Heartfelt Ways To Spark Joy This Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day is often associated with celebrations of love and open hearts. However, for those dealing with loss, loneliness and feeling blue, the messaging around cupid’s holiday can bring on more heartache. Others feel that it’s a “made up” holiday to boost the retail industry and pressure couples to spend needlessly so close after the December holiday season.

Personally, I am in the group that enjoys spreading a little Valentine’s Day cheer. My mom is in a nursing home, and it’s a special treat (for me) to buy a box of relatively inexpensive cards at the grocery store and pass them around to the staff and the residents.

Thankfully, Valentine’s Day does not depend on a relationship status. The day can serve as an opportunity to spread joy among your friends, neighbors and community. Here are a few gift ideas to embrace a spirit of love and thoughtfulness as you spark joy this Valentine’s Day:

Heartfelt Ways To Spark Joy This Valentine’s Day

For the Loyal and True

This year, I am starting with my long-time, sweet friend and professional “right arm,” who has worked alongside me for the past 13 years. We have been through children’s colds, family members passing, new puppies, funny tweets, experiments that went right and ideas that sounded good at the time, all the while working from different cities and time zones. Thank you, Laura, for always making lemonade out of lemons.

I am sending her a bottle of lemon honey to go with her favorite cup of tea!

Silver and Gold are Treasures

Whether you have had a friend for a lifetime (Laurie M!) or a short season, sharing a little gift of love is a wonderful way to build on what is already established. It’s not about the money, and your budget may be lean, however, sending an old fashioned Valentine’s card through the mail is a special gift of friendship. You can buy them for one dollar at a local dollar store, or make your own and deliver it with a fresh loaf of sourdough bread from your oven or a little treat bag of home baked granola. I’m including my favorite granola recipe far below.

Find an old picture and frame it with a sweet little note.

Strike the Perfect Match

When searching for a simple Valentine’s gift, strike a match! People tend to defer to candles, but there are plenty of options that are unique and decorative that don’t include wax. A pretty display of matches is a beautiful and functional gift. Add a candle to your gift, or not!

Gather and Plan to Volunteer

Plan an afternoon or evening to get together with your friends and ask them to come prepared with an idea to give back. Organize a monthly event to volunteer in the community. There are always plenty of opportunities, such as working at a pet shelter or helping paint someone’s house. Start a window garden for a few lonely neighbors or volunteer regularly to help teach reading or learning a language. Search for opportunities to strengthen your friendship while giving back to your community.

A Few More Gifts that Won’t Break the Bank

• Something Green: Instead of flowers, gift your friend or neighbor a sweet addition to their houseplant collection, a bundle of heirloom seed packets, or low maintenance annuals ready for front porch planters. The presentation is a part of the gift, so remember a satin bow or colorful garden gloves.
• Friends that Craft Together: When was the last time you were part of a creative gathering? Make things easy by meeting at a pottery painting studio or bead store, or gather your supplies and pull up an online tutorial (YouTube has so many for free). Press pause to refill mocktails and catch up!
• Memories in a Jar: For the special friend who could use a boost, jot down a handful of your favorite memories together. Take your time and add little embellishments, folding each with care. Tuck them in a mason jar with a string of fairy lights. When she needs a laugh or pick-me-up, she can reach into the jar and smile.

Favorite Granola Recipe

In large pan, cover the bottom with coconut oil (approx. 3 Tbs.)
Add 3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup pecan pieces
½ cup flaked coconut (I enjoy sweetened but you can use unsweetened)
½ cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. salt
½ cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla

Stir all together in the pan until moist and sticky

Heat oven at 325. Bake 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Store in airtight container for up to two weeks.

Enjoy!

For more information about working with Diane, America’s “Go to” social and professional (manners) skills authority, please visit The Protocol School of Texas. 

See what Diane is up to by following her on Instagram and Facebook. Find etiquette inspiration on her Pinterest account and keep up with her latest tweets. For more of Diane’s etiquette tips, refer to her posts on Inc. and HuffPost.