Valentine's Day Ideas - A Month in Advance

You know me! I'm a planner!! Now that I'm working full time again, I'm finding it's even more important for me to plan ahead as much as I can. The days feel a little more manageable when I have my ducks in a row. Granted, sometimes it's a crooked, quacking row, but it's a row!

Having said that, Valentine's Day is a month from today. I know some of you aren't huge fans of the day, and I absolutely had many, many years of being in that boat, so I understand! But if you want to throw a little Valentine's Day décor in your living space, find a unique gift for your love, or plan a little treat party for your friends, family, or even co-workers, here are a few ideas for you. (And you have more than twenty-four hours to put the plan in place!)

Décor:

I know some people like the idea of Valentine's Day décor so they can have something new to look at, but they don't like everything to be all cutesy with hearts everywhere. I tried to find a few ideas that are a little bit different.

I found this wreath on Etsy and love it. The colors are absolutely Valentine's-inspired, but the look is classic. (Plus, I love hydrangeas, so this one won me over with no problem.

If you have some simple red and white pillows (either as part of your regular décor or leftover from Christmas), you can add one love-themed pillow and have a whole new look!

If you want to spruce up your kitchen or dining area, how about a simple table runner that pulls in the Valentine's Day scheme?

Gifts for Your Love:

If you've run out of gift ideas for your significant other, here are a few ones you may not have tried yet!

Maybe it's the radio girl/podcaster in me, but I love soundwave gifts. Have you seen them? You can submit anything from a heartbeat recording to words to songs and get the soundwave printed out to hang in your home.

Being the lover of words that I am, I also adore gifts that involve great sayings or quotes. If you have a special phrase that you never can find on anything...have one made! Here's an Etsy shop that does custom quotes - and if you're not a burlap person, you can pick a different kind of background. (Choice of fonts, too!)

Though they weren't Valentine gifts, Ryan and I really love our watercolor paintings of our homes. They make a really thoughtful gift - so if you're stumped, maybe paying tribute to the home you've made together would be a good idea! This isn't the shop that made ours, but here is an idea for you!

Snacks and Treats:

Valentine's Day isn't all about the food, but it is a day to do a little something special if you can. If you are tired of the same old ideas, maybe these will give you fresh fodder!

If you're trying hard to be good and it's disheartening to come upon the season of chocolate and sugary everything, here's a list of healthy treats you could explore! (Disclaimer: I haven't looked through every single one...yet. But I might be consulting the list for our celebration!)

Fondue is a fun treat for Valentine's Day! (In my single years, I had a Valentine's Day fondue dinner with one of my fellow single friends!) Whether it's a friend party, date, or family party, here are some fondue recipe ideas for you!

Dessert boards (or cheese boards if you prefer) make a great variety-laden snack (or meal!) idea. Here's a dessert board for Valentine's Day, but you wouldn't have to even include this many things if you didn't want to.

Certainly this isn't an exhaustive list of how to celebrate the day; that's what Pinterest is for! But maybe this will get your creative juices flowing.

However you choose to celebrate Valentine's Day, I hope you know you are very loved!