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Celebrating Valentine’s Day
Although I enjoy giving and receiving gifts as much as the next person, I’ve never felt driven to splurge or a compelling need to be spoiled on Valentine’s Day. This February, however, I think we all may need a little love.
If you have a romantic tradition (dinner, roses, jewelry, chocolates), keep it up! Your local businesses need your love and support as much as your adored partner. For 2021, let’s expand our notion of Valentine’s Day to include non-traditional recipients. Look around… who needs to know that someone cares? Your neighbor who lives alone? Your friend who lost his job? An exhausted health care worker? The grocery store bagger or your great aunt stuck in a nursing home? My hope is that this year people will enhance our ritual of sharing our hearts to include simple kindness, warmth and compassion for our fellow human beings, no matter the relationship.
Empathy is actually part of the original Valentine’s Day tradition, which is much older than you might expect. According to Wikipedia, it began as a Christian feast day in AD 496 to honor Saint Valentine, who was imprisoned in the 3rd century for ministering to Christians persecuted by the Roman Empire.
Stories say Saint Valentine restored sight to the blind daughter of his jailer and that he performed weddings for Christian soldiers who were forbidden to marry. Valentine’s Day became associated with romance in medieval times, “when notions of courtly love (emphasizing nobility and chivalry) flourished.” In 18th-century England, couples began giving flowers, sweets, and sending greeting cards (known as “valentines”). Today we have Hallmark and Tiffany’s…but it is truly the thought that counts. Your gift need not be diamonds, just a thoughtful token from your heart.
Take-out has been a savior for both dining establishments and social distancing during the pandemic. Restaurants that offer take-out make it easy to have a romantic dinner at home or send a loving meal to a relative, neighbor or friend. If you have enough to share, consider giving a
week’s worth of dinners for someone in need or making a donation to your local food bank.
Renee’s Bistro & Catering Service in Putnam (workinggirlcatering.com, 860-412-9365) wants to make Valentine’s Day special, safe and convenient. It offers delicious dinners delivered to local customers’ doorsteps or for curbside pick-up. Renee’s offers a multi-course menu, from appetizers for two, specialty salads, surf & turf, to pastas and mouth-watering desserts. You can also get a bottle of wine to pair with entrees. Renee’s can accommodate any dietary needs, including gluten free, dairy free, nut allergies, keto, vegan or vegetarian.
If you really need a night out, restaurants are doing their best to offer safe options for diners. The Tamarack Lodge in Voluntown is known for awesome events year-round. It has a large dining area that supports safe indoor dining and the restaurant offers take-out from all menus. For Valentine’s Day, The Tamarack Lodge is featuring a Romantic Dinner special on Feb. 13 & 14 with a decadent four-course menu filled with choices such as seafood and prime rib, plus a complimentary beer tasting from local Owl Head Brewing. Contact the restaurant (www.tamaracklodgect.com) for reservations and seating times.
Anya is a popular, upscale new restaurant in Thompson, which features classic French cuisine with European and Japanese influences (www.anyarestaurant.com). Its dinner menu offers “celebratory” dishes, both decadently delicious and glorious to view. Chef Jason Rollman will create several specials for a Valentine’s Day menu. The restaurant also offers curbside pickup and local delivery.
Lodging has been especially hard hit by the pandemic. Now open again to guests, bed and breakfasts such as Fitch House B&B in Mansfield (www.fitchhouse.com), and the Daniel Rust House B& B in Coventry (www.thedanielrusthouse.com) offer safe, sanitized and cozy accommodations. These historic properties and others in eastern Connecticut offer a relaxing escape for guests. Pamper your sweetheart for a weekend stay or give a night off to an essential worker to show you care. The Daniel Rust House is offering a Valentine’s Day special of any two-night stay from Feb. 12 to 15 that includes a complimentary bottle of wine or champagne. Any three-night stay receives a bottle of wine or champagne and the B&B’s bountiful cheese/ fruit platter. Book a night that same weekend at The Fitch House and get complimentary box of chocolates from a local chocolatier. The Watson Boutique B&B on historic Thompson Hill (www.thewatsonboutiquebb.com) is offering a 5% discount, plus a bottle of champagne in the room. Traditional Valentine’s Day gifts (flower, chocolate, jewelry!) are always a welcome treat. If you are shopping for your sweetheart, consider supporting your neighbors when you shop. Small businesses need your help, now more than ever.