Valentine's Day is coming up, and for those of us with significant others, there's a lot of pressure to make it special. Thinking of a creative date idea is hard enough, not to mention living hundreds or thousands of miles from your SO, but you can make your long-distance Valentine's Day as romantic as anyone else with these few simple tips.
Atmosphere
Clearly, going out to a fancy restaurant with white tablecloths and red roses isn't gonna happen, but that doesn't mean you can't create a romantic atmosphere for your date.
Before you get started, buy a bouquet of flowers for your boyfriend/girlfriend. You could Venmo one of their friends and ask them to deliver them, or head to an online site that delivers flowers and arrange for an afternoon delivery.
(You probably don't want your roommate third-wheeling, so let him/her know you've got a date planned for a couple of hours and ask if they could hang out somewhere else for a while.)
Now you're ready to call them. Don't turn on the overhead light—flip on those twinkle lights, a desk lamp, or anything else a bit dimmer to set the mood. Bonus points if you light a few candles as well.
The mood wouldn't be complete without some music. Tastes can be subjective, so pick what you like, but I've included a few romantic playlists that will get you in the Valentine's Day spirit (here, here, and here).
Dinner
After you've stared into each other's eyes for a few minutes and gushed about how much you miss each other, you can set your computer on the kitchen counter and cook up your dinner. Since you probably won't want to divert much of your attention from your SO, cook up a quick, simple meal of chicken and veggies while you talk. The best part is it's a one-pan meal, so you won't have to waste time washing dishes.
After you are done cooking (or before), pour yourself a glass of red wine—it doesn't get more romantic than that.
(The above tips have assumed you and your SO like to cook, but if that's not the case, ordering a pizza is always a good substitute.)
While the two (or one) of you are enjoying your dinner, feel free to talk about the weather, the fact that the sun is setting after 5:00 these days, or perhaps something less forced. But let's be honest, you'll be so busy inhaling that savory chicken you won't have time to talk. Isn't it great not having to pretend to have table manners anymore?
Dessert
Ordering Insomnia for your boyfriend/girlfriend is not a bad long-distance Valentine's Day present. Answering the door to a box of warm, gooey cookies is an amazing feeling, trust me. However, if you love to bake, experiment, or if there's not an Insomnia Cookies near you, try this simple recipe for chocolate cake in a mug—all you need is a microwave.
You may not get to hold hands or kiss your SO good night, but FaceTime is almost as good. Take advantage of it and show your long-distance Valentine you care.