“Find Your Tribe” was born so that you can find and be found by “your people”.
I don’t know about you, but I feel like time is just zooming by! We are already in February and Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. 💐
I’m so excited to kick off this month’s community connection!
A warm welcome to those of you who are new and returning to Find Your Tribe!!
“Find your tribe! 🔍” comes out every second Friday (NZ) 🗓️
Each month, we have a new discussion thread and a new opportunity to spark new connections!
I was talking to my Japanese tutor and we talked about how they celebrate Valentine’s Day in Japan - a lot of emphasis is around giving and receiving chocolates 💝. In New Zealand, there are always red roses for sale everywhere! So for today’s thread, I thought it would be interesting to know if there are any traditions for Valentine’s Day in your country.
Or is it not celebrated?
Do you have a memory that you would like to share?
who talked about creating a semi-regular post to invite readers to introduce themselves in the comments. She also runs regular discussion threads, which are excellent!
1. Hi! I’m Mika from New Zealand. This year, I officially became an empty nester after my last child moved out. My husband and I are in our late 40s, and honestly, it feels like we’re newlyweds again! (We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary last month 🥰)
✍️ 2. MUSINGS BY MIKA
My little happy place. A space to connect with like-minded people figuring out this thing called life—especially those stepping into their creative journey through writing and pushing beyond their comfort zones. I share my Substack journey, help others connect, and talk openly about the fears and triumphs of this new stage of life.
💬 3. High school Valentine’s Day memories! At my school, it was a big deal—couriers would come and go, delivering flowers and soft toys to the girls’ schools. Since my school was mixed, we had a box where you could leave notes, cards, and little gifts to be delivered by student leaders throughout the day—perfect for sending something to a secret admirer! 😄
When I went to The American School in Japan, for my primary years, I loved how we decorated boxes or envelopes to collect letters, cards, and lollies from classmates. When I returned to NZ, we didn’t do anything like that.
1. I’m Rachel Joy from the UK. I’m a wellness therapist & museum educator 💞 I’m quite new to Substack and feel I’m still finding my space a bit but I’m enjoying the journey ☺️
2. I write about beauty, enjoying the small things in life, wellness, seasons, lifestyle and my own healing journey. A bit of a cabinet of curiosities 💐✨😆
3. Valentines memory 💌 The UK celebrates Valentines with cards, gifts and dates. I love we celebrate love! I think my favourite memory is when I was in my 20s and a group of about 10 of us girlies went for dinner together and as we left the restaurant gave each of us a single red rose 🌹😍
✨ Looking forward to connecting with others here 🥂
Hi all! I'm Rachel - an American living in Madrid. I write weekly about the charm and chaos of living in Spain on Americana en España: https://americanaenespana.substack.com/
Spaniards celebrate Valentine's Day very similarly to Americans - going out to dinner, gifting flowers and chocolate, and exchanging cards. This year was special because my husband moved to Madrid on Valentine's Day three years ago and this year we celebrated at our favorite neighborhood restaurant.
I look forward to connecting to more women on this platform!
Great name 💕☺️ Looking forward to going and checking out your Substack. I lived in Gibraltar for 4 years and regularly visited Spain. What’s your favourite part of living in Madrid? 😀🌼 from Rachel
Thank you for your kind words, Lani! Bulgaria is actually bigger on a spirit named rakia, which can also be made from grapes (or other fruits) so some of the grapevines are for this purpose 😁
Hi, I’m Etta from the USA. I came across this post via Rosie Meleady and her “Rosie Life in Italy.” I love All Things Italy, which is the name of my Substack. I am a writer and a travel consultant, recently retired from being a full time literature professor.
Valentine’s Day in the US I believe is one of the most painful holidays, especially for young people. SO MUCH PRESSURE and feelings of not fitting in. So I don’t have a great story to share!!! Lots of not so great stories. . . Of disappointments!!
1. I'm Amy, living in rural, conservative, northern California (USA). It's an interesting space to be in. I feel like we are a cautionary tale for what Project 2025 looks like 2 steps down the road, but also there's a bit of safety/insulation living in the state of CA.
2. I recently transplanted my blogging habit from Blogger to Substack. It's about small joys, but also random observations about life, parenting, travel, or whatever else sparks inspiration. My writing doesn't necessarily have a schedule or a theme. Much like my life in general. 😃
3. In the US, Valentines Day feels very commercial...lots of boxed chocolates, balloons, etc. As a single mom, it's not so much a romantic day for me, but I focus my Valentine's energy on showing love to my kids and sending cards to people I care about.
