In a pandemic, there are still many ways to spend  Valentine’s day. To someone, Valentine’s day might mean spending the day with someone they love. It may also mean buying certain people a gift, like  candy or flowers. To another person, it may be a day where they just chill at home and relax, watching movies. No matter how someone interprets the meaning of Valentine’s day, there is always something to do. Now, since there are not many places to go out on a date this year, Valentine’s Day will be spent  differently. Most people may choose to stay in this Valentine’s Day to keep themselves and others safe. One at home activity is making a DIY (do it yourself) craft or gift to give to that special someone. There are hundreds of Valentine’s Day movies to binge-watch. Also, try a new hobby and bake treats to give to loved ones. All in all, spend this holiday that’s full of love, giving and relaxing with the ones around. 

These days, people have a lot of time on their hands. With that being said, DIY  gifts are a great way to spend this time. DIY gifts will bring a heavy amount of joy to someones life, especially in these uncertain times. They will almost certainly put a smile on someone else’s face. These gifts can be for a significant other or someone in the family.  One DIY gift that you can make is a take-out treat box! It is a spin on traditional Chinese take-out. This combines both cooking and crafting skills, but don’t be scared, it is really simple and definitely something to try!  This DIY was created by H Camille Smith.

“white-chocolate-dipped fortune cookies in a crafty (and cute!) Chinese takeout box. Basic cooking skills and craft supplies are all you need, making this a great Valentine’s Day craft project” (Smith, HGTV, January 26, 2021).

The treat box can be filled with other little treats like Oreos, candies, and pretzels.

Another gift that is perfect for a loved one is a hand-dyed flower bouquet! This takes flowers to a whole different level and will truly leave the receiver speechless. Spike Gillespie states the magic that his DIY brings. 

“Dyeing white or light-colored flowers is a fun way to demonstrate how plant stems work like drinking straws. There’s a magical element, too, as the flowers begin to change color, sometimes as quickly as within a few hours.” (Gillespie, HGTV, January 26, 2021).

He went on to explain that any type of flower can be used, but carnations and roses work best. Also, that white or light-colored flowers will make the colors appear more prominent.

Another trending DIY project is a Spotify (music) song plaque. This is a glass plaque with a personalized picture and a special song underneath it! It can be customized for any occasion!  Using a song that is meaningful will add a special touch to this project. Instead of adding the name of the song underneath the picture, you can add a Spotify code that will take them directly to the song. DIY’s are a great way to send love, and to be original. DIY gifts are irreplaceable and something that may last a lifetime. 

Another thing to do on Valentine’s Day this year is to relax at home and watch movies. Watching movies is a perfect way to make memories and bond with that special person. Anna Chui, a life enthusiast and content strategist of ‘Lifehack,’ created a list of 23 Valentine’s Day movies for everyone to enjoy.  One classic movie to watch is The Notebook by Nicolas Sparks. This movie is a love story between two individuals who are destined to be. This movie has miracles that  last forever. It focuses on an old man telling a story to someone in his nursing home. The main characters of his story are Noah and Allie. They fall in love, but their love is tested by Allie’s parents who dislike Noah. 

“The Notebook is beloved by women everywhere for good reason. Allie (Rachel McAdams) is such a warm and likable character, pursued by the equally charming Noah (Ryan Gosling). Their love story withstands many tests but we realize that it lasts into their old age” (Chui, 2018).

A movie that is more for men is Love and Basketball.  It brings the aspects of two individuals falling in love and sports into one outstanding movie. Chui explains how romantic movies can be hard for men to watch, but Love and Basketball will draw them in because of its underlying sports theme. Love and Basketball is written by Gina Prince-Bythewood. It tells the story of Quincy and Monica, two next-door neighbors pursuing careers in basketball. They end up falling for each other.

50 First Dates by Adam Sandler is a great movie to watch. It combines bother romance and comedy into a stellar movie.  In this movie, Henry meets the woman of his dreams. The only problem is that she has short term memory loss. Henry tries to make her fall in love with him all over again each day. Eventually, she realizes that she is destined to be with him.

Now, here comes a classic. Love, Actually is an essential Valentine’s Day movie. This movie combines eight love stories, each different, but connecting everyone to love. 

“Love Actually follows the intertwining stories of eight British couples dealing with love in very different ways. It’s a romantic comedy and a Christmas film, but its sappiness is matched by genuine and heartwarming moments. It’s impossible to watch this movie without laughing, crying, and falling in love with at least one character! Love Actually may be the best romantic comedy ever written.” (Chui, 2018).

Movies can bring people closer by sharing moments full of emotions. These classic movies will fill the day with love and laughter. True feelings are being depicted and love is truly revealed. 

What is Valentine’s Day without treats? Treats will take this day to a whole different level, and may be essential. When it comes to treats, no special cooking or baking skills to make it memorable and delicious. These treats can be something as easy as chocolate-dipped strawberries or pretzels. They can also be as intricate as cake or cupcakes. Making treats with a special someone will make for great memories. There are several easy treats  to make that will leave someone thinking they were professionally made.

To start off, an easy treat  chocolate-covered strawberries! The materials needed are… strawberries and chocolate! First, place the desired amount of chocolate into a microwavable bowl and heat until melted. Once the chocolate is melted, take the strawberries and dip them into the chocolate. Set aside to allow the chocolate to harden. To add decorations, add chocolate drizzle and candies. In addition to chocolate covered strawberries, chocolate-covered pretzels are very simple to make. They have the same concept as the strawberries, but using pretzels instead. 

