Valentine’s Day is on a Wednesday. Ways to celebrate the mid-week holiday during Lent

Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·3 min read

If you’re planning on giving up a few of your favorite things for Lent and haven’t decided what yet, consider this your gentle reminder to not choose chocolate or candy this year.

Wednesday, February 14 isn’t just Valentine’s Day this year, it’s also Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.

Here are some tips to make the most of this year’s mid-week Valentine’s Day, which happens to fall on the start of the 2024 Easter season.

What weekday is Valentine's Day in 2024?

Valentine’s Day is right in the middle of the week this year – the second Wednesday in February.

If you’re observing Lent and abstain from eating meat on Fridays from Ash Wednesday until Easter Sunday, you probably don’t want to celebrate Valentine’s Day on the following weekend.

Celebrating at home or going out on Tuesday or the weekend before (Feb. 2-4) is probably your best bet at getting the most out of Valentine’s Day and keeping consistent with Lent.

If you aren’t observing Lent, the weekend after Valentine’s Day is fair game to do whatever you want. But don’t knock the idea of a mid-week at-home date if your Valentine’s week is busy. At-home dates can be just as romantic (if not, more), less expensive and more restful than going out to a busy restaurant or movie theater.

What are ways to celebrate Valentine's Day at home?

If you didn’t become an expert at planning at-home dates during the pandemic, here are a few DIY date ideas from Pinterest and Google to turn up the romance at home and on a budget.

  • Create your own romantic Five-star dining experience at home: Pull out the good dishes that are collecting dust in the cabinet, tie some ribbons around your best candlestick holders, buy some flowers and get the ingredients for your Valentine’s favorite dinner. You can plan to cook for your sweetheart or plan a dish you know you both love cooking together. If you’re not a great cook, you can execute the same concept with your favorite take-out dinner.

  • Indoor picnic: This is the same concept as the at-home fancy dinner, but a little more intimate. Instead of laying a Pinterest-worthy tablescape (or attempting to), move your coffee table and lay a big blanket and as many cushions as you can on the floor. Add some candles and your favorite romance movie and you have a romantic private picnic and movie.

  • Make your own “drive-in”: Skip the expensive chocolates and flower arrangements and spend much less money on a cheap, wireless projector. If you have a backyard and the weather permits, hang a white sheet and project your favorite movie on it. Take the indoor picnic ingredients outside and you have a private screening for two under the stars. If you want to take a step up from lawn chairs or a blanket on the grass, buy a cheap inflatable kiddie pool and throw some pillows and blankets in it to make a temporary outdoor “loveseat.”

  • Good, old-fashioned game night: Don’t knock the simple fun of connecting with your partner over a good game of cards or your favorite board game or puzzle. Make a basket of your favorite snacks or throw together a charcuterie board and start a puzzle, or play a round of Clue, Scrabble or Monopoly.

  • Craft each other's gifts: Pick a simple craft with cheap materials, like repainting a thrifted vase, painting a picture or making hand-molded pottery or magnets with air-dry clay. Make each other a unique piece of art and listen to your favorite record while you make your gifts.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: How to celebrate Valentine's Day mid-week, at home and on a budget.