Funs ways to celebrate both Valentine's Day and Family Day

Photo: Pixabay

February brings with it two days dedicated to affection—Valentine’s Day, of course, but also Family Day. The latter, in case it’s not yet in your calendar, is Monday, Feb. 17.

In theory, then, with Cupid’s arrow arriving on the Friday just before Family Day, it might be possible to combine these two holidays into a four-day weekend celebrating your “galentine” or valentine, BFF or beloved, friends and family.

Beyond the traditional gifts, how about sharing some love with these ideas? February is typically a tough month in the hospitality industry, and while there are plenty of options for a romantic dinner out on the town, if that’s not on the agenda this year, consider grabbing a gift card for future use for yourself and a pal. Even better, give it to the family member who hosted the big holiday dinner this year; a belated gesture of gratitude.

With the rising cost of, well, everything, a gift card to a local grocery store or shop might be even more appreciated. Maybe not the best romantic option for your valentine but a great idea for a friend or neighbour.

Gather a few folks together to share some love for a charity. Explore options to volunteer—which can be done year-round—by giving the gift of time or sharing a special skill. In fact, this is often the season of annual general meetings when societies search for board members. Is this the year you take a leap into the non-profit world as a director?

Wine tour season will be here before we know it, but that shouldn’t stop you from creating a taste tour of your own on this particular weekend—wine or not. Make a list of artisan bakeries, chocolatiers, coffee shops to visit or challenge your loved ones to join you in finding the best grilled cheese in the Okanagan.

Gone are the days of formal portraits and photography studios, for the most part, but rather than taking selfies or catching your cousin off-guard in an awkward moment, why not plan on a photo session with those close to you? Think of a theme, a location that has significant meaning or do your best to recreate a photo from years ago.

One last idea: Pick up the phone and call—not text, Zoom, or WhatsApp—someone you haven’t talked to in a while. The last five years have taught us much about the importance of connection.

Let’s make sure that we don’t give isolation a chance to creep back in.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.