1. Hi I'm Sharon from England. I lead a communications team for a medium-sized charity three-days a week. The rest of the time I'm reading, writing, travelling and trying to be the best-possible grannie to three grandkids.
2. Looking to the Horizon.
I write about life, faith, travel, books and anything else that grabs my attention.
I have a new one for this year. Dropping my bags at the check-in counter in Nairobi I was handed a red rose by the airline staff. A lovely gesture but quickly a problem given the number of security checks between bag drop and the aircraft. The rose did make it home with me.
Hi all! I’m Meghan, a 31 year old living in Wisconsin (USA).
My substack is everyday delights where I write about the little cozy things making me happy lately. It heavily features books and other media, but also positive articles and general life updates/things I’m loving/things I’m struggling with.
My personal v day tradition is to visit a semi-pricey but absolutely delicious supper club with my husband. We splurge on wine and steak, and it’s heavenly. We only go maybe once or twice a year, so it’s quite the treat.
There's lots of hearts in supermarkets here! 😅 My mum used to buy me valentine's cards every year. It was always nice to be guaranteed a valentine's card whether single or in a relationship hehe ❤️
Hi, I'm Rosie from Ireland but moved to Italy 6 years ago where I am having a fabulous midlife crisis. I bought a derelict 22-room villa by accident and renovated it. The process was comical and stressful so I wrote a book about it during lockdown. It is now a 6 book ongoing humorous memoir series and has fulfilled my dream of becoming a full-time author (12 books published).
My Substack is 'A Fabulous Midlife Crisis' and I write mostly humour about living in Italy, how to have a fabulous midlife crisis and writing.
When I was a kid, my mam used to take me visit St Valentines Heart which is kept in a church in Dublin city centre. Recently I was in Rome and happened across the church where other bits of him are kept. I think he is following me around.
Keen to build a community of fabulous women! Nice to meet you!
Love the name of your Substack! Italy sounds like good fun! Is the food as amazing as I imagine? 🍝 I've been to Venice & Rome for mini breaks so I've had a taster!
👋 Hi all! I'm Milena, from Bulgaria but currently living in the UK.
✍️ I write over at Helm the Overwhelm about (you guessed it) navigating overwhelm, anxiety, procrastination and perfectionism. And being kinder to ourselves in the process :) https://helmtheoverwhelm.substack.com/
🍷 In Bulgaria the younger generations celebrate Valentine's Day with gifts, flowers, chocolates and going out on dinners. The older generations tend to observe another traditional custom which celebrates wine and wine growers (either on February, 1 or February 14). People would usually have wine in the evening and whoever grows any grapes goes to prune them for the first time in the year. I have some childhood memories of my family pruning the grape plants in front of our house 🍇
That's so interesting. I had no idea Bulgaria was so big on wine! And I love this idea of being in control 'helm the overwhelm' as opposed to letting it take over us. Positive message, Milena! 💞
💬 3. I can't say I remember much about valentine's day in Belgium from way back other than there would be chocolate in shops in red boxes but it wasn't really a thing like I'd see on TV on American shows where kids would make like little art works in school and give cards to all their friends and things like that.
I'm Lauren and I write The Navigation on Substack, sharing essays covering musings on, meanderings through, and methods for navigating modern life as a millennial woman - and hope to offer some helpful reflections for readers along the way. 🧭
I'm from Wales but live in London, and so Valentine's Day is typically all about the commericalised things you might expect - flowers, chocolates, fancy dinners and what not.
Wales does actually have its own Valentine's Day however, St Dwynwen's Day on January 25th, though it is less well known and celebrated mainly among Welsh-speaking communities. Welsh wooden love spoons are a traditional romantic gift, and many people have them on display at home all through the year after they've received them. 🥰
My partner and I will use the day as an excuse to do/try something different together, so tonight we are heading to a relaxed Filipino restaurant for dinner. 🍽️
In the meantime I am treating myself to a day at a local coffee shop with Substack and notebooks - and it doesn't get more romantic than that! 😉
I am Ann Richardson from London. I write The Granny Who Stands on her Head (which I am and I do) and re Valentines Day, I am still madly in love – no, MORE madly in love – with my husband of 61 years. We never went in for official days to celebrate our love, but no day goes past without a lot of shows of affection. In addition, my birthday is 13 February so Valentines Day is in the shadow of that.
My Substack is there to give you some thought to ponder, occasionally something funny to amuse you, in these hectic times. It's often about why I like being old (I just turned 83), but goes way beyond that. Here's one that will give you the flavour, but I promise you that every post is different https://arichardson.substack.com/p/thinking-about-the-vulva
👋 1. Hello, my name's Lani, and I'm an American living and working in Cambodia.
