Love it or loathe it, The yearly celebration of love is upon us. When I was younger, I used to dream of the day I’d have a partner to spend it with, and yet every year we find ourselves stuck on how we should spend it, pressuring ourselves to have the perfect “Valentine’s Day.”
What I have come to realise is that there is no one perfect way to spend the day and it is about finding what is right for you and your partner! Don’t let the pressure of social media convince you that you have to have the most Instagrammable day or the biggest gift.
Valentine’s Day should be about sharing your love with another person, whatever that looks like to you! I hope this list provides some inspiration for ways you and your partner can spend Valentine’s Day this year.
Valentine’s Day In Leeds
Leeds is a city bursting with fun things for you and your partner to do on Valentine’s Day this year. Whether you are the type who likes to be wined and dined, or perhaps you prefer getting involved in fun activities with your partner, this list is just a few ideas of how you can spend the day incorporating both!
- Brunch
Leeds is filled with fun, quirky brunch restaurants that would be a perfect way to start your Valentine’s Day. Some of the best brunch places I have tried are If Up North (Call Lane), Olive & Rye (Briggate) and my absolute personal favourite is LS6 (Headingley Lane). All of these restaurants have amazing options for vegans and veggies and are reasonably affordable on a student budget!
2. Take a Romantic Walk
Not every date idea has to end up costing a fortune. Often, when my boyfriend visits me, we love to go for a walk around the pretty parts of Leeds. Some of the best places to visit include Roundhay Park, Kirkstall Abbey and the Meanwood Trail. Cute, long walks are a really easy way to connect with your partner, and they don’t have to cost you a thing!
3. Day-date activities
Some of the best dates are those where you have spontaneous fun with your partner. Some fun and affordable ways to spend your Valentine’s Day in Leeds could include a trip to Junkyard Golf Club in The Light, a trip to the cinema at Vue The Light or Cardigan Fields, or testing your intelligence in The Great Escape Game Leeds. Another really fun and affordable day date could be taking a trip to the Leeds City Museum or the Leeds Art Gallery.
4. Dinner and beverages
My favourite way to spend Valentine’s Day is probably with dinner and drinks. Some of the best and most affordable restaurants I have tried for date nights include Signature in Headingley, or Nation of Shopkeepers in the city centre. For a slightly more expensive meal, you could try Tattu in the city centre, Mowgli, or The Ivy. Leeds is also brimming with cool bars; for a classy drink, try Dirty Martini or Be At One, or for something a little different, try
Pixel Bar, which serves drinks and games.
A few general date ideas
If you aren’t spending Valentine’s Day in Leeds this year, here are a few ideas on how you can spend the day regardless of where you are!
- Prepare a romantic meal together.
Lots of stores offer amazing meal deals that you and your partner can cook together at home! Some of the best are the M&S Valentines deals, which are around £20 for a 3 course meal, a bottle of fizz and a box of chocolates. Tesco is expected to announce a £15 meal deal that includes a starter, main course, vegetable accompaniment, and dessert, as well as a bottle of wine, prosecco, or a non-alcoholic alternative. Sainsbury’s and ASDA also offer similar deals that are an easy way to spend quality time with your partner and have fun.
2. Movie Marathons
In order to save money, you and your partner could queue up a number of your favourite films and spend the day bingeing movies and having snacks. It’s easy, affordable, but still so much fun!
3. Be present
Our lives are so busy that having time to just be present and in the moment with your partner is often an impossible task. Maybe you could take the time on Valentine’s Day to really appreciate your partner. Turn off your phones, eliminate all distractions, and take the time for the two of you, no one else allowed!
Long-Distance Valentine’s Day
There is no denying that being in a long-distance relationship sucks. Day to day, I have found it easier to distract myself from missing my boyfriend by throwing myself into university life and spending time with my friends.
However, when an important event such as Valentine’s Day rolls around, it is impossible to not miss them and wonder what you’d be doing if you got to spend the day together. A long-distance Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to
be as depressing as you think it may be. There are so many ways for you and your partner to connect and enjoy the day, albeit virtually.
- Arrange a virtual dinner date
Set up some candles, dress up nicely, and enjoy a lovely meal together over FaceTime.
3..2..1..play!
Start a movie at exactly the same time and watch it together over FaceTime. After a while, you might even start to forget you aren’t in the same room.
2. Make a romantic playlist
Put together a playlist of songs that remind you of your partner and songs that you both enjoy listening to together. Play it throughout your day and, regardless of what you both are doing, you will still be thinking of one another.
3. Send flowers
I am a big lover of being sent flowers, so why not send a bunch to your boyfriend, girlfriend, or significant other? You don’t have to stop at flowers. Sending cards and gifts to arrive at their door on Valentine’s Day will show them how much you care and that you are thinking of them even when you are miles apart.
The beauty of Valentine’s Day is that it is a day dedicated to the celebration of love! All of the date ideas I have suggested above are not exclusive to romantic relationships.
If you decide to spend the day celebrating your love for your friends or even your love for yourself (which is equally important), give some of these date ideas a go! I hope however you are spending Valentine’s Day this year, be that in Leeds or anywhere else in the world, it is magical, romantic, and everything you want it to be.
Words by: Molly Bates
Edited by: Simran Nayyar