A day in the year with romance in the air… and everyone is staying inside.
Valentine’s Day this year will be different from the times where going out to eat, catching a movie, or even taking a walk out in the park were open to the public.
So what is there to do when there aren’t as many restaurants or public spaces open to spend some quality time with your special someone?
HerCampus LB has some ideas for you that are pandemic-friendly, perfect for a date while still staying socially distant from spreading the coronavirus. These ideas are ideal for any couple that is just getting to know each other and meeting through a dating app, or online, or if you are quarantining with a partner in the same household.
For more information on the safety precautions provided by the government of Ontario, you can find their more up-to-date information here. Be sure to follow the restriction regulations and precautions in your area.
Here are 10 date ideas to do with your boo this Valentine’s Day in the pandemic:
- Scavenger Hunt
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Get your hunting gear on to get ready for a special Valentine’s Day scavenger hunt! For this date, make a list of 10 items or so for your partner to find in their room or home. Things that could be included are a coin, hairbrush, spoon, etc. The choices are endless! This is something you could definitely be creative with and as inappropriate as you two are comfortable.
- Social-distancing Walk
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Good for the couples that are comfortable with an in-person level of contact. It also does make for a good excuse to get out of the house! Take your date out to your favourite trail or hiking area and go for a stroll during the day! Bring some games, snacks, some beverages and sanitizer, of course.
- Video Call and Dinner
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A dinner and a movie while practicing social distancing, this is a safe call for any date. Arrange a time to get your date on a video call, get a meal fixed up for yourself and an outfit together as if you two are going out to a dinner date! Even though it’s a different experience from eating out, there’s nothing like sharing a meal at home with some good company. Plus, there’s no badgering for the bill at the end!
- Cook the Same Recipe Together on FaceTime
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If you want to show off your refined cooking skills from having to make more home cooked meals, this is a great way to not only show off, but, bond with your date. Find a recipe you both want to try or both like. Then, buy all the ingredients in advance and follow the recipe together on date night. And voilà, you have “Valentine a la social distance”.
- Order Food For Each Other But Don’t Tell Them What You’re Ordering
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Maybe the cooking skills still need some work, but this is what delivery is for! With apps like UberEats, SkipTheDishes and DoorDash make this really easy and simple to get food right at your fingertips. If you really want to surprise your date, order them food but don’t tell them from where or what it is! But of course, making sure it’s something good and that they will like. Spontaneity is the element to a spicy romance.
- Netflix Party and Call
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Another good date idea for keeping your distance but still wanting to spend a night in with good entertainment and good company. Call up your date via the phone or video and pick a Netflix show or movie you want to watch! Of course, you might have to share account details but only if they’re special. Otherwise, pressing play at the same time works too!
- Surprise Them with Flowers or Gifts
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Call the local flower shop and send flowers to your secret admirer! If you can’t decide which flowers to get, read this article by ExpressUK to figure out the right kind of flowers to get them. If flowers won’t do, gifting your love a special Valentine’s Day will be sure to surprise them as well. GoodHouseKeeping has a list of gifts under $100 to get your boo this Valentine’s day from Amazon! Receiving gifts is considered a love language and if this is your Valentine’s love language, this will sure speak volume’s to them about how you feel.
- Playing Board Games Online Together Over Video Call
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What’s more fun than playing board games together for a date night! Even better to keep it socially distanced by video calling them as you two play! SysTweak has 15 of the best board games you can play virtually either online or through an app. Good for a bit of hot competition and winning over your sweetie’s heart!
- Rock-Paper-Scissors 4-Course Meal Challenge
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This idea was inspired by the #4CourseMealChallenge on Tik Tok that’s gone viral. If meeting-up with a partner with safety precautions considered, you two are to play 4 rounds of rock-paper-scissors to decide the beverages, appetizer, main, and dessert. The winner of the rock-paper-scissors of each round gets to choose the choice of place for each course. This makes for a fun date idea to get takeout in a pandemic when restaurants may be closed for dine-in. Surely, the local businesses in the area could get behind it!
- Date for One
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The best kind of love you can give is to yourself. Why not be your own best date this Valentine’s Day and treat yourself to a warm bubble bath, with some lit candles, rose petals along the bathtub, and a good movie. Perhaps some bubbly as well! Self-love is just as important as shared love as you deserve to be treated with as much tender, love and care as anyone else.
These are 10 Valentine’s Day date ideas for spending quality time with your sweetheart in the COVID-19 pandemic. Share this article with your Valentine to let them know which date idea you think would be fun!