No Date On Valentine's Day? Who Cares?
I've never had a date for Valentine's day, ever. Not even a cute middle school puppy love romance, and it's still one of my favorite holidays.
The age-old trope that dateless women spiral as the calendar inches closer and closer to February 14th is both sexist and untrue. Thankfully, the world is beginning to realize that while romantic love is still a highly regarded luxury, lack thereof also isn't a fatal flaw. While the masses are busy buzzing in love, here are some of my favorite ways to spend Valentine's day solo.
Curl up with a good book.
I am an introvert and relish the idea of escaping reality without ever leaving my house. I've amassed quite a collection of books over the years, many of which I read and re-read. On V-day, I usually grab one of my favorites and curl up on the couch for a visit with some of my favorite characters. I like to read a little of everything, but some of my favorite books are;
You by Caroline Kepnes
In Five Years by Rebecca Serle
The Sun Is Also A Star by Nicola Yoon
The Scarlet Letter by Nathanial Hawthorne
Have a movie marathon.
In keeping with my couch potato theme, I also love to hop in bed early and catch a movie. Some of my Valentine's day favorites are Love Actually, Definitely, Maybe, Valentine's Day, The Other Woman, and How To Be Single, but this is your time. Watch whatever you want. Pull out an old choice, or tune into your childhood favorite.
Give Your Skin Some Extra Love
I love a good skincare routine. It's taken years to perfect my own. While I am no stranger to the multi-step nighttime regimen, I do like to add an extra step every now and again to show my skin how much I appreciate it. I am not saying go out and buy a gold flake skin serum. This can be a simple DIY using things you might already have in your kitchen. My go-to is tea. For centuries people have been turning to herbs and roots to fix their health, improve their skin, and cure their ailments. DIY tea bag eye masks are a simple, fast, and budget-friendly addition to your Valentine's nighttime routine.
Chamomile is great for winding down, but also has properties that help fade dark spots and leave skin with a healthy glow.
Tumeric has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, making it the perfect choice for skin in need of calming. South Asian tradition also uses the root to brighten skin.
In addition to its sweet scent, rose is also great for locking in moisture.
Comfrey is a healing root. The plant contains allantoin, a substance that encourages the growth of new skin cells, a great option for skin in need of healing and repair.
Lavender is a triple threat, with properties that can help ease the effects of acne, eczema, and uneven tone. You can use this herb to calm inflamed and irritated skin.
Dump Your Cravings Into A Kitchen Sink
Kitchen Sink cookies got their name because they are chaotic.
Essentially, you dump all the toppings/add-ins you're craving into a base, and voila! The cookie, sundae, acai bowl of your dreams. It's important to give ourselves treats, especially on special occasions.
This is the base recipe I use for kitchen sink cookies, adopted from Sofi of Broma Bakery. It takes all of 20 minutes to whip up and is the perfect vehicle for my toppings extravaganza.
Melt three tablespoons of unsalted butter in the microwave (you can also heat the butter on the stove to brown it as the original recipe calls for, I am just lazy.)
Then, combine the melted butter with four tablespoons of brown sugar, one tablespoon of white sugar, one egg yolk, and 1/4 a teaspoon of vanilla extract (I just do a quick dash.) Mix everything together until the batter is smooth.
Now add in six tablespoons of all-purpose flour, 1/8 a teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/4 a teaspoon of salt. Mix that until everything is well combined.
Time for add-ins! Sofi's recipe uses three tablespoons of chocolate chips. I also recommend pretzel pieces, peanut M&Ms, or butterscotch chips if you can find them, measure with your heart.
Shape your dough into two cookies or a bunch of minis, whatever you want. Then, bake them at 350° F for about 11 minutes.
All in all Valentine's day is meant to celebrate love in all of its forms, love for partners, pets, hobbies, and yourself. Don't let the commercial of the season distract from that.