Editorial | 10 dos and don’ts for Valentine’s Day

Ah, Valentine’s Day, the holiday of love. Although you might be celebrating your version of romance, let The Pitt News Editorial Board help pave the way for the best celebration.

1. Going out to dinner at a restaurant — DON’T

Listen, we get it. You want to take your date to a nice dinner to woo them, but may we instead suggest you skip the meal you both think is overpriced, in a restaurant that is probably teeming with other couples expressing PDA all over your pasta? Check, please.

2. Getting takeout — DO

You know what says “love?” Sitting in bed, eating a delicious meal from your favorite takeout spot, watching the newest binge-worthy TV show and sipping on your favorite cheap wine from the liquor store. What could be better?

3. Flowers — DON’T

Flowers die, but do you know what lasts forever? Plastic flowers! Consider getting your partner a Lego bouquet instead.

4. Build-A-Bear — DO

We aren’t sure why an anatomically incorrect bear screams “I LOVE YOU,” but it might have something to do with the voice recorder inside talking back to you. That joy will last years, that is until the recorder begins to die and that “I LOVE YOU” sounds reminiscent of a demon.

5. Buying lingerie — DON’T

Whether you’re buying for your partner or to wear for them, don’t. Lingerie is expensive and your money is too precious to be wasted on something that will inevitably end up on the floor within minutes of putting it on. It’s the economical thing to do.

6. Make a playlist — DO

Everyone loves music, and wants to be acknowledged. A carefully curated playlist is a speedy way to enter your valentine’s heart, and other parts of the body.

7. Rose petals on the bed — DON’T

Okay, so you’ve seen this done in 10, 20, 30 different rom-coms, but have you thought the logistics through? What happens when you’re done doing … uh, whatever you were doing, and then realize there are hundreds of flower petals to clean up? Probably not the best way to end your romantic evening.

8. Gifting a candle — DO

Candles are a great gift for anyone in your life, but especially the person you’re trying to impress. Who knows, if you pick the perfect scent that tickles their fancy, they might just tickle yours, too.

9. Proposing  — DON’T 

Getting engaged is an important event in many people’s lives, but there is such a thing as proposing wrong — and doing it on Valentine’s Day is one of those ways. We get that it’s the season of love, but get a little more creative than taking them out to dinner and popping the question in front of countless strangers. Trust us on this.

10. Candlelit dinner in The Pitt News office — DO

Ultimately, the most romantic evening we could recommend is a nice candlelit dinner in TPN’s office. With multicolored string lights, a leather couch and an assortment of candy, what more could a person possibly want? This is a surefire way to land yourself on your date’s nice list. And who knows, maybe you’ll get naughty later.