This Sunday is Valentine’s Day. Chocolate hearts are EVERYWHERE. Some people seem to feel the bigger the heart, the more love. Love should NOT be measured by how much chocolate you give!
Do I sound like a scrooge? I definitely don’t mean to be. I don’t love the “Hallmark” holidays. I am no freak though, either. I love chocolate. Who doesn’t? The question is will the chocolate love us back? Will it love us so much it will want to live on our thighs or butt?
All kidding aside, chocolate is one of the wonderful gifts we can give this weekend. Just keep in mind what your valentine really wants. If he/she is watching their weight, you can think small in quantity and high in quality. Some Godiva dark chocolate, or some chocolate covered strawberries will say I love you, without packing on lots of extra calories. Visiting a chocolate shop such as Kilwins will allow you to pick and choose single pieces of incredibly decadent sweets for your sweetie. Kilwins has peanut-butter cups that are to die for. I am sure many other local chocolate chops near you have just the perfect treat for Sunday dessert.
Or think outside the chocolate box. Some new music, fragrance and/or flowers if you must. I LOVE flowers. I hate anyone to pay top dollar for what something that is available 365 days a year. A flowering plant, from a store like Home Depot makes a fantastic gift that you won’t pay triple for. A beautiful orchid that will flower from time to time and remind your special someone that they are loved is a great idea, in my humble opinion.
The best gift Mitch ever gives my being is a massage. After beating my body up 6 days a week, there is probably nothing that goes a longer way to pamper my over-worked muscles. Hint hint. Keep thinking outside the chocolate box and there are endless ideas that don’t require spending money, which is especially important in this crazy economy. Cook together, watch and old love story on tv, wash your partners car –just a few examples.
For those that workout together, a fun-run or a couple yoga class is a great way to spend some time together this Sunday. Getting in some exercise and burning some calories will help balance your caloric intake for the day.
Thinking ahead will help you enjoy this day with a lot less guilt. Everyone deserves one day a week to indulge their taste buds. Thankfully, this year, Valentine’s Day falls on a weekend day. If you can eat relatively clean for most of the weekend, you can designate Saturday night or Sunday as your “cheat day.”
If you do “let your hair down” and over-indulge, don’t be hard on yourself!!! Monday will come soon enough.
Remember that the single most important things we can share with our loved ones can’t really be eaten, or even seen. The gift of love cannot be touched or held, it can only be felt.
As James Taylor said so simply “Shower the people you love with love.”
Get out there and start spreading the love.
<3
I love Valentine’s Day. Although I try to spread my love around everyday, Valentine’s Day is always extra special to me. I love all the hearts cards, cupids, watching people running around gathering romantic items for their loved ones, the color red and of course……the chocolate!!! It is such a happy, uplifting day. So……..hopefully I will even hear one of my favorite songs….”Love is in the air…….”
VD (Valentine’s Day) doesn’t really mean much to me. Brad & I celebrate each other and our love in a hundred different ways every day. I don’t need a “holiday” to remind me that I love special people in my life.
Here’s a little VD Funny that happened yesterday. Brad said to me “Soooo, we’re NOT doing anything special for VD – right?” To which I replied “Aside from whatever surprise you have planned for me, no we’re not doing anything special” We both laughed – he knows it doesn’t really matter to me either way, but a VD hasn’t gone by in the past 27 years that he hasn’t given me some small (or big) token. Sometimes it’s a single flower or a hug and kiss with some heartfelt words.
See you tomorrow – Happy VD to all 😉