We love going to this restaurant on a special occasion like Valentine’s Day.
It is Valentine’s Day today and I thought I would write a blog post dedicated to Valentine’s Day. As a married woman now, I can save myself from asking someone out on a date, hinting at a man about it, or asking, “Will you be my Valentine?” Instead, I can spend a romantic day with my husband every single year from now on. But the way we spend our Valentine’s Day might not be so different from people who just started dating. There are classic ways to spend Valentine’s Day, and that’s how we like to spend ours. So if you are new to Valentine’s Day, and wondering how to ask someone out and spend the day with your love, let me tell you a few classic ways to spend the romantic day with your love.
History of Valentine’s Day
Why do we ask “Will you be my Valentine?”
Did you know that Valentine’s Day wasn’t always about romance? It started gaining that reputation around the 14th century. According to Encyclopaedia Britannica, the history of Valentine’s Day is pretty interesting and a bit complicated.
There were several Christian martyrs named Valentine, but one of them, a priest who lived around 270 CE, might be the reason we celebrate today. Legend has it that he befriended his jailer’s daughter and even healed her from blindness. He signed a letter to her “from your Valentine,” which could be where the tradition of exchanging love notes on Valentine’s Day comes from. There’s also a story about another St. Valentine who performed secret marriages against the emperor’s orders to spare husbands from war, adding to the holiday’s association with love.
While now a classic Valentine’s Day around the world involves chocolates, flowers, cards, and a romantic dinner and night.
Introduction to Will You Be My Valentine Ideas
Here I have a list of very classic Valentine’s Day ideas. In my opinion, a classic is a classic for a reason. You might be looking for a unique and different Valentine’s Day idea like printing the question “Will you be my Valentine” on a T-shirt and showing up in front of her place, thinking the classic way to spend a Valentine’s Day would be boring. But just a little bit of a personalization of the classic idea can go a long way.
This is how we spend our Valentine’s Day following classic items and methods, but in our way. Every couple has their preferences and what they like, and it is all about personalization! So I hope you get some ideas about how you want to spend your Valentine’s Day by reading this blog post on our Valentine’s Day.
Let’s get started!
Will You Be My Valentine Ideas | My Classic Valentine’s Day
There are five main stages in Valentine’s Day. This is in a chronological order of how you can spend the Valentine’s Day.
1. Get Ready for Valentine’s Day
Prepare yourself for a romantic day of the year! Take some time to pamper yourself and add an extra touch of glamour and effort for Valentine’s Day. Select an outfit that makes you feel comfortable and confident, and put on some perfume of your choice. Whether you are asking someone out on a date or you are spending the day with your already partner, you want to get ready for the important day. Bring on the romance!
My Everything Shower Routine
I like to take a thorough shower on night before the Valentine’s. You can read my Everything Shower blog post to learn how I get ready in a lazy, vegan, and sustainable way. I make my flaxseed coconut mask and wear it on my hair and face, whiten my teeth, and add a few drops of essential oil in a moisturizer to make myself smell great.
Decorate Home
You can also decorate your place in a romantic style for Valentine’s Day if you are hoping to invite your love over, or just for yourself to get in the romantic mood. I wrote interior tips on Valentine’s Day Home Decor on my blog, so go check it out if you want to fill your home with love and romance!
2. Will you be my Valentine?
If you are asking someone out, ask the person in person. Step out of your comfort zone and take a leap of faith this Valentine’s Day. It is the day that is dedicated to confessing your special feelings for someone, so be courageous and respectful, and ask the person out. You can give a gift of a rose or a chocolate when you ask.
If the person you asked said yes, or you are already in a relationship, congratulations! Let’s look at how we can spend the beautiful day together in a meaningful way.
3. A romantic dinner
A romantic dinner is the highlight of the Valentine’s Day. You can either eat out at a restaurant or have a romantic home-cooked meal at home.
Eat Out at a Restaurant
It’s usually fully booked on Valentine’s Day in many restaurants, so make sure to book a restaurant in advance. Some places can be fully booked even a few weeks ahead of the event. A restaurant on Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be fancy, but choose a nice place based on your and your love’s preference. What does your Valentine like – Italian, Japanese, or this local vegan restaurant that just opened?
A wonderful panoramic night view from the restaurant in Oslo
There is a restaurant called Grefsenkollen Restaurant in Oslo, Norway, and it is our favorite place when we have an event to celebrate. It is not a Michelin-star restaurant with white tablecloths on the table, but it has this beautiful Norwegian dark cabin style with a fireplace and fresh flowers on each table. It is on the top of Grefsenkollen mountain, so if you are lucky enough to sit by the window, you get to have a panoramic view of the whole Oslo and the Oslofjord. They also serve a vegan pizza either with vegan cheese or without any cheese, so as a vegan, it is the perfect restaurant in my book.
