Valentine’s Day is approaching, and both couples and singles are looking ahead with varying levels of expectation and dread. We’ve collected a handful of ideas to get you through the international day of love unscathed.
By Bertie Alexander
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Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
Don’t spend money, spend time!
Don’t spend money, spend time! Chocolate and wine have become staples of the modern Valentine’s Day. Instead of spending money on gifts, spend it on activities that you will be able to look back on and smile. In place of a trip to the Lindt store, stay home, scrub up, and make your own chocolate. Leave the Sauvignon Blanc in the fridge, and arrange a romantic evening vineyard tour.
1/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
Spritzers and Spies
Spritzers and Spies: With the 25th instalment in the James Bond saga hitting screens in April this year, Bond Fever is already upon us. Spruce up smart, shake yourselves a couple of martinis and find a glamorous – and slightly suspect – haunt to spend a night of innuendo and espionage.
2/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
Trip to Hogwarts
Trip to Hogwarts: Potter-fanatic or not, who would not want to spend an evening in the Hogwarts Great Hall? At the Warner Bros. Studios in London you can get woozy on Butter Beer and Love Potion, and cast a spell of romance on your partner with your very own wand from Ollivanders.
3/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
Teenage Kicks
Teenage Kicks: Few of us would want to relive our teenage years, but hopefully there are a handful of amusing adolescent memories to savour. Why not take a stroll for one night only down Lover’s Lane? Listen to a mix tape of your teenage favourites and recount regrettable first exploits into the world of romance. (Reading extracts from any teenage diaries collecting dust in the attic is a bonus.)
4/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
Go Retro
Go Retro: In the same vein, avoid the vapid sentiments expressed in today’s pop and take your partner for a night of swing dancing (very much on its way back in.) The more traditional types might prefer to go see a barber shop band; the more hipster, an evening of scruffy skiffle.
5/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
Returning to the Chapel
Returning to the Chapel: Already married? Don’t wait for the anniversary to celebrate your matrimony. Pick up a cake similar to that had at your reception, buy a nice bottle of champers and boogie all night to the tune of your first dance.
6/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
For the Love Birds
For the Love Birds: There are a handful of theories as to why the Day of St Valentine has become a celebration for romantics. One of them is the slightly drab reasoning that birds are known to pair in mid-February. Take the day back to its roots by planning a day of ornithology; perhaps followed by an evening spent in your very own pre-made love nest.
7/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
Catching the Worm
Catching the Worm: Why do the festivities have to begin in the evening? Buck the trend and set the alarm to wake up early. Prepare a thermos of tea and find an optimum spot to watch the sunrise.
8/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
DIY
DIY: Avoid the expense and crowds of restaurants on Valentine’s Day and instead stay in and cook for yourselves. Disputes over the amount of spice to be used and who forgot to set the timer will only bring you closer together.
9/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
Morning Montage
Morning Montage: Those really struggling with ideas can look to the romantic comedy 50 First Dates. Most of Adam Sandler’s meticulously planned attempts to woo Drew Barrymore fail. So skip the first fifty dates, and instead take inspiration from the touching end to the film and wake your partner with a video montage of your time together.
10/12
Culture
Valentine’s Day Survival Guide.
For those unaccounted for …
For those unaccounted for: In ever increasing numbers, singletons are gatecrashing Valentine’s festivities. Party cities such as Las Vegas and Amsterdam are holding more and more anti-Valentine celebrations, denying entry to couples and forbidding the colour pink. Don’t stay at home crying into your glass of Chardonnay while watching Fatal Attraction: put on your dancing shoes and celebrate being alive and single! Who knows, you may even find a bird to pair with.
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