Let’s face it . . . everyone has an opinion on Valentine’s day.

Either you’re goo goo ga ga over the whole thing and can’t wait to get that heart-shaped box of chocolates from your honey and have rose petals already picked out to spread on your bed, or you reject the whole concept of this “made up Hallmark Holiday” and find it a time for coupled people to feel pressure to create the perfect date, and for single people to feel terrible about themselves in the face of their singledom.

But one thing is for sure, and that this month of February is known to be the month for LOVE. And whether or not you’re in a relationship, I’m a huge fan of love.

It is everywhere and it is everything and can sprout up in really fun and unexpected ways, and that is the sentiment I’m using to write this article for you today. The unexpected and fun things we can do to show ourselves, our friends, our loved ones, and our partners love on this Valentine’s Day.

Almost all of these ideas can be done alone, with friends, and/or with your significant other.

So let’s hop to it and have the most fun and unconventional Valentine’s Day ever, shall we?

20 FUN (and Non-traditional) VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS

• Go to an animal shelter and play with the animals
• Watch a movie at a Drive-In
• Make a vision board of how you want your lives together to be in the future
• Write a letter to your “future selves” at www.futureme.org. Write a letter to your loved ones to be sent to them one year from now.
• Make up a cocktail (and name it after your loved one/s) and make it for each other
• Go for a horseback ride
• Pick your favorite TV show and binge watch a bunch of episodes
• Go on a date to reenact the first time you met
• Take a class together (cooking, dance, art, etc)
• Make a video for each other telling your partner (or friend or loved one) the top ten things you love about them and then watch the videos on the big screen together while eating popcorn
• Read to each other from your favorite naughty book (for friends, if you don’t want to go the naughty route, you could do MadLibs together or read funny poems)
• Do a photo shoot of each other
• Soak in a hot springs and if you don’t have one near you, find a place where you can rent some time in a hot tub
• Go to the gun range and shoot guns
• Go to the airport and close your eyes and point to the board and book a ticket for the first flight you see
• Have a picnic in a park
• Craft beer or wine tasting (or better yet…learn to brew your own beer)
• Pay an artist to come do a sketch of the two of you (great place to find someone like this is at a local college)
• Go camping and if you can’t get to a campsite, pitch a tent in your own backyard (or living room)
• Find an open mic night and read something for each other.

BONUS ROUND!

Since we’re all about the senses here at The Girl Who Knows, let’s do a sensory inspired round. Here are some more ideas to throw into the hat!

SEE

Eye gaze. This is one of the best way to non-verbally communicate love to one another and the practice is super simple and really cool

SMELL

Follow this awesome DIY guide to making your very own scented candles.

HEAR

Go hear your favorite band play and if they’re not playing, find them on vinyl and have a listening party.

TOUCH

Learn to give a great massage and give one to your partner or loved one.

TASTE

Pick out five of your favorite foods and blindfold your loved ones and have them guess what they’re eating.

FEEL

Try to guess what the other is thinking. I know this might sound weird but here’s how you do it. One of you sits across from the other one and thinks of a color. “Send” that color to the head of the other person and see if they can feel into what you’re thinking.

Well my lovies…there you have it! 26 unconventional valentine’s day date ideas for your sig other or your friends. And DO TELL . . . which of these is your favorite? Any in particular that you want to try?

And remember, whether or not it’s a Hallmark Holiday, it is always a good time to celebrate love and the people in your life that mean the most.

Wishing you all a sparked and fun season of LOVE.

Getting my camping gear ready (and bringing a naughty book)!

xo
Sally

Photo by Femke Leemans