Are you faced with spending Valentine’s Day alone this year? You can still have a great day if you follow my solo Valentine’s Day guide!
I’m not a single girl anymore, but I used to be. And even many years into marriage, I still spend Valentine’s Day without my husband occasionally. He works an odd schedule and sometimes he’s not available to be my Valentine. In years when this happens, I don’t get down about it. I revert back to my solo Valentine’s Day plan because it was fun!
If you’re a single lady this Valentine’s Day or you are looking at spending Valentine’s Day without your significant other, you can still have a really nice, love-filled day. Simply follow my solo Valentine’s Day guide! It includes four main areas of focus – simply pick one thing to do in each focus area and you’ve got yourself a great solo Valentine’s Day! Options for making it yours are below.
Solo Valentine’s Day Guide
Self-care
I would argue that no Valentine’s Day is complete without self-care, whether you’re spending it solo or with your Valentine. Valentine’s Day is about love, and we can’t love others until we love ourselves. Cheesy, I know, but true!
The benefit of having a solo Valentine’s Day is that you’ll have more time to devote to your Valentine’s Day self-care. We could all use more self-care, so don’t squander this opportunity to show yourself some love!
Beauty service
If you’re faced with a solo Valentine’s Day, go ahead and make yourself an appointment for the beauty service of your choice. Massage, facial, haircut, manicure – pick your poison!
Home spa time
If you can’t get an appointment for a beauty service, or you’d rather save your money, do a little at-home self-care! Give yourself a manicure with my favorite Dashing Diva Gloss Color nail strips, draw a bath and let yourself make the most of it with at least a book and a beverage, or pop a heating pad in the microwave to soothe your aching shoulders.
Flowers
As Miley Cyrus made so abundantly clear, you don’t need anyone to buy you flowers, you can buy them for your own darn self! It’s amazing how much a simple bouquet of flowers can lighten the mood. They’re just so cheery! My favorite place to buy myself flowers is Trader Joe’s. If you have a Trader Joe’s near you, their flower selection (and prices) simply can’t be beat!
Small gift
If flowers aren’t your thing, you can also buy yourself a little Valentine’s Day gift if you’re having a solo Valentine’s Day. Buy that new pillow you’ve been eyeing or those earrings that will upgrade your style without breaking the bank. Keep it manageable price-wise so you don’t tip over the edge into feeling guilty about it. A solo Valentine’s Day might not be the best time to gift yourself a Louis Vuitton, for example.
Solo activity
If you’re planning a fun solo Valentine’s Day, you should definitely plan an activity. Don’t leave time for wallowing, ladies!
Movie
When I was a single lady on Valentine’s Day, I always put on my very favorite pajamas, busted open a pint of Ben & Jerry’s Coffee Heath Bar Crunch, and parked myself in front of a romantic comedy. It was a nice Valentine’s Day ritual that gave me something to do and let me shake my head at the impossibly unrealistic way in which romantic love is portrayed in movies. If you want to go this route, the cheesier the better! Might I suggest The Wedding Date? A very under-appreciated rom com from the early 2000s, if you ask me.
Hobby
If you’d rather do something a bit more active on your solo Valentine’s Day, set aside some time to work on one of your hobbies. Read a romance novel (I’ve been loving Lucy Score books lately), pull out your scrapbook or junk journal, or start a new cross-stitch – whatever your current hobby is, devote some time to it. If you want a hobby and don’t currently have one, you might want to consider these low-effort hobbies that you don’t have to devote a ton of time to enjoying.
Exercise
If all else fails, take some time to exercise on Valentine’s Day. It’s never a bad idea to get your blood pumping. Whether you fire up a YouTube workout video, go to the gym to pump some iron, or head to a hot yoga class to sweat the stress away, exercise is a worthwhile way to spend your time on Valentine’s Day.
Food
Food is the highlight of every day in my life, but that’s especially the case when I’m celebrating a holiday. If you’re having a solo Valentine’s Day, the good news is that you don’t have to consider anyone else’s preferences when it comes to what you’re eating to celebrate. You can have exactly what you want!
Takeout
My preference for food on Valentine’s Day is and always will be takeout. Dining out is a shitshow on Valentine’s Day, and cooking for one just feels depressing. The good news is that most really nice, delicious restaurants have a thriving takeout scene on Valentine’s Day. If you want the fancy meal from the fancy restaurant you can have it. From the comfort of your own home and your own sweatpants. If you’d rather have wings or a heart-shaped pizza, those are easy to come by too.
Sweets
Valentine’s Day isn’t Valentine’s Day without something sweet. This is true whether you make or buy yourself a sweet treat or a sweet treat is made or bought for you.
If you love to bake, this is a great opportunity! Choose something rich and chocolatey for the ultimate Valentine’s Day treat. Need a recommendation? These nutella brownies can’t be beat. Either can this flourless chocolate cake. Just go to Sally’s Baking Addiction and browse until you find something that speaks to you. I’ve made most of her recipes and they’re all fantastic!
If you don’t have the time or desire to get in the kitchen and whip up something sweet for yourself, head to the bakery and go wild. The grocery store will work in a pinch, but I really recommend that you try to stop by your local bakery. These folks are insanely talented bakers who are also trying to run small businesses. Your support will mean the world to them! If you’re local to Pittsburgh, you can’t go wrong with Signature Desserts. Everything is divine!
Spread love
Just because you’re anticipating a solo Valentine’s Day this year doesn’t mean you won’t have opportunities to spread love. Spread it far and wide, folks. What the world needs now is love, sweet love. Maybe more than it has needed it in a while.
Card
When I was routinely spending Valentine’s Day by myself in my 20s, my favorite way to spread love was to send Valentine’s Day cards to people in my life. I would send a card to my parents, my best friend, and other friends who were also single ladies. This is a simple thing you can do to that will make a big impact on your Valentine’s Day and also on your card recipients’ Valentine’s Days.
Volunteer
Why confine your spread of love to just people you know? Really get the love flowing by volunteering in your community. Find your local soup kitchen or animal shelter, donate your professional services, or support your local immigrant community (times are tough for these folks, y’all). To really set the Valentine’s Day mood, bring along some heart stickers with you. Literally no one will turn up a nose at a heart sticker.
Girls’ night/Family night
If you have friends or family nearby who are also planning on a solo Valentine’s Day, band together! Host a dinner party or Galentine’s Day bash. Go out for drinks. Pile a ton of blankets on your couch, pop some popcorn, and dial up a movie for the kids in your life. Valentine’s Day fun doesn’t have to be romantic – platonic and familial love is love too!
Other posts
Looking for more Valentine’s Day inspiration? Check out these posts to make the most of the day of love:
I hope you’re feeling good about your solo Valentine’s Day now. If you are spending it without a romantic partner, what are your big plans? Share below or over on Instagram @sarainseason!