How to spend Valentine's Day when you're single

Janet Fanaki in Toronto's Distillery District, 2018. Photo cred: Maggie Knaus

  
Valentine’s Day can be a minefield when you are living single. 
 
My husband of 22 years passed away in February 2020. Despite this sad chapter in my life, it hasn’t stopped me from celebrating love and all its forms.
 
I’m a self-described Resilience Explorer - and lover of all things love.  
 
Sure I might be Pollyanna, but as the pandemic moves into year 3, we all need to find ways to bring levity and joy into our lives. And celebrating the love that we have for ourselves, family and friends like our galentines and palentines is one way to do it. 
 
You don’t need to spend a lot of money or a tonne of effort to show your love on Valentine’s Day. Here are some ideas:
 

• For a special dinner for one, prepare delicious heart-shaped pasta and watch your favourite show 
• The dollar store is full of fun and inexpensive Valentine’s paraphernalia like a pair of red fuzzy socks or cheesy decorations for your home 
• If luxury is your lane, then splurge on a cozy wrap from a high-end boutique
• A dozen red roses can seem so cliché so buy a single beautiful bloom and place it by your bedside
• To let your single friends know that you appreciate them, drop-off a mini bottle of rosé at their door with a note 

 
And if you want to avoid the day altogether, turn off social media and the tv, and run a bath for yourself. 
 
 
Janet Fanaki is the host of the RESILIENT PEOPLE is a podcast. She speaks with people around the world who are admired for their resilience. She lives in Toronto with her two adult children. ​