by Keiyana McIntosh on January 25, 2023
It’s time to bring out the chocolates, flower arrangements and oversized teddy bears because the season of love is upon us.
You guessed it, Valentine's Day is around the corner!
I understand that this day can bring about mixed emotions for some.
There are folks looking forward to being showered with love and lavish gifts; while others vary from dwelling on the emotion of lonesomeness to just not caring in general.
Personally, I’ve experienced both ends of the spectrum. I’ve been the giddy girl waiting to see what my man had in store for me, and I’ve been the mopey single, feeling like love counted me out.
Now, even though Valentine’s is a man-made “holiday”, Valentine’s Day should be enjoyed by everyone. It’s a day to solely focus on the love we should already be giving and receiving daily. A day to love on your significant other, yourself, family and friends just a little bit more.
Unfortunately, this year Valentine’s falls on a weekday, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make the most of it.
I’ll be sharing ideas that will help make your Valentine’s memorable whether you’re single or boo’d up.
Let’s get into it!
Foxfire Candle Works
Don’t let the name fool you because Foxfire is definitely more than just candles. If you’re someone who enjoys fun DIY projects, then this spot is for you!
I came across this new gem in Houston at Vintage Park.
My husband and I celebrated part of our anniversary there last year, and let me tell you the experience was a 10/10 for us.
When you first walk in, you can’t help but notice their wall full of scented candles, which you’ll soon find out is a part of the experience.
You’re then greeted by an associate and led to pick from a variety of collections that you can customize for your own self-care use. You can choose to make anything from a candle, body lotions and scrubs, hand soap, mist and so much more.
Depending on the type of vibe you’re trying to create for this Valentine’s Day, you can cater your personalized item to your self-care days, or to set the mood between you and your boo (wink, wink).
Once you’ve decided on the item you want to customize, you’ll then move onto the candle wall to select your fragrances. Now this step can be tough because they have so many great scents and you only get to choose up to 10.
When you’re done, you'll be paired with an associate at the fragrance bar to help you determine which scents will blend well together. This is also the phase where you can also enjoy a drink while you create.
Once you’re finished, you get the privilege to design the label and name your personalized item.
I’m telling y’all, it’s like getting the opportunity to create a tailored scent just for you at a Bath and Body Works factory.
Till this day we still use our body sprays, and our visit was back in August!
Painting With A Twist
I’ve always enjoyed my experiences at Painting With A Twist!
It’s a great way to unwind and drink wine all at the same time.
Leading up to Valentine’s Day, Painting With A Twist artists have created plenty of options dedicated to love.
For my single ladies, you can make this a girl’s night out and choose from their beautiful scenery selections, or choose to celebrate your friendship by painting a best friend piece.
Of course for our couples there are a variety of black love representations, and I love to see it.
Outside of prepping to create dope artwork, you have the opportunity to socialize and meet new people, play games and listen to music.
So grab your besties or your man cause it’s a date!
Dinner, Drinks and Live Music
Though dinner and drinks is the most common theme for Valentine’s Day we can still make it fun by mixing it up with some live music.
Houston has well known restaurants that not only have great food, but the live entertainment gives all the vibes.
This is the perfect excuse to be dressed to the nines; serving looks and turning heads. Especially since COVID had us looking like ‘who did it and why” for the last two years.
An idea like this is a nice set up for a Galentine's for you and your girls to let loose and dance, and for couples to reconnect and rekindle their flame.
So in the famous words of Nivea, (singing) “All my girls get your hair fixed, And your nails done,” and book the reservation cause we’re outside!
Houston has some amazing talent, so make sure you’re following these Houston artists to assure you’ll have a good Valentine’s Day: @spudhoward, @iampatrice_dominique, @kimcruseofficial and @dsavannahbaby and much more.
Throw A Get Together
l know it may sound cliché, but why not?
In fact this is how my husband and I established our friendship which shortly after led to us dating and the rest is history.
Here's a few ideas from my husband's and I experience 9 years ago.
For my single ladies, invite a group of your single friends (male and female) to go out for dinner and back to your place for a game night. This still gives you the opportunity to get dressed up, and the option to switch to a more comfortable look for the game night portion filled with snacks and music.
Now, how my friend did it back then was once we got back from dinner she paired the women and men based off of Disney Princess-Prince character. We had the characters placed on our back and had to go around asking for clues to figure out who we were, then we were able to find our match.
Once we found our partner they became our teammate for all the rest of game night. The first game played was Happily Never After, where we had to come up with an alternative end of the Disney characters we were wearing and give a skit. My Husband and I had Beauty and the Beast, and let me tell you his acting skills came out cause I saw a side of him I didn't know existed cause he was always so chill.
As the night went on we did a spice tasting game where we blind folded our partner and feed them a variation of spices from mild to hot, and the team who guessed the most right won.
There was so much more, but as long as you're having fun you can cater the games to fit your taste. Overall, it's all fun and games; leaving room for you to experience the joy in your singleness instead of spending it alone on Valentine's.
In no way is throwing a Valentine's gathering intended for you to play match matcher, but if sparks fly for some there wouldn't be any harm done.
For couples, this same concept applies with your dating, engaged and married friends. It's a fun way to group date and hang a few days prior before spending one-on-one time together.
Now with all these great ideas there should be no reason to be at home doing nothing. You deserve a night to feel good and look good. You deserve to love and be loved no matter if that's self-love, with friends or a significant others. And if you're single, choose to no longer petty yourself or settle. Even if you are still healing, be open to love so love can make its way to you.
In advance, I wish everyone a Happy Valentine's day filled with love and joy!