✍️ 2. No Girl is an Island is where I'm currently serializing my memoir, Misfortune Cookie, about my quirky childhood with a very Thai mom. https://lanivcox.substack.com/ But I'm also doing a What's on Your Desk? series around Substack, and my usual feel-good content newsletter.
💬 3. Since I'm in Siem Reap, I can say the experience is mostly roadside roses and little gifts for you to give your friends and special someone. When I was in Thailand, the students put heart stickers on one another's school uniforms.
A fond memory is getting a little wild boar plushie that my husband found at a yard sale! Our little muu paa (wild boar in Thai) has now come to embody the day! ❤️ Happy VD, everyone! And thanks, Mika ~ great prompt!
My husband and I are planning to spend five weeks in Siem Reap in August/September. We've visited three times and love the place. This time round we are going to support friends who lead a growing church and local charity project. Maybe we'll bump into one another!
Hi Lani, I have a friend staying with me at the moment who lived in Cambodia for a period and it's now on the top of my 'to experience' list! It sounds wonderful. I just checked out your Substack and subscribed :)
1.Hello - I'm Sue. I'm not sure where I live! I come from New Zealand but have been gone for years. I'm in New Zealand at the moment having a holiday with my kids and grandkids - and it's a wonderful summer here, enjoying each other's company. I rent a university flat in Aberdeen, Scotland where I go occasionally as I'm still affiliated with the University of Aberdeen. I love life there. The tricky thing is that I recently married the love of my life who currently lives in Texas. I've been living there with him for 3 years now, but I find life there ghastly! Fortunately our house is in a forested neighbourhood, and I've been so busy writing my PhD thesis that I've been living like a happy hermit and not venturing out much. We are currently feeling like leaving USA would be a good move! We'll see!
2. I haven't started my Substack yet - I'm still not sure where my focus will be. But I love reading all the amazing work other people are posting. I'm leaving meta social media and joined Bluesky but find it not very conversational or a good way to keep in touch with friends. It's a great source for global political updates though, which I'm grimly keeping alert to.
3. Valentines Day was never anything in my life! Just another commercial Hallmark day. However today we're loving each other in New Zealand and every day is Valentines Day. It's been fun seeing people carrying big bunches of red roses around in the bustle and heat of Auckland.
1) Hi, I’m Jeanine and I write about Mexico, the Maya and the Yucatán— From travel to lifestyle to pyramids, culture/art/history and my new series on Women Trailblazers in Archeology.
3) In Mexico Valentine’s Day is big. Lots of hearts, balloons, flowers and chocolate. And chocolate themed drinks even. Love is in the air and it's a wild and fun day and night.
4) High school Valentine's Day memory—my boyfriend was a romantic. Our lockers were next to each other and we'd meet between classes. Every time I went to my locker, he had literally filled it with paper hearts! So many they poured out onto the floor when i opened it--it was super romantic, and by the end of the day, other students would just wait for me to open my locker. It was pretty cool.
👋 1. Hi I’m Carly! I live on a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest 🏝️🇨🇦.
✍️ 2. My stack is called Going Solo☝️I share my journey towards a portfolio career, pursuing more meaningful work and navigating a mid-career transition.
💬 3. This year I'm celebrating Palentine's Day! (It's kind of like Galentine's day ;)). Heading off my little island to the big city to hang with pals.
👋 Hi, I’m Bronwen and I live in Bournemouth on the south coast of the UK with my daughter and our hound.
✍️ I write about my project to clear out my house after years of neglect for one reason or another and get back to having a tidy and functioning home - it’s called Clearing Out.
💬 Valentine’s Day here in the UK is much like the US - flowers and chocolates and maybe champagne are the norm. It’s all so commercialised. Everything is! Today in my local high street I was wondering why the shops had so many bunches of flowers for sale - then I remembered. I’m single/widowed so I don’t ‘celebrate’. As a child I remember the excitement around making a card and putting it in the school letterbox for your secret love. The cards were always anonymous. I rarely received one. When I grew up and was dating it was often cuddly toys along with the flowers - and then with my partner it would be more romantic and sexy. But we gave up going out for a meal after one year when everyone was just couples and it felt so forced and weird. This year I’ll probably meet my friend for a dog walk in the morning and spend the evening watching a film or reading with a gin or two and my sofa companion (the hound).
