Callan Forrester
Valentine’s Day is approaching quickly, and with all of the restrictions in place for social gatherings, planning for the day is trickier than ever. The pressure to have the perfect day with your loved one can be stressful, and though there’ll be no candlelit dinner together in a dimly lit, haute cuisine restaurant, there are still lots of ways to make this year special.
For starters, you can set up your space to make it feel as close to the real thing as possible. Decide on a theme. On Zoom (and most video chatting services), there is a feature in your video settings where you can change your background. Set it up so that both of you have the same backdrop (maybe a beach, the Eiffel Tower or anything romantic you can think of). Then dress the part! It may feel silly to dress up to go nowhere, but it’ll only help set the scene and make your evening as close as possible to a fancy date in a normal year.
The next thing that can help make the day special is to cook together. Choose a recipe that you can both make, and prepare it together over Zoom. Hopefully, this will help you feel like you are helping one another and completing a task together. Make a playlist of your favourite love songs to listen to. If one person shares their computer sound, you can play this romantic soundtrack while you cook!
Once dinner is done, there are many ways to pass the time while you digest. For example, a lot of museums around the world are offering virtual tours of their most popular exhibits. You and your partner could take a stroll through a gallery in Paris without having to leave the couch. If museums aren’t your thing, you could always use Teleparty (a free Google Chrome extension) to stream a movie or show at the same time, while also chatting (just like in a movie theatre, except without the overpriced popcorn). Another activity option, which could be an exciting way to shake things up, is an online mixology class. There are tons of them available over the Internet and it could be a fun way to try something new and gain a unique skill.
Though Valentine’s Day is going to be very different this year for so many couples, it can still be an extremely special day with the emphasis on spending time with each other. Yes, you may have to be apart and yes, you may have to be indoors by 8 p.m., but that doesn’t mean it has to be a throw-away day. With a little adaptation, this year can feel just as special as you want it to.
For a fun Valentine’s Day dessert recipe, check out the next episode of The Valley Vlog, out on Feb. 12!
