Valentine’s Day has always been one of my favorite holidays, a mere 18 days away. I love the candy, the flowers (we all know I LOVE love flowers), decorating the stores, and creating new products for the holiday. I think Valentine’s Day is right up there with New Years for me.

There are many different stories and variations on how the holiday first began. Some say the holiday has origins in the Roman festival of Lupercalia, held in mid-February. The festival, which celebrated the coming of spring, included fertility rites and the pairing off of women with men by lottery. At the end of the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I replaced Lupercalia with St. Valentine’s Day. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written in 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans, to his wife while he was imprisoned.

Regardless of how the holiday got its start, we all have our own special Valentine’s memories. Who remembers as a kid going to the store with your parents, and picking out the perfect Valentine’s cards and candy then writing out each kid’s name in your class so perfectly on the cards? How in about high school when they would deliver carnations for $2 during class and everyone would look at each other like they better get one, lol. Those were the days!

Although we know that it’s a huge day for people in relationships, Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to be the worst day ever for single people. The barrage of IG posts about extravagant gifts and lovey-dovey couples is enough to kinda make you sick though, right? Pair that with the “Every kiss begins with Kay” commercials and Pajamagrams complete with giant teddy bears (Who wants that shit anyways? Not me.), and it can all leave you feeling pressured to be in a relationship, or even make you feel less-than-satisfied with your partner’s handling of the holiday (been there many times).

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about lovey-dovey couples doing it for the Gram (half of whom are not as happy as they project), expensive gifts and dinner reservations. It’s about love, self-love even, and celebrating cherished relationships like those with friends. This year I’m sure will be quite different than years passed. Still in the midst of a global pandemic, we definitely don’t have all the options we had in the past (Can you believe this was the last holiday before the pandemic?!). This Valentine’s Day, let’s focus on self-care, DIY spa nights, and things we can do without going out to make it the best one yet!

Here are some ideas:

–First you need to treat yourself to a gift. Of course, I have to suggest my Beauty Kitchen “Roses Are Red” Bundle. This bundle has everything you need for a self-care night – rose and geranium scented sugar scrub, bath soak, and premium lotion, and refreshing rose water. You can even use the code LOVE online for 10% off! There’s nothing like some reality TV and a nice, relaxing bath (plus I love the smell of roses).

You could also buy yourself some flowers. Seeing fresh flowers definitely sparks joy and improves one’s mood. I keep fresh flowers all over my house and office.

-Stay in bed. This year Valentine’s Day falls on a Sunday, so definitely no work. Put on some nice PJ’s and sleep in! It’s your day, so relax and take it easy.

–If you are not the sleeping-in type, go to the gym or hit up a sauna place. I love Drop Sauna in Las Vegas. It’s the perfect way to take some time to focus and decompress while detoxing your body!

–Have an at-home Spa Day. Face mask, hair mask, take a long bath with a pair of eye gels… do it all honey, do it all!

–Eat your favorite foods on this day! Make something special that you normally wouldn’t eat and indulge in desserts. Treat yourself.

–Watch some funny Valentines movies. My favorites are “It happened on Valentine’s Day” and “Valentine’s Day” with Ashton Kutcher.

–Most importantly, take a social media break this weekend. Don’t allow other people’s fake online- lives make you feel bad about your situation. Turn off all notifications and do you GIRL.

In conclusion, don’t spend this Valentine’s Day trying to pretend the day doesn’t exist. Focus on giving yourself a little love and attention and being okay about the situation you’re in at the moment. Valentine’s Day is about celebrating love, and love comes in many forms. Always remember that your relationship with yourself is just as important as any other one.