Lovely to meet you all - wishing you all the love for Valentines - which should perhaps become a celebration of loving each other in a kind and respectful way - not romantic love, but love for humanity in general - to combat all the hate out there just now - here’s to love 🥂🍫💐
👋 Hi! I'm Cheniece from central Mississippi in the southern USA. My publication, The Clarity Call at https://www.newsletter.cheniece.com/, is about creative entrepreneurship, online business insights, and authentic living experiences for solopreneurs, freelancers, creatives, and online business owners. Here, Valentine's Day is terribly commercialized, and me and my husband mostly focus on just treating our kids to candy and gifts. We're getting sushi together tomorrow though!
When I went to the American School in Japan, I remember making/decorating boxes for our school mates to gift valentines cards and lollies to each other. 🍬
👋 Hi I'm Sophie, I'm in NZ, living in an off grid tiny house
✍️ I write on my substack https://thisissophietoday.substack.com/ and I write about the slow life, my adventures living off the grid and reconnecting with nature for busy people
❤️In Belgium Valentine's day is traditionally celebrated with chocolates, but in my opinion it has become a very commercialised holiday and people tend to give each other gifts and then it becomes about the gift giving. In my opinion it should be about spending time with the person you love. My husband and I don't really celebrate it, although we did go out yesterday to eat pizza by the beach and watch a sunset and afterwards we decided "let's count this as our valentine's date". 😂
I write A Look Inside the Mind — a publication about the big questions related to the human mind and the nature of our existence. We get into topics like consciousness, emotion, the ego, social relationships, and much more 🧠
In the U.S., Valentine’s Day is for flowers, chocolates, and little love notes 💘 But we’re also big on “Galentine’s Day,” which is a fun way to get together and celebrate the women in my life!
👋 1. Hi Mika and all! I'm Cassandra and I live on an island on the west coast of Canada with my husband and our dog, Chewie. I'm self-employed and work as a virtual assistant to female entrepreneurs in a variety of industries.
✍️ 2. My Substack is called Notes from a Kindred Spirit. (https://cassandrabumpus.substack.com/) It's a bi-weekly newsletter about embracing curiosity, exploring hobbies, living with chronic illness, and finding contentment in the everyday.
✨ 3. Canada celebrates Valentine's Day in very traditional ways. Lots of roses and chocolates for sale, and kids in elementary school give little Valentine's Day cards to their classmates. For me, Valentine's Day is actually the day before my birthday which works out great because I can treat myself to all the Valentine's chocolate that is now on sale! 😂
Hi Cassandra! Sounds like we have overlap in our substack topics–mine also heavily features books and focuses on finding delight in the everyday (hence the name!)
Happy birthday for your upcoming special day 🎂 🥳!!
I don’t think chocolates is a huge thing over here. But I do like the sound of getting lots of chocolate on sale (you’re making me want to go check out the supermarket to see if there are any special looking ones.💝)
Valentine’s in the US seems to be regarded in a few different ways: 1) Celebrate romantic love or 2) Celebrate friendship, I.e. “Galentines Day” or 3) Hate it and call it “Singles Awareness Day.” Personally, I have always loved the holiday and love to celebrate LOVE in all its forms. 💌
So true. Valentine's Day is heart day, a day to share our hearts and love with others. I don't think it has to be complicated. Human kindness mixed w/ love for all.
1. Hi! I’m Mika from New Zealand. This year, I officially became an empty nester after my last child moved out. My husband and I are in our late 40s, and honestly, it feels like we’re newlyweds again! (We celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary last month 🥰)
✍️ 2. MUSINGS BY MIKA
My little happy place. A space to connect with like-minded people figuring out this thing called life—especially those stepping into their creative journey through writing and pushing beyond their comfort zones. I share my Substack journey, help others connect, and talk openly about the fears and triumphs of this new stage of life.
💬 3. High school Valentine’s Day memories! At my school, it was a big deal—couriers would come and go, delivering flowers and soft toys to the girls’ schools. Since my school was mixed, we had a box where you could leave notes, cards, and little gifts to be delivered by student leaders throughout the day—perfect for sending something to a secret admirer! 😄
When I went to The American School in Japan, for my primary years, I loved how we decorated boxes or envelopes to collect letters, cards, and lollies from classmates. When I returned to NZ, we didn’t do anything like that.
I laugh when people say they are dreading becoming 'empty nesters' - It's bloody great!
