Virtual “Palentine’s” Day Ideas

I love the idea of friends celebrating Valentine’s Day together! I know that the term “Galentine” is often used, but not every friend is a “gal”, amirite? Hence, my preferred term “Palentine” will be used! 😉 I firmly believe that love doesn’t necessarily have to be romantic to be celebrated! Take some time to enjoy the company of your friends, even if it’s virtual due to distance (or a pandemic!).

Obviously, getting together for Happy Hour drinks or a dinner out on the town would be more ideal, but sometimes you just have to make the best of a situation. I’ve put together a few ideas of how you can still celebrate the Day of Love with your pals even if it’s from afar!

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Set up a virtual wine tasting (using a service or by planning your own)
I personally always love a wine tasting. You get to sample a few different wines (they are often varieties or from vineyards you wouldn’t normally reach for) without committing to an entire bottle just in case you’re not a fan, you learn about the different wine flavor profiles and what your preferences are! If you choose to plan your own wine tasting, I think it would be so fun to pair with cheese, chocolate, or even fancy popcorn!

Schedule a virtual chocolate tasting
Similar to the wine tasting, but a bit less boozy. 😉 Try varieties of decadent high-grade chocolate from all over the world. You can totally taste the differences — it’s crazy! My husband’s firm did this as a team building activity recently and it was a big hit! We all really enjoyed tasting while learning about how chocolate is made and the different regions of the world that cacao is sourced from. Our chocolate educator was very helpful in guiding us through our chocolate trip around the world. We loved our experience!

Have a virtual rom-com (or any!) movie night together
One of my favorite things to do with girlfriends is have a movie night. We would all bring our favorite beverage / snack to share and pick a movie (or two, depending on the time allotted) to watch together. I miss doing this so much. Thankfully, due to the pandemic many streaming services are now making it possible for multiple people to watch a movie together! Alternatively, I guess you could figure out how to screenshare over Zoom, but that sounds like a total pain in the ass to me. 😛

Mail each other Valentines
I love the idea of mailing one another Valentines like we used to exchange in school. Of course, you could just pick up a classic pack from the store, but I also liked the idea of purchasing a cute digital card design from an independent seller on Etsy and printing them at home (like this one or this one) and attaching candy or a sticker or anything you want to send to your friends in the mail! Nothing better than receiving happy mail!

Send Shari’s Berries
Unless your friend doesn’t care for sweets (or fruit) I couldn’t think of a better surprise to send. I LOVE receiving Edible Arrangements and would personally adore the surprise of receiving a box of gourmet chocolate-dipped strawberries from Shari’s Berries.
I’m literally drooling as I type this.

Send candy
If your friend has a sweet tooth, I highly recommend sending sweet treats from Sugarfina. I can’t get enough of their goodies! I ordered an advent calendar for my husband and I to share for the 2020 Christmas season and it was so fun to sample so many yummy things! We looked forward to it every day. Some of my favorites are the champagne / rosé gummy bears, the peach bellini hearts, the fruity sugar lips, and the dark chocolate sea salt caramels.

Order a floral arrangement delivery
I know it’s a cliché Valentine’s Day gift, but I love having fresh flowers in the house and any excuse to send or receive them is fine by me! 😛 I think sending a bouquet to a friend would really brighten their day and make them feel special; plus, flowers last longer than chocolates. 😉

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I hope this post inspired you to find some ways to celebrate this holiday with your lovelies! Happy “Palentine’s” Day, friends!

xx, Natalie