This Valentine’s Day will be the first one celebrated since the outbreak of the global coronavirus pandemic. In the past the focus has been on elaborate gifts, dinners and trips to celebrate the day of love. However, for this year the emphasis is on safety first.

So with this in my mind, we have put together a list of ideas and gifts on how to celebrate this Sunday without jeopardising one's physical and mental health.

For the long distance lovers

If you and your love are kilometres apart, you can gift your loved one the gift of spending the day with you. Pick a day of the week and film yourself waking up, doing your morning routine, include snippets of your day like a flower you saw that was growing in an unexpected place, a stray dog you made friends with, etc. You can film using your phone and edit the video on your phone using great apps like Inshot. The video can then be gifted to your loved one, who will have it to keep for the day and beyond. They’ll have something to reference every time they think about you.

And if you want to see your loved one on actual Valentine's Day, the two of you could have a Zoom cooking date, if that is something that interests the both of you. Just pick a recipe to make live via Zoom and then get started. You can help each other and even get a little competitive while cementing your love. This idea works pretty much with anything that you enjoy. If painting is your thing, then paint together on the Zoom date.  

For the travellers

This year the chasing summer squad has been hit hard. People who enjoy travelling have had to keep their suitcases out of sight and this can be very hard on regular travellers. If your lover is one of those and you happen to live together, you can take them to the city they love while sitting in the comfort of your own home. New desktop app Drive & Listen allows you to take a virtual drive, while listening to a local radio station in a number of cities like Seoul, Paris, New York City, Havana, Beijing and even Johannesburg, among others. You can adjust the speed of the car and decide whether you want the street noise on or off.

Ever wondered what the view looks like out of the apartment window of a flat in Buenos Aires, Argentina? Well wonder no more with WindowSwap and website that has views out of people's windows from all over the world. You can also submit your own video from outside of your window. This is great to do on your date if you have prepared other things as well. Looking out of people's windows is refreshing and would go exceptionally well with a country-themed dinner for your travel loving lover.

For the mentally fatigued

Some people are at a point where they’re feeling fatigued by all the virtual meetings and isolation we’ve had and they’re anxious to get outside and see loved ones. This Valentine's Day they just want to celebrate it by sharing love with others beyond their romantic partner. This is quite possible if people stick to the rules and observe Covid-19 protocols. There might not be any hugging, but seeing somebody in the flesh you haven’t seen in a long time might be all you need to give you that energy boost to carry on. First try to get a Covid-19 test before you meet up with loved ones.  

Then if the weather permits, you could meet at a lovely outdoors venue that allows you to keep a distance from others like the botanical gardens and or even better, picnic in a loved one’s back yard. Wash your hands, use hand sanitisers and wear your masks! Protect yourself and your loved ones. Keep the numbers at the gathering low.