For many divorced, widowed, or single Black women, Valentine’s Day can be a sad reminder of love lost or love never found. It can almost feel like you are trying to survive the holiday, instead of enjoy it. V-Day, and the days leading up to it are usually filled with teddy bears, chocolates and an obnoxious amount of red and pink hearts on everything, from clothing to cards. Despite all of this, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be drab for the single ladies. Whether you choose to stay in or go out, here are seven dope ideas to get you excited about Valentine’s Day.
If you choose to stay in, you could …
Keep busy by working on your professional goals or to-do lists
Many of us have some goals or other things that we never seem to have time to achieve. Take this day to work on just that! Acing these goals and going through much-needed tasks, will make you feel fulfilled and like you’ve crossed something off your list.
Invite friends over for movie night
Watch a super exciting action movie or opt for the ever-cheesy romantic comedy. Grab your favorite snacks and snuggle in for a good flick.
Babysit for someone else
You can offer to babysit for someone with children so that they can go out for a relaxing date. They will greatly appreciate this gesture and will be at ease knowing a good friend of theirs is watching their child(ren) and not some random babysitter.
Have a gift exchange
If you love the gift-giving aspect of Valentine’s Day, then this idea is for you. You can exchange anything from books to clothes. You can also have a themed exchange to make it even more fun, like “something purple” or “something that cheers you up.”
Get crafty
Getting your hands dirty may be the perfect Valentine’s distraction if you like to be creative. You can take this day to make something beautiful for yourself. You can hand knit a scarf, paint a ceramic, or make something handy for your home — like floating shelves.
If going out is more your speed …
Volunteer or donate
If you’re feeling charitable then you can spend your day volunteering. Putting in some hours for a good cause will surely make you feel uplifted. Or you could donate. You can do a clean sweep of your home to see what you longer need or can spare. Whatever you come across can be taken to a place like the Salvation Army or the Goodwill, or to shelters.
Take a class
If you feel like learning something new, then this idea is just what you need. The class can be in a physical location or it can be online — maybe in the form of a webinar. You can go to many different types of classes, from cooking to dancing to entrepreneurship.
