Your Guide To A Romantic Valentine’s Night At Home

Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash

Valentine’s Day, despite its undeniably romantic, heartwarming, and exhilarating mood, can carry with it quite a bit of pressure — to look our very best, to find the perfect gift, to have the most glamorous, exciting, and dreamy night planned. All this extra pressure has a way of taking our attention off of the person we love, as we instead get caught up in the exterior aspects of the evening.

While celebrating Valentine’s Day out on the town certainly isn’t the wrong way to do it, there’s something to be said for staying in, not having to deal with the crowds, foregoing the fuss of gussying up, and creating a romantic and memorable evening in the comfort of your home.

But how does one make a night at home seem more special than going to a fancy restaurant? Here’s a few ideas.

Step 01 Slip into some lovely loungewear.

We’re decidedly keen on putting our best selves forward and getting dressed up, but sometimes, we allow the stress of getting dolled up to take up too much of our energy, leading us to spend our time on something other than the person we’re celebrating with and forget about the spontaneity of Valentine’s Day.

By taking the pressure to primp off the table and instead donning a more comfortable, cozy, and relaxed ensemble, we’re able to feel not just physically at home, but mentally, as well. This helps us approach what might’ve been a stress-filled evening with a more peaceful posture.

Step 02 Set the tone with lots of candles.

Nothing sets a more intimate, warm, serene environment like a cluster of scented candles. Their golden glow, lovely scents, and inviting crackles are the perfect thing for quickly and efficiently creating a romantic, extravagant, and unforgettable atmosphere.

Burning candles is also known for having ‘soothing effects’ on the brain, due to the aroma stimulating the part of our brain that deals with memory and emotions. So what better way to make memories?

Step 03 Give yourselves the spa treatment.

We could all use a three-day weekend at a five-star spa resort, but for the grand majority of us, this will remain on our wishlist for the time being. But this doesn’t mean we can’t recreate this longed-after experience at home — and is there any better day than Valentine’s to do just that?

Give yourself and him a much-needed spa treatment while spending a tranquil Valentine’s night in each other’s company, filled with luxurious soap, refreshing face masks, and lavender body oil — helping both of you feel even more ready for a fun, easygoing date night at home.

Step 04 Serve up a good drink.

Photo from WineMag.

Separating drinks from dinner as their own appetizer doesn’t just evoke images of a swanky dinner party, it also helps fill up the evening with more memorable moments. While there are plenty of mocktails (alcohol-free) to mix up, here’s what you’d need for a simple yet romantic cocktail, called Rosé 75:

• sparkling rosé

• 1 0z gin

• 1/2 oz lemon juice

• 1/2 oz simple syrup

Pour the gin, lemon juice, and simple syrup into a shaker with ice. Cover and shake until chilled. Then, strain into a champagne flute, top with sparkling rosé, and enjoy.

Step 05 Cook a fancy homemade dinner.

Photo from Kitchen Swagger.

For some, ordering dinner in sounds like a much more relaxing way to spend an evening. But cooking dinner at home truly doesn’t need to be demanding or messy — and it can actually serve as a lovely bonding moment if we prepare dinner together.

For an easy yet special, flavorful dinner, we suggest trying a lovely gnocchi dish (because is there anything more romantic than Italian food?). Here’s what you’d need:

• 1lb gnocchi

• minced garlic cloves (measure with your heart)

• 12 oz marinara sauce

• 1/3 cup mozzarella balls

• 1/3 cup light cream

• 1/3 chopped basil

• grated parmesan cheese

• salt and red pepper flakes

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, then pour in the gnocchi, cooking for about 4 minutes (or until the gnocchi float to the top). In the meantime, in a small skillet, mix the marinara, basil, garlic, and parmesan cheese, stirring often. When the gnocchi is done, strain and add it to the marinara mix, along with the cream, mixing well. Place the mozzarella on top (and a little extra parmesan if you please), and broil until the cheese is melted. Add salt, red pepper flakes, and enjoy.

Step 06 Don’t forget dessert.

Photo by Food Photographer | Jennifer Pallian on Unsplash

You can never eat too much on Valentine’s Day — for a quick, relatively hassle-free, classic dessert, we suggest whipping up a batch of decadent chocolate chip cookies.

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 1/3 cup flour

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1/2 cup melted butter

• 1/2 cup brown sugar

• 1/3 cup sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 2/3 cup chocolate chips (or more — another moment to measure with your heart)

Mix the melted butter, brown sugar, and sugar until smooth, and then add the egg and vanilla, mixing until well-combined. Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt slowly, making sure to get out all the clumps before adding more. Fold in the chocolate chips and cover. Put the bowl in the refrigerator and let chill for about 30 minutes. In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Once the cookie mixture is done chilling, using a an ice cream scooper, form them into small balls and place on a lightly-greased cookie sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden. Serve and enjoy.

Step 07 Get in the mood with a romantic movie.

There’s no better way to finish off the evening than watching a dreamy and whimsical movie (or two) with the one we love. Set the right mood with low lighting and candles all around. If you’re looking for the right movie to watch, we’ve already done the work for you and put together a list of our favorite romantic movies.