Stuck for Valentine’s Day Ideas?

Writing about something as potentially polarizing as Valentine’s Day can be a bit of a challenge, especially when you’re a girl. There’s something slightly misogynistic about the whole concept, mostly because we still expect the men to take the lead and plan the date. We don’t necessarily think about it as an equal opportunities kind of thing, a chance to celebrate a partnership that works, rather than a way to test whether your guy’s loyal or not. Most women don’t think that way, however much pop culture may like to suggest otherwise. Valentine’s Day is about celebrating your success as a couple so find something that works for both of you. Here’s a few ideas for the ideal way for the average gaming couple to spend Valentine’s day…

Staying In?

There are a bunch of cool and unusual alternatives to the usual beer, pizza and games or a movie that you might enjoy on a regular night. Make something a little unusual with a little help from Molecular, the Canadian company introducing technology to the kitchen, incorporating cooking techniques and ingredients from around the world with the latest in food science. Pick out your favorite game, exchange appropriately nerdish gifts and sit down to some of the most interesting food you’ll ever eat.

Going out?

You could just head to the nearest romantic, candlelit Italian restaurant or your local, up-market, hipster sushi bar or try something a little different. Most cities now play host to a veritable cornucopia of nerdy nights out. If you’re in my hometown of London in the UK, why not hit up the Meltdown Bar on Caledonian Road, the city’s very first e-Gaming pub? From the “Venomancer” to the Jaeger infused “Doom”, enjoy a (slightly ridiculous) gaming themed cocktail while playing the night’s featured game or sit back and snuggle with your other half while watching all the action on the big screens around the bar. Loading Bar is another hotspot for gamers, modelled on the famous gaming cafés of Tokyo, while Go8Bit is an innovative project combining video games and comedy for an unforgettable night out.

And what about a Valentine’s Day gift?

It’s hard to exhaust the options available on Think Geek but if you want something a little more special, unique and undeniably nerdy, why not try some a little more exclusive? Hunt around Etsy and see what you can find; pick up the perfect gift and support a small business at the same time. I love this single stem paper rose made out of Harley Quinn comic book pages and these player one/player two matching keyrings! These personalized binary code dog tags are great or if you want to go extra cheesy, check out this print.

Have you planned your Valentine’s Day? Be sure to share some ideas if you have any!