Are you looking for Valentines Day in Chester County celebration ideas? Are you thinking about just flowers and chocolates? How about a date-night with that special someone? If you are a parent, there may also be the realization that Valentines Day has taken on a meaning beyond romance. Valentines Day is now a celebration of many kinds of love. Today, it can also be a commemoration of family love and friendships. Nevertheless, Valentines Day in Chester County provides you with many opportunities to express your affection and appreciation for someone special.
What Is Valentines Day?
Today, in Chester County and across the United States, Valentines Day is mostly a secular holiday. However, its organs are said to date back to pre-Christian Rome. Yet, the holiday derives its name from Saint Valentine of Terni, one the earliest Saints of the Christian Church. Begining in the 3rd-century, the Feast of Saint Valentine (or Saint Valentine’s Day) has been affiliated with the virtues of chivalry and romance. Saint Valentine is commemorated on February 14th because it is the official day of his martyrdom, in which he is said to have died in Roman for his Christian faith.
Yet, there are many who allege that Valentines Day was an attempt to Christianize a popular pre-Christian Roman festival called Lupercalia, a celebration devoted to fertility and love. However, that ancient observance is itself linked with the Athenian month of Gamelion (roughly mid-January to mid-February), which was dedicated to the marriage of Zeus and Hera and had been a common time of weddings. Still, there are some scholars who refute Valentines Day’s connection to any pre-Christian customs.
Regardless, for many, Valentines Day has become merely a Hallmark Holiday. It is simply a day to show our appreciation for the ones we love with greeting cards, boxes of chocolate, and flowers. Moreover, the focus is not limited to those we are married or have a romantic relationship. Today, people will give gifts to their children, other family members, friends, and even their pets. So, regardless of how it got its start, Valentines Day is not limited and is a recognition of all types of love.
Valentines Day in Chester County Events
This year, Valentines Day falls on a Wednesday. So, expected to find most Valentines Day in Chester County Events to occur the weekend before. Here is just a sample of what you can find going on in the area:
- Malvern Retreat House Annual Art Show — Malvern Retreat House, Malvern — 02/10/2018, 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm — Over 100 juried artists and more than 2000 fine art pieces including painting, sculpture, photography, jewelry, fiber art, glasswork, and ceramics.
- Cupid’s Bar Crawl – Downtown West Chester — 02/10/2018, 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm — West Chester Gateway Coalition invites you and your valentines out for an evening of fun and games. First stop will be Split Rail Tavern, second The Social Lounge, and they will wrap up at Side Bar. Food and drink specials at each stop, along with some Valentine’s Day trivia fun, prizes and more!
- Night To Remember Valentine Dinner Party — Carriage House at Quality Inn & Suites, West Chester — 02/10/2018, starting at 7:00 pm — Featuring band duo Acute Inflections, enjoy a night stay, dinner, live entertainment, dancing, champagne toast and more.
- Tantra Wisdom: Awaken Divine Union — Sweet Pose, 1776 E. Lancaster Ave, Paoli — 02/10/2018, 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm — A couple workshop, learn to initiate a higher self-presence, awaken the root chakra and free up the limitations and resistances, and transform ordinary sex into a more spiritual journey.
- Deadly Housewives Dinner Theatre — Beale Manor, 200 South Church Street, Parkesburg — 02/10/2018, 7:00 pm – 10:00 pm — If your significant other is an ID Channel Addict, you know that love sometimes leads to murder.
Inexpensive Valentine’s Day Ideas
A tight budget can make it a challenge to celebrate Valentines Day in Chester County. Regardless, there are ways to stretch a dollar and get the most for your money. Here are some ideas.
- Dining Out — Websites like restaurant.com can provide you with coupons, deals, and specials at many local Chester County restaurants.
- Romantic Getaways — Can’t afford an expensive hotel? A service like homeexchange.com lets you get away, travel, or visit another area for free.
- A “Mixtape” Custom CD —While websites like playanywhere.com provide a large choice of tracks, creating your own CD of memories is not too difficult.
- Create a Book — String together a collection of photos and romantic emails into a book or use a service like solentro.com to do it for you.
- Romantic Coupons — It may sound corny, but there will come a day that your significant other will appreciate having that “One Free Foot Rub” coupon.
Valentines Day with the Kids
Are you looking for ways to make Valentines Day special for your little sweethearts? Valentines Day with the kids can bring a lot of joy. Here are some ideas that you may want to try.
- Create Valentines Day Decorations — One of the easiest ways to bring joy and happiness to little hearts is with some crayons, construction paper, glue sticks, and safety scissors.
- Decorative Apparel and Accessories — Who doesn’t love a red bowtie with heart polka dots? There is a plethora of Valentines Day inspired sweatshirts, t-shirts, and outfits available at local shops.
- A Valentines Day Tea Party — Consider turning snack time into tea time for your cherub and her/his best friend, even if the best friend is an imaginary, blue unicorn with wings.
- Acts of Kindness — Christmas isn’t the only time to teach children the joy of giving. Consider taking flowers and a homemade card to an elderly friend or neighbor.
- Family Movie Night — There are many kid-friendly movies that families can watch on Valentines Day: Lady and the Tramp, Ever After, and Beauty and the Beast are just a few.
How are you celebrating Valentines Day in Chester County? Do you have any ideas or events that you would like to share? Please, leave your comments below.
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