By Cindy et Benoit
And yes, Valentine's Day is fast approaching! Some are looking forward to this date, while others are fleeing it. But no need to panic or put pressure on yourself, if there is no point in waiting until February 14 to prove your love to your Valentine or your Valentine, having a date is above all a good excuse to spend a little privileged moment with the loved one.
A little history
Do you know where Valentine's Day comes from?
There are several hypotheses for the origin of Valentine's Day, but it seems that the real origin comes to us from Great Britain in the 14ᵉ century. February 14 would have been designated as lovers' day, as they believed that the birds chose this day to mate.
In the middle of the 19ᵉ century, Valentine's Day became a commercial holiday in the United States with the sale of cards, flowers and gifts that were offered to one's "Valentine" or "Valentine". Nowadays, Valentine's Day, like many other holidays, has become a very lucrative commercial holiday and inevitably can have a very strong ecological impact!
So the first piece of advice we can give you is simply not to do too much to celebrate this holiday: you don't need to be overwhelmed by a mountain of gifts to show your love. Indeed, every year the brands put "the package" on the offer of Valentine's Day, but you are not obliged to succumb to the temptation by buying all that could correspond.
So, we're going to show you that it's quite possible to celebrate this lovers' day without spending hundreds of euros and without falling into clichés.
Do not fall into clichés
For many, Valentine's Day is synonymous with a bouquet of roses! So yes, the rose is the symbol of love par excellence and red is the color of passion, but the rose is also an ecological disaster if you offer it at this time. Indeed, these are not seasonal flowers in France and they are often imported from Kenya. According to the founder of "Fleurs d'ici": a bouquet of 25 imported roses is the carbon equivalent of a Paris-London plane!
So, the rose for the feast of lovers: we avoid. Especially since if you want to offer a bouquet, there are many other varieties of flowers that are in season at this time: magnolias, orchids or anemones and why not offer a succulent (such as succulents) which will have the advantage of lasting much longer!
For Valentine's Day, you don't have to buy the most expensive gift to show that you love the person. It's not the value of the gift that will prove your love.
Provide time and attention
The most important thing, on this special day, is to spend time together. And it starts in the morning! You can prepare breakfast (in bed or not) in the morning before going to work.
If you feel the soul of a poet, why not write a beautiful love letter to declare your flame. No need to be called Victor Hugo or Shakespeare, show humor! Having a good time also means laughing together. Decorating the day with little messages of poetry can also be very nice!
In the evening, you can have a small romantic dinner for two that you prepare for two (unless you plan to surprise your Valentine or your Valentine). A meal with local and seasonal products to eat healthy while reducing your carbon footprint. For the table, a little special Valentine's Day decoration: a few flowers or petals, candles, little paper hearts...
You can also plan an unusual romantic weekend in eco-places. We put you the link of the site " Family Ecolodge " which offers romantic, ecological and unusual stays! Perfect for getting together and cutting yourself off from everyday life!
Opt for an ecological gift
If you want to please your other half by giving him a gift, we favor useful gifts, ideally ones that we keep for the long term. We dodge gifts made of plastic or made abroad. Ideally, 100% French, local or handmade. And if it is all three at the same time: well done, that's perfect!
We have also prepared a special box for Valentine's Day (on which you benefit from a 10% discount) with zero waste products and small delicacies to enjoy as a couple.
And if you want to make a beautiful gift wrap, favor ecological packaging such as furoshiki or handmade packaging. You can read our article on how to easily do without disposable gift wrap.
With that, we wish you a beautiful and happy Valentine's Day!
*€5 discount valid from February 1 to 15, 2023 for a minimum purchase of €15.
