How to Have a More Eco Friendly Valentine's Day
Valentine’s Day seems to have become a very commercial affair but that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t celebrate it. We just need to take a simpler more personal approach to make it a more eco friendly Valentine’s Day.
It’s always nice to show people how much we love them, which obviously shouldn’t just be restricted to Valentine’s Day. But do you know the origins of Valentine’s Day?
Valentine’s Day or Saint Valentine’s Day as it’s also known is celebrated around the World on the 14th February. It originated as a Christian feast day for two saints named Valentinus and it wasn’t until the 14th Century that it became associated with love and romance when Geoffrey Chaucer wrote:
For this was on seynt Volantynys day
Whan euery bryd comyth there to chese his make.[“For this was on St. Valentine’s Day, when every bird cometh there to choose his mate.”]
So, here are some ideas on how to have a simpler more Eco Friendly Valentine’s Day.
Keep it Simple with a Handwritten Note for an eco friendly Valentin's Day
There’s really no need to rush out and buy a commercial Valentine’s Day card when a small handwritten note would mean so much more to the person receiving it.
You could write the note on a piece of paper, a pretty postcard or even a handmade card from somewhere like Etsy.
However, the actual card doesn’t really matter it’s the words you write on it that are important.
Take Time ro be together - go for a walk
We all lead such busy lives and sometimes we just need to slow down and make time for each other. So why not use Valentine’s day to go for a long walk together.
Make up a flask with your favourite hot drink to take with you and just spend the day outdoors.
A Jar of promises
Why not fill a jar with small notes of something you promise to do and let the person you’re giving it to choose one a week. The notes could be anything you choose from going for a walk together to you promising to cook a meal at home or making breakfast in bed.
The list of possibilities is endless and totally personal.
Enjoy A Special Meal At Home
Rather than going out to a restaurant why not share a special meal at home together.
It doesn’t have to be a gourmet meal cooked by one of you. Why not have a carpet picnic instead with all of your snacky favourite foods and a nice bottle of wine.
Buy Unpackaged Gifts or Zero Waste Friendly Packaging
Celebrating Valentine’s Day more sustainably is really just about being a mindful consumer and thinking about what you’re buying.
Is it something that the person receiving will find useful? Think about what it’s made from, is the packaging reusable, recyclable or compostable?
You should be looking for gifts that are unpackaged or if they do have packaging then it should be minimal and preferably reusable, recyclable or compostable.
Handmade Wildflower Seed bombs, soaps, books, a nice woollen throw or antique jewellery (pre-loved is a great way to be sustainable) all make lovely presents.
I still love holding a real book to read and I love browsing in book shops. If you want to buy a book as a gift but don’t have time to go to a book shop you can still support independent book stores by buying online from Hive. This is what Hive has to say:
We give independent bookshops a chance to be seen online. We hope it will help them to reach new and different customers. We help them benefit from the sale of all kinds of stuff.
I hope you have a lovely fun eco friendly Valentine’s Day however you choose to celebrate it.
