February is the month of love <3. We all know February the 14th is a day to celebrate with your partner. But have you considered the amount of waste attached to the production and disposal of items such as gifts, wraps and packaging? Besides, can you  express love with a present?

One of my uncles told me once that you show love to your loved ones by everyday actions. I didn’t understand back then, because I was a teenager, my mind was romanticised and I could not wait to find the one to celebrate Saint Valentine’s with.

Now, in my 30’s I look back, and I have to admit I have celebrated the majority of my Saint Valentine’s by not buying presents but by spending quality time with my partner or preparing a comfort dinner together with a glass of wine or doing some new activity.  For example, last year we went to a climbing wall together and we spend the morning climbing and laughing at  ourselves. Now I can say, I agree with my uncle, we have the opportunity to show our love everyday to that special person.

Regardless if you celebrate or not Saint Valentine’s, if your swap present or like me, take this day as an opportunity to try something new, in this article we  will explore ways in which you can make your celebration more sustainable this year by offering eco-friendly ideas for Saint Valentine’s!

History of Saint Valentines

Let’s start and talk about who this mysterious Saint is and where did these traditions come from.

After my research I have found different theories and legends about Saint Valentine’s feast day, please choose the one that you like the most:

1. Lupercalia was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. After some animal sacrifices for fertility and purification. Then they were taken to the streets, the animals’ skin dipped into sacrificial blood and gently slapped both women and crop fields. It was believed to make them more fertile in the coming year. The legend says that following this, the women were placing their names in a big urn so the city’s bachelors would take a name from the urn and both become paired for the year. These matches often ended in marriage.

Different versions about this Lupercalia festival says that the men were naked running through the streets and spanking the young ladies in their backsides.

1. 1. The Catholic Church recognizes 3 Saints named Valentine or Vanetinus, all martyred. One of them was a priest who performed marriages for young lovers in secret when they were outlawed. The Emperor Claudius II forbade them because he thought that single men were better soldiers than those with wives and families. When the Emperor discovered Valentine’s marriages, he sentenced him to death.
   2. One more legend says that a prisoner called Valentine fell in love with a young lady (possibly his jailer’s daughter) and wrote her a love letter signed “From your Valentine”. This is an expression that is currently in use.

Out of curiosity, which legend do you like the most?

Traditional San Valentine’s Gifts

Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, nowadays we celebrate St  Valentine all over the world, and it is being commercialised. In fact in Spain we used to call it “El Corte Ingles’ Day”. According to Hallmark “Approximately 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged industry-wide, making Valentine’s Day the second-largest holiday for giving greetings cards.” We cannot forget that apart from cards, we also exchange presents, chocolates, jewellery…but what is the environmental impact of this?

Do you know?

• Traditional cards often contain non-recyclable materials which can end up in landfill if not disposed of properly.
• Flower bouquets will have been imported from overseas meaning they use up valuable resources during transportation and contribute to global emissions.
• Chocolate itself may be recyclable or compostable; its packaging usually isn’t – this means that it could end up in landfill too!

Strategies & Ideas for More Sustainable Valentine’s Day Celebrations

With all this said, do not be discouraged. I understand that sometimes realising how much environmental impact our actions have is overwhelming. However, there are a lot of great ways to show your loved ones how important and how much you care about them without creating unnecessary waste this Valentine’s Day.

• First option is to be creative and make a homemade card out of recycled paper instead, you can find some inspiration on this board on my Pinterest.
• Have you heard of Seed/plantable Valentine’s Day Cards?  Plantable cards paper has seeds in it. If you nurture these seeds carefully, they will germinate and grow into little plants. Tell me, is there a better option than a card that you can plant and see flourish? (like your love :)).

• • • • Here you have some shops in Ireland:
        • • The Paper Shop
          • Jiminy Eco Toys
          • The Three Little Birds

• Dried and preserved Flowers are great options. First because the dried flowers last way longer and look incredible apart that they won’t take up space in landfills after the holiday has passed. At The Crate, you can find them as well as some Seasonal flowers options.

• If you are a sweet tooth like me, you will prefer buying chocolates, my little cousin called this a “boomerang present” because the giver enjoys the present as much as the receiver…but  we all know that sharing is caring! In this case,  try opting for brands with minimal packaging or those made using ethically sourced ingredients such as cocoa beans grown sustainably on certified farms  or slave free!
• Some recommendation in Ireland:
• The Source Bulk Shop
• The Good Neighbour
• Tony’s Chocolonely
• The nibbed Cacao

• Another option is give an experience rather than something physical like tickets to a concert or theatre show? Let’s be honest, one of the best ways to make your San Valentine’s celebration not just more sustainable but also more special is by creating memories, and creating experiences. This could mean taking your loved one out for dinner, going on a romantic hike or walk in nature or simply having a picnic at home instead of dining out. You can also plan activities that don’t require much energy like watching a movie together or playing board games – this way you can show your appreciation without wasting resources.

• One thing that I did once and it was rewarding for me and also for my partner was to create a handmade scrapbook filled with photos of us and memories shared together throughout the years. I also made some comments on the pictures and it was so much fun to do and he loved it!

• One last  great idea is to give an eco-friendly product such as reusable coffee cups or shopping bags which can be reused again and again – this not only reduces waste but it’s practical too!
• My favourites in Spain are:
• Esturirafi
• Usar y Reusar
• And in Ireland
• The Kind
• Reuzi

Whatever you decide, just remember that sustainable doesn’t necessarily mean boring – so get creative this year and make sure your Saint Valentine’s celebration is both thoughtful and environmentally friendly!

Of course, there are some drawbacks to giving sustainable gifts too – for example some products may require additional research and some planning before buying, but imagine, if we all make an effort to choose sustainable gifts this Saint Valentines, then together we can significantly reduce our environmental footprint while still showing our love for those closest to us!

Conclusion

In conclusion, celebrating Valentine’s Day in a sustainable way is possible with just a few simple changes. Showing your loved ones appreciation doesn’t mean creating more waste – instead opting for eco-friendly gifts and activities can enable us to celebrate the day while still helping protect our planet! This could include using recycled materials to make cards or decorations, or even giving experiences rather than physical items so that no resources are wasted on packaging or transportation. It is also important to practice sustainable habits both before and after the holiday such as buying locally sourced products. Doing this will help ensure that we  can all enjoy Saint Valentine’s without having an adverse effect on the environment!

Frequently Asked Questions