doesn't just have to be on birthdays. Try to think of something that your significant other or friend or family member would want and maybe you can even share it together. Whether it is tickets to a show or a game or even plane tickets, you can do whatever it is together and enjoy an entirely new experience to remember.
11. Jewelry -- Regardless of whether or not your significant other is a man or a woman, jewelry can be a great gift idea. A nice watch would be great for him or her or you could look into getting different jewelry as well. Take some extra time to look ahead of time to make sure you know you're making the right purchase when you're ready.
12. Gift Card -- A gift card can go a long way in giving someone the chance to select exactly what he or she wants. To make things easier, you could find online gift cards or you could just run down to the store and choose from different racks of gift cards on display. For some people, the more broad the gift card is, the better -- this way there is more freedom to choose whichever is preferred. But if it is more specifically narrowed down to, say, one activity, it gives your loved one a chance to enjoy something that he or she may not splurge at any other usual time.
Of course, there are many more tops and gifts you could come up with for Valentine's Day -- especially the ones that are personally catered to you and your loved one. Even if you don't pick any of the ideas listed above, you could still try and spark an idea of your own based on what you see.
On the other hand, perhaps you're somebody who never wants to take part in Valentine's Day festivities and instead you just want to relax by yourself for the evening with a snack and some great lineup of movies.
If you are already settled into your annual routine for Valentine's Day, what is your favorite Valentine's Day tradition or activity? Let us know in the comments section located below.