Another thing to make is a cake or cupcakes! Box cake mix or a homemade recipe will be just fine. To begin this treat, make the cake according to the box directions or recipe. Once the cake is done, allow it to cool for several hours. Once the cake is cooled, its time to t to frost it. When ready to frost, use store-bought or homemade buttercream. Frosting it in multiple layers will allow fewer crumbs to show. Use pink and red frostings to make it Valentine’s Day themed! For decorating, use heart-shaped sprinkles and chocolates to continue with this theme. To make this special for someone, a personalized message can be added to the front. Writing something like “Happy Valentine’s Day” or “I love You” is perfect.

Lastly, a giant cookie! Making and decorating any type of cookie is such an enjoyable time. First, choose a cookie to make. This could be chocolate chip, m&m, or sugar. Once that’s figured out, find a recipe or go to the store and purchase the desired cookie dough. Then, bake the cookie according to the directions. For a personal touch, get cookie decorating icing and sprinkles.

Treats and baking bring people together. This is exactly what should be happening on Valentine’s day, a day for love!

Some place to go out this year is MStreet Baking Co. in Howell! They have 54 Valentine’s day specials. They include breakable hearts, cookies, cupcakes, cakes, chocolate covered Oreos and pretzels, candy jars, drinks, macaroons, cake pops, edible cookie dough, chocolate-covered bacon, donuts, cookie decorating kits, chocolate charcuterie boards, sugar cookie fries, hot cocoa bombs, truffles, and cannolis. Liz Wood, a worker from MStreet Baking CO, explained the process of ordering because of covid-19. 

“order as soon as possible, but preferably at least one week out” (Wood, M Street Baking Co., January 26, 2021).

At this time. they are open for walk-ins but just to order, no dine-in. They have dozens of treats to choose from, and something for everyone. They have treats that can be made at home or have a special touch inside. 

  “Our Breakable Chocolate Heart is a great gift for Valentine’s Day! It is unique and you can get it filled with chocolate-covered strawberries or unfilled to put in your own treats or unique gift underneath.” ( Wood, M Street Baking Co., January 26, 2021). 

The breakable chocolate heart is a chocolate shell filled with 6 chocolate strawberries, or you can choose for it to be filled with a special gift. The chocolate shell comes in three colors: pink, white, and dark. The cost can vary depending on if it is filled or not. The filled version cost $55 and the unfilled version costs $30.

Calling all Cheesecake lovers! Another option for a Valentine’s treat is MStreet Baking Co.’s  ‘Cheesecake for Two.’ Its cheesecake with graham cracker crust, fresh-made whipped cream, and fresh strawberries.This dessert can feed up to 6 people! The cost of this is $30.

Although there are several different treats to choose from, one that combines a sweet treat and a fun date is their Valentine’s Sugar Cookie Decorating Kit. This kit comes with 12 heart-shaped cookies, 3 bags of variety sprinkles, 2 piping bags with colored icing, 1 tub of buttercream. This special costs $35.

MStreet Baking Co. has many different treats that anyone would love! They have something for everyone. You can never go wrong with something from here. For more information on all of their valentine’s day specials visit https://www.mstreetholiday.com/order-now/valentines-day. 

Valentine’s Day is a special day for people all over the world. Everyone celebrates this day in their own way. No matter how its celebrated, this year try personalizing this day with DIY gifts and homemade desserts. Spend the day safely, at home, watching movies. 

DIY Instructions: 

White-Chocolate-Dipped Fortune Cookies (Take Out Box) 

https://www.hgtv.com/design/make-and-celebrate/handmade/valentines-day-kids-craft-white-chocolate-dipped-fortune-cookies

Material needed: white chocolate chips,  fortune cookies, candy heart sprinkles, microwavable bowl, wax paper, chinese take out box, colored felt sheet (light and hot pink), chopsticks, tacky glue or felt glue, scissors, pencil, small pieces of paper, chip brush. 

Step 1: pour chocolate chips into microwave safe bowl and place in microwave on low, stirring frequently until melted. 

Step 2: dip fortune cookie into chocolate and place on wax paper. While chocolate is still wet, press candy hearts onto the chocolate. Continue until you have enough. 

Step 3: create felt heart/arrow: fold small piece of paper in half then draw half a heart. On two other pieces of paper, draw the tip and tail of an arrow. Cut these out. Use these as templates and trace the heart onto the hot pink felt and 2 arrow tips and tails onto the light pink fely. Cut these out. 

Step 4: use chopstick to mark where you want it to enter and exit. Use scissors to make slits at marks. Heart and Arrow assembly: slide chopstick through holes, and glue the tips and ends of the arrows. Allow glue to dry. Brush glue onto the back of the heart and place onto the takeout box. 

Step 5: Fill the box with goodies! 

Hand-dyed Bouquet

https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/landscaping-and-hardscaping/how-to-create-a-hand-dyed-bouquet

Materials Needed: cut flowers (roses/ carnations), food coloring, water, scissors, tall glass, protective covering for work surface, vase (optional)

Step 1: Prepare color baths: add a couple of cups of water to tall glass, add a few squirts of food coloring (20-30), stir. The darker the color the better, repeat for each color

Step 2: immerse flower stems: use scissors to cut the flower stems at an angle, drop stems into water, may have to add more water. Full color may not develop until 48 hours later, remove when satisfied with color and arrange in a bouquet. 

Spotify Song Plaque 

Materials needed: Glass (buy a picture frame and take out the glass!), Paint pen, Printed picture, Song printed onto a sheet of paper (make desired size).

Step 1: Glue picture to glass at desired height. 

Step 2: Place paper with song behind the glass and line it up underneath the picture

Step 3: Trace the words with paint pen and let dry!