Happy 25th, Mika! 🩷 That's wonderful! xxoo
Hi everyone 🌸
1. I’m Rachel Joy from the UK. I’m a wellness therapist & museum educator 💞 I’m quite new to Substack and feel I’m still finding my space a bit but I’m enjoying the journey ☺️
2. I write about beauty, enjoying the small things in life, wellness, seasons, lifestyle and my own healing journey. A bit of a cabinet of curiosities 💐✨😆
https://joysorganicdelight.substack.com
3. Valentines memory 💌 The UK celebrates Valentines with cards, gifts and dates. I love we celebrate love! I think my favourite memory is when I was in my 20s and a group of about 10 of us girlies went for dinner together and as we left the restaurant gave each of us a single red rose 🌹😍
✨ Looking forward to connecting with others here 🥂
Hi all! I'm Rachel - an American living in Madrid. I write weekly about the charm and chaos of living in Spain on Americana en España: https://americanaenespana.substack.com/
Spaniards celebrate Valentine's Day very similarly to Americans - going out to dinner, gifting flowers and chocolate, and exchanging cards. This year was special because my husband moved to Madrid on Valentine's Day three years ago and this year we celebrated at our favorite neighborhood restaurant.
I look forward to connecting to more women on this platform!
Hey Rachel
Great name 💕☺️ Looking forward to going and checking out your Substack. I lived in Gibraltar for 4 years and regularly visited Spain. What’s your favourite part of living in Madrid? 😀🌼 from Rachel
Thank you for your kind words, Lani! Bulgaria is actually bigger on a spirit named rakia, which can also be made from grapes (or other fruits) so some of the grapevines are for this purpose 😁
Hi, I’m Etta from the USA. I came across this post via Rosie Meleady and her “Rosie Life in Italy.” I love All Things Italy, which is the name of my Substack. I am a writer and a travel consultant, recently retired from being a full time literature professor.
I write about topics related to my teaching and research in Italy. My last post was on my experiences with the Festival of Saint Agatha in Sicily. https://open.substack.com/pub/ettamadden/p/the-festa-di-santagata?r=oc60t&utm_medium=ios
Valentine’s Day in the US I believe is one of the most painful holidays, especially for young people. SO MUCH PRESSURE and feelings of not fitting in. So I don’t have a great story to share!!! Lots of not so great stories. . . Of disappointments!!
1. I'm Amy, living in rural, conservative, northern California (USA). It's an interesting space to be in. I feel like we are a cautionary tale for what Project 2025 looks like 2 steps down the road, but also there's a bit of safety/insulation living in the state of CA.
2. I recently transplanted my blogging habit from Blogger to Substack. It's about small joys, but also random observations about life, parenting, travel, or whatever else sparks inspiration. My writing doesn't necessarily have a schedule or a theme. Much like my life in general. 😃
https://substack.com/@amyfindsthejoy
3. In the US, Valentines Day feels very commercial...lots of boxed chocolates, balloons, etc. As a single mom, it's not so much a romantic day for me, but I focus my Valentine's energy on showing love to my kids and sending cards to people I care about.
Fascinating to hear northern California as conservative! That's not something we hear often about here.
1. Hi I'm Sharon from England. I lead a communications team for a medium-sized charity three-days a week. The rest of the time I'm reading, writing, travelling and trying to be the best-possible grannie to three grandkids.
2. Looking to the Horizon.
I write about life, faith, travel, books and anything else that grabs my attention.
https://sharonjclark.substack.com/
3. Valentine's memory.
I have a new one for this year. Dropping my bags at the check-in counter in Nairobi I was handed a red rose by the airline staff. A lovely gesture but quickly a problem given the number of security checks between bag drop and the aircraft. The rose did make it home with me.
Hi all! I’m Meghan, a 31 year old living in Wisconsin (USA).
My substack is everyday delights where I write about the little cozy things making me happy lately. It heavily features books and other media, but also positive articles and general life updates/things I’m loving/things I’m struggling with.
My personal v day tradition is to visit a semi-pricey but absolutely delicious supper club with my husband. We splurge on wine and steak, and it’s heavenly. We only go maybe once or twice a year, so it’s quite the treat.
Hi I'm Natasha 👋🏻 I'm in the UK. I'm a psychotherapist, mum, and cocktail enthusiast!
My Substack is Therapreneur Diaries where I talk about the journey of creating my online private practice after 15 years in the NHS & additional psychological topics. I recently launched an interview series where women share a significant past event and reflect on it. https://open.substack.com/pub/natashascullane?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android&r=2x1iun
There's lots of hearts in supermarkets here! 😅 My mum used to buy me valentine's cards every year. It was always nice to be guaranteed a valentine's card whether single or in a relationship hehe ❤️
Hi, I'm Rosie from Ireland but moved to Italy 6 years ago where I am having a fabulous midlife crisis. I bought a derelict 22-room villa by accident and renovated it. The process was comical and stressful so I wrote a book about it during lockdown. It is now a 6 book ongoing humorous memoir series and has fulfilled my dream of becoming a full-time author (12 books published).
