Staying Apart, Together: How to make Valentine's Day work for you this year
It's Valentine's Day on Sunday, and a perfectly reasonable reaction to the day of chocolates and hearts this year is: "so what?"
Certainly the pandemic has taught us to adapt to celebrating significant holidays without our usual traditions, but when it comes to kitschy, performative holidays like Valentine's, I'm OK giving a shrug. It was never my thing out of quarantine, so all the more reason to ignore it at home.
But others may have the opposite reaction. I know couples who never acknowledge Valentine's who have gotten each other small gifts this year, holding onto any excuse to celebrate. I know single people who have treated themselves.
So I encourage you to make Valentine's Day whatever you want it to be this year. If that's candy, roses and a screening of "Love Story," more power to you. If you are struggling with loneliness and need time to heal, or time to reach out to those you can virtually, I hope you can do that. If you want to have a typical Sunday, that's fine too. I'll be celebrating a family birthday this weekend, taking a virtual cooking class and watching movies.
Of course this weekend isn't only Valentine's. Friday marked the start of the Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year or Spring Festival. Like so many holidays centered around gathering with friends and family, it will be hard for those who celebrate. I'm wishing you all the best.
Today's reads
- Send a virtual, COVID-safe Valentine with these digital cards from the Paste BN graphics department.
- Why do we give red roses on Valentine's Day? Let us count the ways.
- From my colleague Brian Truitt, a ranking of Nicholas Cage's wildest performances. I love "Face/Off," personally.
- These 10 kids books celebrate Black History Month.
- Many of us have been relying on therapists and other mental health providers during the pandemic. We spoke to those providers about how they're doing.
- Did everyone see the lawyer who accidentally Zoomed into court as a cat? If you want to also reassure your colleagues you are "not a cat" behind whiskers, here is how you can get the same filter.
Today's pet
This looks comfortable.
"Here’s a picture of my bulldog puppy, Stella," says Veronica Dykas, of Gig Harbor, Washington. "She is hanging out in the kitchen with me. Her favorite place to be!"