Redefining how we celebrate Valentine's Day

You've already seen it in stores, flower shops are stocking up, and restaurants are booking up fast. That's right, Valetine's Day is right around the corner, and for some people, the love-struck holiday is one of the hardest days of the year. I've been there. It can be rough. Your Instagram feed is filled with photos of gifts your friends have received, the flower deliveries at your office seem to be never-ending, and you feel as though you're five years behind some of your friends.

It doesn't have to be that way, and in my opinion, that's not the intention of Valentine's Day.

Full disclosure: Valentines Day will always be special to me because my husband proposed to me the day after Valetine's Day two years ago (sneaky guy, letting Valentine's Day come and go...). So, it is definitely an important holiday for me, solely because of the special event that occurred that weekend. But in my opinion, Valentine's Day isn't only about celebrating the love you have for your significant other. What about the other love in your life?

I experienced this shift in perspective on Valentine's Day four years ago. I was having a particularly tough Valentine's Day, and it was my first year navigating post-grad life. I remember it was a Tuesday, and my aunt picked me up from work in downtown Dallas (she knew I was having a tough time), took me to lunch and made me chocolate covered strawberries to take home. This exchange opened my eyes to what love is; love isn't narrowed to one person. I, of course, love my husband to pieces, but that lunch date with my aunt reminded me that love is so much bigger than one person and one situation, and we should truly take the time to celebrate all of the love in our lives.

So, here are some unconventional ideas for celebrating Valentine's Day this year, and don't miss some important information on my next giveaway that launches at 2 p.m. CST on Instagram today!

Send flowers to your mom/grandma/sister.

Who says you can't send flowers on Valentine's Day? Plus, can you imagine your sweet grandma's excitement when she receives flowers from her granddaughter on Valentine's Day? Totally unexpected. Proflowers can help you out here.

Host a potluck dinner with your friends - and refrain from calling it an "anti love" party.

We've seen it before. Wear black, hate on love. Trust me, I get it. But wouldn't you say you love your best friends? So why call it an anti-love party? Gather your best friends, host a potluck dinner, drink some wine, play some games, whatever you fancy. Celebrate one another and your friendships.

Send some snail mail.

Since I live so far away from my best friends now, I have tried to make it a point to send more snail mail, and this Valentine's Day, I plan on sending my best friends some cute Valentine's Day-inspired cards from Paper Source.

Send a gift or card to your parents.

My mom sends us Valentine's Day gifts every year, but why can't it be the other way around? I'm thankful for their love, after all.

Volunteer at a children's hospital or animal shelter.

Or any organization of your choice. Valentine's Day falls on a weekend this year, so volunteer with your significant other or a group of friends. There are tons of people who don't get to enjoy Valentine's Day with their loved ones because they're stuck in a hospital, and you know animals always need some love, so this could be a fun way to spread the love with the people you love.

Speaking of love, one thing I love about HerStory is the opportunity to partner with various companies so I can introduce you to their products and services that I enjoy and have gotten tremendous use out of. I've partnered with Proflowers for a Valentine's Day giveaway! I've received a plethora of flowers from Proflowers, and I can personally attest to the ease of delivery, the longevity of the flowers, and the overall fantastic customer experience.

You can officially enter on Instagram (@becca_culotta), but here are the deets:

• Follow both me and @Proflowers on Instagram.

• Tag two friends in the comments (on my photo) who you think would love Proflowers.

• That's it! Giveaway opens on Feb. 2 (when I post the photo featuring info on the giveaway) and closes on Feb. 5 at midnight. Winner will be announced at noon on Friday, Feb. 5.

• The winner will receive their own bouquet, and the winner will also get to send one bouquet to a friend, just in time for Valentine's Day. :)

I love my Valentine's Day bouquet from Proflowers; you don't want to miss this giveaway! How are you celebrating Valentine's Day this year?

Thanks to Proflowers for sponsoring this post!