Fancy dates, bouquets of flowers, boxes of expensive chocolate, and other overt romantic gestures are classic Valentine’s Day must-haves, but in 2024, changing it up might be a worthwhile course of action. Because sure, cozying up with a significant other is great, but the “Day of Love” isn’t just for couples–everyone could use an extra helping of kindness, caring and positivity, including your community. Since giving back is one of the Seven Pillars of a Bold Life, here seven ways to show love to your community on Valentine’s Day.
1. Show Love by Expressing Gratitude
Sometimes, love isn’t about romance, passion, and intimacy. It’s also about heartfelt gratitude. Love is an all-encompassing emotion and behavior of positivity and affection, which everyone can interpret differently. Expressing gratitude is one of the many ways people can show love for anyone they care about.
Although actions speak louder than words, telling someone why they’re loved can always brighten someone’s day. They also affect one’s physical and emotional well-being. People can express their gratitude in numerous ways, but it must be specific and authentic.
It doesn’t need to be a grand gesture or poetry in its most intricate form. Telling members of your community why you appreciate them in words that feel right to you feels more special because they know you’re aware of their help and highly value their presence.
Sending community letters of personalized appreciation notes, a well-thought text message, or a funny but heartfelt phone call can make your neighbor’s day.
2. Recognize A Special Community Worker
Community workers workday in and out to ensure community development, sustainability, and improvement. The core of their work is more than society growth and promotion but to challenge active issues that resolve them. Despite their roles of guiding and helping the community, not all community workers get recognition for their hard work, and events awarding their efforts aren’t a regular thing.
Recognizing a community worker in your area is one of the most unique Valentine’s Day ideas to consider this year. Showing your appreciation and support to a notable member of your community with simple presents like baked goods or handwritten Valentine’s cards expressing your gratitude can show them that you find their efforts and contributions valuable.
3. Volunteer
Volunteering at organizations, bake sales, soup kitchens, and food banks may not be a go-to Valentine’s Day activity, but it is a fulfilling way of spreading love. Volunteer work can help build deeper connections with people in your community while giving you opportunities to learn and try new interests.
In addition, volunteering on Valentine’s Day allows you to spread love and spend time with significant people in your life. Family members, close friends, and your significant other can join you in doing something that could improve one’s day.
Although local soup kitchens and bake sales are the usual options, you can look into community gardens and put your gardening skills to use. For people living in bigger cities, the local government has a department where you could provide your services for the day to maintain trees and other plants within the area.
4. Get into Holiday Crafts
Valentine’s Day may look like a Hallmark holiday for couples, but it’s also a special day for children. Many children look forward to Valentine’s Day festivities and find the activities a great way to express their love to their friends and families.
Create a community activity for children to unleash their creativity and express their emotions with Valentine-related crafts. You can coordinate with local workshops to make things more interesting and inclusive to everyone in the community. Parents can spend quality time with their children while doing crafts they can decorate their homes with. In addition, the activity can also teach kids social skills and help them identify their love language, which allows them better ways of expressing their affection.
5. Set Up an Exercise Class or a Walking Club
Fitness activities can unify a community and bring community members closer to their health goals. Setting up a guided fitness class or a morning walking club allows you to interact more with your neighbors while accomplishing your daily workouts together.
In addition, community fitness activities help you be more accountable with your fitness plans and journeys. The best thing about it is that your Valentine’s Day fitness club can turn into a daily activity that everyone in the community can join in and enjoy.
6. Do Something Special for Your Furry Companions
Expressing love doesn’t stop with your neighbors and other community members. It also extends to your furry companions. Setting up Valentine’s Day activities with your pets, like community pet playdates and picnics at the local park, can help you spend time with your pet, get them time outside, and have an opportunity to interact with other pets.
Communities can also coordinate with the local animal shelter for Valentine’s Day. Donating time to care for abandoned pets can lighten the staff’s workload for the day and help the animals become more relaxed with human interaction. In addition, you can also sign up as a foster parent for pets in need.
7. Community Fridges
Community fridges can be a unique addition to your Valentine’s Day festivities this year. Getting your neighbors in on this activity can help raise awareness of food waste while providing food to those who need it. People can leave spare, edible food, and people who need some for the day can get it from the fridge.
The activity unifies the community and strengthens their bond. It’s also a perfect way of expressing affection and gratitude during the Day of Love.
Don’t forget the book that lays out the principles of goal-achievement and attaining a Bold Life!