Strawberries make a great presence on Valentine’s Day dinner table.
Invite for a Romantic Dinner
Get a table set for two, and a heart full of excitement as you cook for the two. If you aren’t confident about learning a new recipe for Valentine’s Day, no worries. You can cook what you are confident of making, or cook something that your Valentine loves.
Then simply decorate the dinner table in a romantic manner. Set a beautiful pink linen tablecloth, fresh-cut roses in a vase, and candlelight on the dinner table will be so romantic, you won’t need to cook any special pink or heart-shaped dish. (You could, of course! In that case, kudos to you!) You can read more on my Valentine’s Day Home Decor for 7 sustainable and aesthetic ideas for inspiration.
If these suggestions feel overwhelming, then you can just prepare some strawberries and chocolate on the table.
I love eating out, but I also find it a little overwhelming to go out on Valentine’s Day at a restaurant. Streets are so full of people, restaurants are packed, and usually, people are lining up to be seated. On Valentine’s Day, I want to relax and enjoy my meal with my husband romantically. So I love cooking something pink, such as a vegan cream stew with beetroot and my pink berry smoothies.
4. A Valentine’s Day Gift – Will you be my Valentine?
As I mentioned above, you can give a Valentine’s Day gift as you ask someone out. But if you already knew that you were going to spend the romantic day, you can give the Valentine’s Day gift that you prepared at the dinner. These are the classic Valentine’s Day gifts; flowers, a card, and some chocolate. You can prepare either one or a combination of them.
A Rose or a Bouquet
Whether it’s a rose or a whole bouquet of flowers, giving flowers is a simple yet profound gesture to your beloved. Let me be a little technical here, but there are studies that show that natural rose scents have therapeutic effects on people. According to the study, it showed that it had anti-depressants, psychological relaxation, improving sexual dysfunction, and anti-anxiety effects! So yes, bring the roses on Valentine’s Day!
A Card
Writing on a card is a powerful way to show your love. Do you have some words of gratitude and appreciation for your Valentine, but are too shy to say them in person? I find myself in that position sometimes. Then I just write it on a piece of paper and send that card. It’s a piece of paper that can carry a lot of laughter, memories, and plans. You don’t need a quote or some very well-written words on the card. Just write what you have had in mind.
A Chocolate
Indulge in the sweetness of love this Valentine’s Day! There are so many beautiful and decadent chocolates for a romantic day, and show some love by choosing a type of chocolate that your Valentine loves. There are dark chocolate, white, milk, vegan, and some with nuts or berries. I’m vegan and so I love either vegan chocolate or dark chocolate. Some people strongly prefer just one type of chocolate, so check what your love’s preference is and get that one to show that you care.
A Ring (for a Special Occasion!)
This gift is not for every Valentine’s Day. But if you have been in a relationship and want to take your relationship to the next level, you can do so today with a gift of a ring! Woohoo! If you are looking for a perfect ring, I have a guide on how to choose the right ring for you.
5. Watch a Movie or Spend the Night
After the romantic dinner, now the main part of Valentine’s Day is done. If you are early in the relationship, you might call it the day. If you are in a stable relationship, you might finish this day off by watching a movie together on a couch and snuggling together. You don’t need to watch a romantic movie but try watching something that both of you love. You could eat the chocolate you got for Valentine’s Day while watching a movie.
I have a fireplace at my apartment (there are some apartments with a fireplace in Norway, I know!) so I love lighting not only a candle but also a fire in the fireplace. In early February, it is still cold in Norway, so having a fireplace on is not only romantic but also practical.
After this movie night, you can proceed to have a romantic night!
Final Thoughts on Will You Be My Valentine Ideas
I hope you enjoyed this post to learn about Valentine’s Day and got some inspiration for Will You Be My Valentine ideas. Remember, personalize the suggestions here to your relationship is the key. Maybe you two want to spend some romantic brunch together like having wild blueberry oat pancake with coconut cream.
It’s in early February when it’s still quite cold and dull in Norway where I live, so having this special day is a great excuse to feel romantic and take a moment to celebrate love. Whether you are asking someone to be your date for the first time, are newly in a relationship, have been in a relationship for a while and want to take your relationship to the next level, or are already married and spend every day together, we can all follow this classic Valentine’s Day ideas and feel love. On this day, I want to say I really appreciate the love I have with my husband and remind him once more that I truly am grateful for him.
I wish all of you a beautiful day filled with love. Happy Valentine’s Day!
Did you like my post? Follow me on Instagram to get in touch.
Leave a Reply