My Substack is 'A Fabulous Midlife Crisis' and I write mostly humour about living in Italy, how to have a fabulous midlife crisis and writing.
When I was a kid, my mam used to take me visit St Valentines Heart which is kept in a church in Dublin city centre. Recently I was in Rome and happened across the church where other bits of him are kept. I think he is following me around.
Keen to build a community of fabulous women! Nice to meet you!
Hi, Rosie! I came to this post via your post. I am delighted to learn more about you here!!! You keep me going with your adventures. ❤️
Love the name of your Substack! Italy sounds like good fun! Is the food as amazing as I imagine? 🍝 I've been to Venice & Rome for mini breaks so I've had a taster!
👋 Hi all! I'm Milena, from Bulgaria but currently living in the UK.
✍️ I write over at Helm the Overwhelm about (you guessed it) navigating overwhelm, anxiety, procrastination and perfectionism. And being kinder to ourselves in the process :) https://helmtheoverwhelm.substack.com/
🍷 In Bulgaria the younger generations celebrate Valentine's Day with gifts, flowers, chocolates and going out on dinners. The older generations tend to observe another traditional custom which celebrates wine and wine growers (either on February, 1 or February 14). People would usually have wine in the evening and whoever grows any grapes goes to prune them for the first time in the year. I have some childhood memories of my family pruning the grape plants in front of our house 🍇
That's so interesting. I had no idea Bulgaria was so big on wine! And I love this idea of being in control 'helm the overwhelm' as opposed to letting it take over us. Positive message, Milena! 💞
👋 Hi everyone! I'm Sarah, Belgian pastry chef living in the UK.
✍️ 2. I'm over at sarahfrison.substack.com
💬 3. I can't say I remember much about valentine's day in Belgium from way back other than there would be chocolate in shops in red boxes but it wasn't really a thing like I'd see on TV on American shows where kids would make like little art works in school and give cards to all their friends and things like that.
Oooo, a pastry chef in the UK. Do you love or loathe The Great British Bakeoff? Because I love it! 😍
Haha, I remember really enjoying the first few seasons with Sue and Mel but haven't watched it much since.
Hi all!🩷
I'm Lauren and I write The Navigation on Substack, sharing essays covering musings on, meanderings through, and methods for navigating modern life as a millennial woman - and hope to offer some helpful reflections for readers along the way. 🧭
I'm from Wales but live in London, and so Valentine's Day is typically all about the commericalised things you might expect - flowers, chocolates, fancy dinners and what not.
Wales does actually have its own Valentine's Day however, St Dwynwen's Day on January 25th, though it is less well known and celebrated mainly among Welsh-speaking communities. Welsh wooden love spoons are a traditional romantic gift, and many people have them on display at home all through the year after they've received them. 🥰
https://www.visitwales.com/info/history-heritage-and-traditions/st-dwynwens-day
My partner and I will use the day as an excuse to do/try something different together, so tonight we are heading to a relaxed Filipino restaurant for dinner. 🍽️
In the meantime I am treating myself to a day at a local coffee shop with Substack and notebooks - and it doesn't get more romantic than that! 😉
I love the Welsh tradition of love spoons 🤍😍
Ah yes it really is quite beautiful! 🥰
I am Ann Richardson from London. I write The Granny Who Stands on her Head (which I am and I do) and re Valentines Day, I am still madly in love – no, MORE madly in love – with my husband of 61 years. We never went in for official days to celebrate our love, but no day goes past without a lot of shows of affection. In addition, my birthday is 13 February so Valentines Day is in the shadow of that.
My Substack is there to give you some thought to ponder, occasionally something funny to amuse you, in these hectic times. It's often about why I like being old (I just turned 83), but goes way beyond that. Here's one that will give you the flavour, but I promise you that every post is different https://arichardson.substack.com/p/thinking-about-the-vulva
Happy belated birthday, Ann! And happy Valentine's Day to you and your husband! The premise of your publication sounds really intriguing! 😊
👋 1. Hello, my name's Lani, and I'm an American living and working in Cambodia.
✍️ 2. No Girl is an Island is where I'm currently serializing my memoir, Misfortune Cookie, about my quirky childhood with a very Thai mom. https://lanivcox.substack.com/ But I'm also doing a What's on Your Desk? series around Substack, and my usual feel-good content newsletter.
💬 3. Since I'm in Siem Reap, I can say the experience is mostly roadside roses and little gifts for you to give your friends and special someone. When I was in Thailand, the students put heart stickers on one another's school uniforms.
