I have never been much of a Valentine’s day kind of person. For one, up until about four years ago, I had always been single on and around the month of February. I celebrated Single’s Awareness day, doing things for myself and hanging out with my other single girlfriends. So maybe I celebrated a little. But I do not necessarily see the utility in taking a specific day to celebrate love or loving someone; I try to show love regularly on non-holidays. Now that I am married, we still don’t really care for Valentine’s day. The man and I do not need much of an excuse to do nice things for one another, and we are budget kind of people. However, he surprised me with a quirky date night which was so fun and thoughtful that it made me think about Valentine’s dates that would be different but fun, whether you are single or sharing the day with someone.
Go to an art gallery
In a lot of cities there are arts-based events, open galleries, etc. Go to one. On the 3rd Saturday of the month Silver Street studios opens up the gallery to feature local artists work but they also offer food and alcohol.
We met the artists that were showcasing and snacked on Old Fashions and beautiful edible art flatbreads. Not only was is really interesting, but it was also free. And I got to practice my photography.
Visit a market
I love markets! Farmer’s markets, art markets, vintage flea markets. This is weird to say because I hated them as a kid. This is a great way to support local business and discover good food, wine, and other items while meeting the maker.
You can walk around and shop, maybe get together some items for a picnic basket and then go to a park nearby and have a cute, locally sourced picnic. This is also a cheap activity. Are we seeing a pattern here?
Channel your inner nerd
We are a nerdy couple into manga and anime. This year the man surprised me with an Anime meet up at a Japanese cosplay store in Houston’s New Chinatown.
The theme for the month was my favorite anime, Sailor Moon (does anyone else love Sailor Moon?) and we walked around and chatted with other anime nerds. It was so much fun. Then we walked around the strip mall where the store was and found a hole in the wall Chinese restaurant where the employees spoke very little English and we had to point to what we wanted. Then we tried out one of the many boba places. It was the best.
There are plenty of ways to celebrate Valentine’s day in a creative way that is pocket-friendly. Do you have any quirky dates that you enjoy?
Love and Light,
~S
Shardé Searches 