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?
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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. Examples: 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. (You did remember about the card, right?) 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,” and pass the popcorn or take a “Roman Holiday” with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn.
4. Stay Young at Heart
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 and the sticky-sweet. Pick out 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. 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 to become 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.
Illustration ©iStockPhoto.com