A fond memory is getting a little wild boar plushie that my husband found at a yard sale! Our little muu paa (wild boar in Thai) has now come to embody the day! ❤️ Happy VD, everyone! And thanks, Mika ~ great prompt!
Hi Lani
My husband and I are planning to spend five weeks in Siem Reap in August/September. We've visited three times and love the place. This time round we are going to support friends who lead a growing church and local charity project. Maybe we'll bump into one another!
Yes, it’s a small community! We probably have mutual friends. Woohoo! xo
Hi Lani, I have a friend staying with me at the moment who lived in Cambodia for a period and it's now on the top of my 'to experience' list! It sounds wonderful. I just checked out your Substack and subscribed :)
What a small world! Please come visit, and THANK YOU, I’ll pop over to see you next! xo
Hi Lani, happy Valentine's Day! Love the name of your memoir and the idea of serialising it here on Substack 😍
Thanks so much! I’ll be checking out you ‘stack soon!
Thanks, Lani 😊
1.Hello - I'm Sue. I'm not sure where I live! I come from New Zealand but have been gone for years. I'm in New Zealand at the moment having a holiday with my kids and grandkids - and it's a wonderful summer here, enjoying each other's company. I rent a university flat in Aberdeen, Scotland where I go occasionally as I'm still affiliated with the University of Aberdeen. I love life there. The tricky thing is that I recently married the love of my life who currently lives in Texas. I've been living there with him for 3 years now, but I find life there ghastly! Fortunately our house is in a forested neighbourhood, and I've been so busy writing my PhD thesis that I've been living like a happy hermit and not venturing out much. We are currently feeling like leaving USA would be a good move! We'll see!
2. I haven't started my Substack yet - I'm still not sure where my focus will be. But I love reading all the amazing work other people are posting. I'm leaving meta social media and joined Bluesky but find it not very conversational or a good way to keep in touch with friends. It's a great source for global political updates though, which I'm grimly keeping alert to.
3. Valentines Day was never anything in my life! Just another commercial Hallmark day. However today we're loving each other in New Zealand and every day is Valentines Day. It's been fun seeing people carrying big bunches of red roses around in the bustle and heat of Auckland.
1) Hi, I’m Jeanine and I write about Mexico, the Maya and the Yucatán— From travel to lifestyle to pyramids, culture/art/history and my new series on Women Trailblazers in Archeology.
2) Mexico Soul https://mexicosoul.substack.com
3) In Mexico Valentine’s Day is big. Lots of hearts, balloons, flowers and chocolate. And chocolate themed drinks even. Love is in the air and it's a wild and fun day and night.
4) High school Valentine's Day memory—my boyfriend was a romantic. Our lockers were next to each other and we'd meet between classes. Every time I went to my locker, he had literally filled it with paper hearts! So many they poured out onto the floor when i opened it--it was super romantic, and by the end of the day, other students would just wait for me to open my locker. It was pretty cool.
👋 1. Hi I’m Carly! I live on a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest 🏝️🇨🇦.
✍️ 2. My stack is called Going Solo☝️I share my journey towards a portfolio career, pursuing more meaningful work and navigating a mid-career transition.
💬 3. This year I'm celebrating Palentine's Day! (It's kind of like Galentine's day ;)). Heading off my little island to the big city to hang with pals.
I had to google portfolio career, but I guess that's what I have! I've always called it a patchwork quilt career. 😁
I read a few posts of yours about the portfolio career concept. Fascinating! I’m possibly making a career change and your substack is very insightful.
Love this! Have fun!
👋 Hi, I’m Bronwen and I live in Bournemouth on the south coast of the UK with my daughter and our hound.
✍️ I write about my project to clear out my house after years of neglect for one reason or another and get back to having a tidy and functioning home - it’s called Clearing Out.
💬 Valentine’s Day here in the UK is much like the US - flowers and chocolates and maybe champagne are the norm. It’s all so commercialised. Everything is! Today in my local high street I was wondering why the shops had so many bunches of flowers for sale - then I remembered. I’m single/widowed so I don’t ‘celebrate’. As a child I remember the excitement around making a card and putting it in the school letterbox for your secret love. The cards were always anonymous. I rarely received one. When I grew up and was dating it was often cuddly toys along with the flowers - and then with my partner it would be more romantic and sexy. But we gave up going out for a meal after one year when everyone was just couples and it felt so forced and weird. This year I’ll probably meet my friend for a dog walk in the morning and spend the evening watching a film or reading with a gin or two and my sofa companion (the hound).
