Valentine’s Day Emergency? Five Sweetheart Ideas for Busy Lawyers

Valentine’s Day: The silly love songs, cheesy Netflix playlists. At Attorney at Work, we’re all in, with a Friday Five filled with sweetheart ideas.
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Valentine’s Day. You could opt to ignore it: the silly love songs, cheesy Netflix playlists and chocolate-dipped sentiments. Or, you could embrace it. Wholeheartedly. At Attorney at Work, we are all in. Because in the wise words of Sir Paul McCartney, love isn’t silly at all. Here’s a Friday Five filled with sweet ideas (and plenty of puns) to celebrate love. And what’s wrong with that?

You Remember It’s Valentine’s Day Today, Right?

Or have you been so busy you forgot? Maybe, like some of us (gulp), you put off the gift-giving decision too long, and now you’re in a panic. Well, don’t fret! Here are ideas to help spark the romance — some easily accomplished within a few hours’ time. 

1. Write Something from the Heart.

You’re a lawyer — a wizard with words! Put those writing skills to good use expressing your innermost feelings. Write a letter. Or a poem. Or a song, even. Not a text. Not a Facebook message. Sit and write something real and good and true. If you are one for whom this sort of writing has become a lost art, or if you just need a little spark of inspiration, then lay your hands on some great examples from people who really knew what they were doing. See the examples in “Other People’s Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See,” by Bill Shapiro.

2. Read Something … Out Loud

If writing under pressure isn’t for you, rely on the masters to provide the words. They are, after all, universal. Below are a few choices you might record in your own voice and send as an MP3. But better yet, get up close and personal to read them out loud over a little bubbly.

• A Love Song by William Carlos Williams
• The More Loving One by W. H. Auden
• XVII (I Do Not Love You) by Pablo Neruda
• Heart Condition by Jericho Brown
• Love Story in Black and White by Toi Derricotte
• Wild Nights — Wild Nights! (249) by Emily Dickinson
• The Kiss by Stephen Dunn
• When Someone Says I Love You the Whole by Karyna McGlynn
• Two Love Notes to Alice B. Toklas by Gertrude Stein

3. Book Two Tickets to Paradise

Maybe you can’t whisk away your special someone tonight, but anticipation is half the fun. So get online now to book that trip you’ve been talking about, then print out a picture and slip it into a card.  For inspiration, the Travel Channel has targeted the 42 most romantic destinations for tying the knot, while National Geographic has pinned down the best romantic hideaways (there are castles!), and Travel and Leisure has identified 20 romantic anniversary celebration hotels.

No travel budget? Transport yourself to the Cote d’Azur with Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in “To Catch a Thief”  or take a “Roman Holiday” with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn and pass the popcorn.

4. Go All In on a Silly, Sappy Valentine’s Day Card

Even if you have outgrown SpongeBob SquarePants punch-out cards, Valentine’s Day is an embarrassment-free zone, sentimentality-wise. So whether your valentine is 3 or 93, go ahead and pile on the silly, the punny and the sticky-sweet when selecting the perfect card. Ladyfingers Letterpress cards get our vote. Can’t find the right message? Get crafty. That’s why we have the internet. (Here are 30 DIY ideas.)

5. Keep It Classy

Long-stemmed roses, a heart-shaped box of chocolates (or anything chocolate) — you can never go wrong with the classics. For the iconic heart-shaped box, we recommend LA Burdick, champagne truffles from Teuscher, or the Leonidas red velvet heart. (The empty box is the perfect place to store those love letters and cards.) Too late for Fedex? Open up your grocery store app and order a bouquet (stay away from grocery store roses, though) and a pint of their favorite ice cream. For retail store chocolates, look for Lindt, ChocoLove, Ghirardelli or Lake Champlain. Pair your offering with a heartfelt note or a handmade card for the win. (See above.)

If You Look for It, Love Is All Around

It’s easy tobecome absorbed in our daily to-do’s, streams and routines and stop seeing the important things taking place around us. If you truly don’t want to miss a thing, perhaps the thing to do this Valentine’s is “Look Up!” from your phone. As Gary Turk says in this video, “Give people your love, don’t give them your like.”

Happy Valentine’s Day.

Illustrations and photos from Unsplash.com.

Love on the Brain: More Food for Thought from Attorney At Work Authors

• “Is the Law Ruining Your Relationship? Tips for Being a Better Partner” by Gray Robinson. After two divorces, I got a better idea of how lawyers can have successful relationships.
• “Ways to Tell Clients You Care.” Have you told your clients that you appreciate them lately? Perhaps some inspiration is in order. We asked a few who excel at it for their favorite ways of expressing gratitude and appreciation for clients.
• “You Don’t Need a Holiday to Show Some Love to Your Clients by Ruth Carter
• “Has Your Boss Fallen Out of Love With You? 9 Signs” by Chere Estrin. Has the boss stopped handing you new clients or projects? Falling out of favor is a tough blow, but don’t let it ruin your career.
• “10 Strategies for Bringing More Love into Your Law Practice.” A practical list of how-tos for creating a more caring culture for your firm.
• “Making the Case for Love in Your Law Firm” by Chrissy Cassisa. Don’t get your knickers in a knot. We’re not talking about illicit affairs steaming up the supply closet, or after-hours trysts with clients.