Buongiorno, bella! I hope you’re having a very merry Valentine’s Eve!
Originally a pagan fertility festival integrated into a celebration of Christian martyrdom in the name of marriage and true love [read more on that here!], a lot of people loathe Valentine’s Day as a holiday manufactured by Hallmark, to sell trite greetings cards, make lovers feel under pressure to fork out for flowers and chocolates, and leave single folk feeling desperate and alone. Ugh! When you look at it like that, the whole thing does seem pretty hideous.
But then again, why not put on your Sparkles & Crumbs spectacles and see the holiday in a slightly different, sunnier light? I was super-inspired by my impressionante friend Annmaree when she said:
“I just choose to see Valentine’s Day like any other holiday: as an excuse to celebrate! I go all-out, and I send all my little nieces and nephews Valentine’s cards! Why wouldn’t you see it as a chance to have fun?”
Hear, hear!
So, take a leaf out of Annmaree’s book, and stop taking Valentine’s Day so seriously [and cynically!]! Really, what is there to hate about a holiday that celebrates flowers, chocolates, and letting the people you love know that you adore them? Mi piace the idea of creating your own quirky little traditions, to rejoice in this romantic Saint’s Day in the most light-hearted of ways – here are some of my favourite DIY suggestions, from sweet and simple to fiddly but fabulous:
- Get as into decorating your house as you would for Christmas – create a floating heart backdrop or a glitter garland…
- Or go all out and construct a Valentine’s Day fort! Not for the faint-hearted… but isn’t it incredible?
- Fill balloons with confetti – then bring them into the office!
- Speaking of balloons, surprise your lover by stuffing them into the shower or their wardrobe!
- Make your own Lush-style bubble bars, or some heart-shaped bath bombs.
- Make your Valentine breakfast in bed… and serve them heart-shaped egg on toast!
- …Or go super-luxe and feed them raspberries you hand-painted gold.
- Stealthily love-bomb your beloved’s lunch-time oranges and bananas with tongue-in-cheek stickers!
- Are your loved ones far away? Get crafty and send them a Valentine’s care package!
- Cupid-pimp your shoes with some homemade glitter heart clips…
- And your phone charger, too!
- Give yourself [or your best friend!] a Valentine’s-themed manicure.
How are you going to celebrate the Feast of Saint Valentine, sweet ones? The Boy and I will be sampling some Hotel Chocolat truffles and catching a showing of Breakfast at Tiffany’s at the Arts Picturehouse! Swoon!Whether you indulge in arts and crafts or some shameless consumerism, I hope you have a wonderful holiday, dearest reader. And don’t forget to check back tomorrow for some Valentine’s treats and special offers!
Love, learning new languages and slices of lemon xxx
