A night in doesn’t have to mean a night without fun.
Happy Valentine’s Day! While you prepare your chocolates and gift baskets for your partner, you might worry about what you’ll do on the big day. Will you go out? Have you budgeted for that? Where will you eat?
There’s no need to worry, as staying in for some quality time can be just as fun—and sometimes more—than going out. You can create the perfect night in with your loved one with everything within reach.
Bake some sweet treats
Whether you’re making Trader Joe’s heart-shaped cookies or putting together a charcuterie board of sweet treats, Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to do some baking. Decide on a recipe together, delegate tasks, turn on some of your favorite music, and enjoy.
Build a fort
Dorms and apartments can feel cramped and hard to navigate or plan an evening in. It’s cold outside and you want to bundle up with your partner while making the day special. Build a fort! Drape blankets over chairs and (turned-off) lamps, pad the ground with pillows, and add any stuffed animals you might have. Bring your laptop inside and enjoy a movie while feeling cozier than ever before.
Watch a terrible, niche rom-com
A clear choice, rom-coms are one of the reasons that Valentine’s Day is as popular as it is today. But there’s so much further you can go with it than the obvious choices. Why watch quality flicks like You’ve Got Mail or 13 Going on 30 when you can watch clunkers like Serving Sara, or Love Stinks? One of my favorite ways to find these gems is by going to free websites like Freevee, Roku, Tubi, etc., scrolling to the very bottom, and seeing what you can find. Whether you’re with your partner or a group of friends, bad rom-coms bring people together in a beautiful way.
(Bonus points if the movie has less than 10% on Rotten Tomatoes.)
Arrange your own bouquet
While you’re on your Trader Joe’s run beforehand, don’t forget to grab some flowers. Sure, there are premade bouquet options, but you can also buy smaller bunches of various flowers and arrange your own for half the price and double the meaning. Find your partner’s favorite flower and pair it with the flower of their birth month for that something extra.
Do seasonal crafts for one another
There’s no shortage of craft stores in the Boston area, so there’s still time to grab any supplies you might need for any festive crafts. Check out this list of Valentine’s Day crafts that will inspire you to make that perfect gift for, and with, your partner.