Having long being cursed as the day to single out singles, Valentine’s Day has had a bad rap. This Valentine’s day take the time to celebrate the spirit of love with all. Take the time to prepare a home cooked meal with your family, make time to call a distant relative you know is alone today, do some Valentine’s themed activity with your grandchildren, or share a kind word with a stranger. The opportunities to show affection and kindness are endless.
To get you started, here are a few ideas from AARP’s article “Make the Most of Valentine’s Day or Any Day"
Throw a party for couples who have been married as long as you. Celebrate with your closest friends who have also been in a long-term relationship. Make it a potluck dinner with the proviso that everyone brings a romantic food. At the table, everyone should talk about their first impressions of their partner — and when they knew he or she was "the one." It should be a very sweet dinner party.
Have a Valentine's Day party for your grandchildren. Help your grandchildren make Valentine cards, play checkers with chocolate and red hearts or go on a hearts scavenger hunt. Older grandchildren? Take them out for a special dinner or make your own ice cream and finish it off with an array of fabulous toppings of their choosing.
Spend a day at your city's "lesser" museums. Almost any city of some size has museums you never visited or heard of. If you are a visitor, see if the city has volunteer tour guides to help you locate these hidden gems. Exploring such places as the Scandinavian Museum, the Chinese history museum or Wooden Boat Museum, etc., might have some delightful surprises in store for you. Then pick one to give a donation to in your partner's name.
Go to a poetry reading. You might not be able to create deathless prose for your partner — but perhaps you can listen to it together. Go to a play at your local Shakespeare company, find a neighborhood poetry slam (competitive poetry reading) or check out other literary events in your local newspaper. Buy your partner a collection of poetry from Edna St. Vincent Millay, W.H. Auden or E.E. Cummings, or ask an online poetry group for a recommendation and check it out. Copy your favorite poem for your love and present it in a frame.
Have a picnic in your living room. Pretend you are in the great outdoors — but have familiar plumbing nearby. Create a picnic basket filled with finger foods and other goodies you don't have to get up and get from the kitchen.
Go ballroom dancing. You might be surprised how romantic and fun it is to twirl around with your partner on a dance floor.Take a lesson and, if you enjoy it, keep the passion flowing with a whole series of lessons. If ballroom isn't your thing, try line dancing or the Texas Two-Step.
Get artistic. Just about every large city (and many small ones) has a store that offers you the chance to take a plain piece of pottery, paint it, fire it and admire it. Sure, it's usually kids there — but aren't we all kids at heart? Another way to express your love and inner artist is to try a free online expressive drawing class. Your work of art to each other may not land in the Louvre — but it will be a fun experience and a memorable gift.
Read the article here.
