You’ve decided you’re not going out for Valentine’s Day this year. You procrastinated a little too long, and every decent restaurant in town is booked. Sure, you could wait an hour for a table, but who wants to kill the romance like that? If you’re anything like me, that would probably just make you and your date cranky.
So you’re making dinner! Congratulations. That’s a great idea. But, you don’t really know what to make or how to make it any different than anything else you’ve ever made. Or maybe you’ve never cooked at all, and this is your first real try. Keep it simple.
Don’t worry. It’s all about the feel. You could make grilled cheese in the shape of a heart and heat up some Campbell’s tomato soup, which isn’t the most ambitious menu (and that’s OK), but as long as you’ve got the right mood set, you’re good to go.
Maybe you don’t want to or don’t have the resources to set the table all fancy with a table cloth and plates that aren’t plastic, but you could put on some music and light a scented candle or two (if you do this, make sure they’re the same or complementary scents, obviously. If you’re keepin’ it classy in your dorm room on the hill and you’re not into rule breaking, consider candle warmers. Also consider the type of music you put on— “Ni**as in Paris” may not really be the vibe you’re going for, even if they are in the City of Love).
And if you’re horrible with playlists and you don’t have any candles, you could wear something festive… if you’re into that sort of thing. If not, at least you’ll look cute, right? That’s the least you could do for this special evening.
So those are all of the superficial ways to make your at-home Valentine’s Day super great. But really, it’s all about appreciating the person you’re with, right? As long as you enjoy the company of your date and make a little extra effort to show you care, what could go wrong? Maybe you burned the grilled cheese and the tomato soup expired last year, but as long as you’re enjoying your romantic evening, what’s it matter? Some places make heart-shaped pizzas, so there’s always that for backup. You were both craving pizza anyway.