Three Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day: When the Big Satin Heart Just Isn’t Right

I’ve joked over the years that we need to have a Valentine’s Day every month of the year. It would be good for business to have what we call a “chocolate holiday” on a regular basis. Or at least, I say, let’s throw one in every now and then, maybe in September. I realize it sounds commercial and not quite in the spirit of the holiday, but you can’t blame me really, can you? We sell chocolate after all. 

But when I step away from business for a moment, I see the value in having a day in which everyone celebrates kindness, friendship, and yes, love, with hearts and cupids, flowers and chocolate. On Valentine’s Day, we celebrate all kinds of love. The kind that parents have for their kids and kids have for the parents. The kind that friends have. And the kind that involves romance too, for everyone. Especially these days, when we may feel separated by so many things (pandemic and politics to name two), having a day that brings us closer, something just for fun, is a pretty good idea. 

To that end, Valentine’s gifts don’t need to be big or expensive. They don’t need to be in a satin heart-shaped box. For this holiday, it’s the little things that count. Here are three easy, friendly ways to show someone you care:

Chocolate to Share

If you can be with your loved ones this Valentine’s Day, find yourself a special treat to share. It could be a cookie, a pizza, a bottle of wine, or a bowl of strawberries. Or maybe it’s an assortment of our chocolate squares or a mix of our chocolate hearts. Clink glasses, or clink the two halves of a chocolate and enjoy together. It really is sweeter with two.

Chocolate to Send

If you are far from your loved ones, send them some chocolate conversation hearts. They are sweet and simple and say all the right things when you can’t be there to say it in person. These are especially perfect for Galentine’s Day. If you can’t send waffles, or even if you can, send chocolate too. Chocolate and waffles go together. And throw on some marshmallow hearts! Your Galentines will flip for it.  

Chocolate to Make Together

Experiences are the best gifts hands down. To make some lasting memories, bring chocolate into the mix. Try these fun chocolate activities:

• Cocoa bombs with movie night: warm the milk (or dairy alternative), place the cocoa bomb in a big mug, and pour the milk on top. It will bubble and “explode” with our house-made marshmallows. Stir it well, and then hunker down for a cozy movie night. I personally love popcorn with hot chocolate too. It’s a perfect meal.
• Chocolate fondue: Is it dessert or is it dinner? Either can be interesting and fun if you feel like experimenting with the question “what pairs with chocolate?” Here’s how to do it: Get a jar of our hot fudge sauce. Warm it in a sauce pan on in the microwave (you can heat up the whole jar, just be sure to take off the lid). Cut up some yummy things you want to try dipping in the melted chocolate. We’ve tried the following and liked most of them. See what you think: bacon, pickles, sautéed Brussel sprouts, apples, pretzels, pancakes, dried apricots, Rice Krispies treats, cheddar cheese, and of course strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries (really good!). What haven’t we tried? Lots of things (cauliflower, carrots, and kale). Let us know what you like to pair!
• Hot chocolate cocktails: Ok, 21 and over crowd, this is for you. Our hot chocolate is made EVEN better with a little rum in the mix. Or Baileys. Or Kahlua. We don’t want to hamper your inventiveness, so please, experiment. I bet you’ll come up with things we can’t even image. Please let us know your favorites!

Of course, we have the big satin hearts too, and all kinds of other chocolate assortments if you want to make a big show of it this Valentine’s Day. There’s certainly nothing wrong with that. But if your budget or your style say otherwise, or the feeling you want to express calls for something different, try any of these easy, fun ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Share it, send it, make it your own. It really is the connection that matters most. And maybe, if we do it right, we can try this Valentine’s Day thing again every month, or at least when we all need a little lift and a little love in September.