It’s officially the month of love. If, like us, you’ll be wining and dining in your ABI holiday home, then you’ll want to read this ULTIMATE guide to the perfect Valentine’s Day ❤️
Decorate Your ABI
You don’t need to be sitting in the Eiffel Tower to set the scene for a romantic Valentine’s Day 🌹
Transform your ABI into a slice of Parisian heaven by:
- Buying your significant other’s favourite flowers and setting them up in a beautiful vase.
- Set the mood with ambient lighting; switch the main light off and use lamps and candles instead.
- Turn on some romantic music in the background.
- Place a chilled bottle of your SO’s favourite wine in a wine cooler.
- Decorate the surfaces with rose petals.
And just like that, your ABI becomes a date night haven 🕯️
Gifts That Mean a Little More
Spending a fortune on expensive gifts pales in comparison to the sentimental items that show your significant other that you really care 🎁
Here are some examples of thoughtful Valentine’s gifts that your partner is certain to appreciate:
- A framed photo of the two of you together.
- A scrapbook filled with your favourite memories.
- ‘Tickets’ they can exchange for the things they enjoy, i.e. going to the theatre.
- A handwritten poem.
- An experience you can do together, i.e. a tasting menu or couples massage.
If you and your partner don’t exchange gifts for Valentine’s, breakfast in bed goes a long way too… 🛌🍳
Pottery Painting
When living with a significant other, it can be easy to forget to dedicate time to one another. Pottery painting is the perfect activity that couples of any age will enjoy 🎨
Here’s how to get artsy this V-day:
You’ll need:
- Two porcelain mugs or plates. You can find painting-ready pottery in The Works and Hobby Craft.
- Acrylic paints and some paint brushes. These paints are versatile and can be used on many surfaces, specifically for unglazed pottery.
- Varnish or sealant to paint over your artwork once dried.
Method:
- Use white acrylic paint to create the ‘foundation’ of your pottery and allow to dry.
- Paint your mug or plate with whichever pattern and colours you like and allow to dry.
- Varnish your mug or plate and allow to dry for 24 hours.
- Wash before use and enjoy!
Movie Marathon
There’s nothing like snuggling on the sofa with a big bowl of popcorn whilst watching your favourite movies 🎬
Here are some of our favourite romantic movies to inspire your Valentine’s marathon:
- Pretty Woman (1990, Gary Marshall)
- The Notebook (2004, Nick Cassavetes)
- Ghost (1990, Jerry Zucker)
- La La Land (2016, Damien Chazelle)
- Titanic (1997, James Cameron)
Top tip: the fake yawn arm stretch trick only works in American movies 😉
Three Course Extravaganza
Good food is the language of love ❤️ Cook up a storm this Valentine’s and enjoy a candlelit meal with a bottle of your favourite wine.
To give you some food-spiration, here’s what we’d make for starter, mains, and dessert:
Starter:
Seared Scallops with Chorizo 🍴
Fry chorizo discs for 20 seconds per side in a hot, dry pan, until nicely browned and transfer to your serving plate.
Season your scallops with salt and pepper and sear in the chorizo’s oil for 30 seconds per side. Top each slice of chorizo with a scallop and a pinch of finely chopped fresh coriander. Serve immediately.
Main:
Spaghetti Aglio e Olio 🍝
Toss fresh garlic and silky olive oil through spaghetti to make this classic Italian dish – ready in the time it takes to boil the pasta. It’s simple, flavoursome and perfect for date night.
Dessert:
Simple and Luxurious Chocolate Dipped Strawberries 🍓
Simply melt some chocolate, dip your strawberries in and leave to set in the fridge. Melt some white chocolate, drizzle over and place back in the fridge to set once more.
Who says decadent meals need to be a faff? All of this will set you back 30 minutes, leaving you plenty of time to enjoy your significant other’s company ✨
We’d love to see your romantic ABI set-ups, tag us in your date night pics on Facebook, Instagram and X – Happy Valentine’s Day! 💌