Lovely to meet you all - wishing you all the love for Valentines - which should perhaps become a celebration of loving each other in a kind and respectful way - not romantic love, but love for humanity in general - to combat all the hate out there just now - here’s to love 🥂🍫💐
Beautifully said Bronwen. xx
I believe it should be a day where we can do whatever feels good to us. ☺️
👋 Hi! I'm Cheniece from central Mississippi in the southern USA. My publication, The Clarity Call at https://www.newsletter.cheniece.com/, is about creative entrepreneurship, online business insights, and authentic living experiences for solopreneurs, freelancers, creatives, and online business owners. Here, Valentine's Day is terribly commercialized, and me and my husband mostly focus on just treating our kids to candy and gifts. We're getting sushi together tomorrow though!
Hi Cheniece! love the term creative entrepreneurship ✨
Hi! Me too, it fits so appropriately!
When I went to the American School in Japan, I remember making/decorating boxes for our school mates to gift valentines cards and lollies to each other. 🍬
So sweet! My kid's class did something similar just today!
👋 Hi I'm Sophie, I'm in NZ, living in an off grid tiny house
✍️ I write on my substack https://thisissophietoday.substack.com/ and I write about the slow life, my adventures living off the grid and reconnecting with nature for busy people
❤️In Belgium Valentine's day is traditionally celebrated with chocolates, but in my opinion it has become a very commercialised holiday and people tend to give each other gifts and then it becomes about the gift giving. In my opinion it should be about spending time with the person you love. My husband and I don't really celebrate it, although we did go out yesterday to eat pizza by the beach and watch a sunset and afterwards we decided "let's count this as our valentine's date". 😂
I love what you and hubby are doing 💕.
We don’t have to wait for a special day to do something meaningful with our loved ones. ☺️
So cool! I've lived in a tiny house before, and sometimes I miss it.
yeah there's something special about tiny house living 😊
That sounds like a lovely date on the beach!
Hello! I’m Rose, a writer based in the U.S.
I write A Look Inside the Mind — a publication about the big questions related to the human mind and the nature of our existence. We get into topics like consciousness, emotion, the ego, social relationships, and much more 🧠
In the U.S., Valentine’s Day is for flowers, chocolates, and little love notes 💘 But we’re also big on “Galentine’s Day,” which is a fun way to get together and celebrate the women in my life!
Looking forward to meeting you here 🤍
Love your publication's premise, Rose! The big topics need to be discussed. Kudos!
Galentines has become popular here in the UK now too - especially among the younger people. 💚
That’s so fun! Do they gather on the same day for Galentine’s Day?
Nope, it’s a bit more of a free-floating holiday 😊
Galentine's day - I like that 😊
👋 1. Hi Mika and all! I'm Cassandra and I live on an island on the west coast of Canada with my husband and our dog, Chewie. I'm self-employed and work as a virtual assistant to female entrepreneurs in a variety of industries.
✍️ 2. My Substack is called Notes from a Kindred Spirit. (https://cassandrabumpus.substack.com/) It's a bi-weekly newsletter about embracing curiosity, exploring hobbies, living with chronic illness, and finding contentment in the everyday.
✨ 3. Canada celebrates Valentine's Day in very traditional ways. Lots of roses and chocolates for sale, and kids in elementary school give little Valentine's Day cards to their classmates. For me, Valentine's Day is actually the day before my birthday which works out great because I can treat myself to all the Valentine's chocolate that is now on sale! 😂
Hi Cassandra! Sounds like we have overlap in our substack topics–mine also heavily features books and focuses on finding delight in the everyday (hence the name!)
Love that! Just subscribed! ☺️
Happy early birthday Cassandra!! 🎉
Happy birthday for your upcoming special day 🎂 🥳!!
I don’t think chocolates is a huge thing over here. But I do like the sound of getting lots of chocolate on sale (you’re making me want to go check out the supermarket to see if there are any special looking ones.💝)
Thanks Mika! Good luck with your chocolate hunting 😉
Ooooh, that’s a fun birthday bonus!! 🍫
I'm a big fan of chocolate so it's definitely a bonus! 🙌
if you can get Sirene chocolate up your way they have a new bar called 'the winter warmer', which is so good!!!
Oooo I will definitely look into this! Thanks for the rec!
oh lucky you, you get to celebrate twice!! Happy birthday 🥳
Thank you! ☺️
I’m Breeann and my Substack is called Just Write Mama. I generally write about motherhood, foster care, adoption, parenting, and creativity.
https://substack.com/@justwritemama?r=1vk6x&utm_medium=ios&utm_source=profile
Valentine’s in the US seems to be regarded in a few different ways: 1) Celebrate romantic love or 2) Celebrate friendship, I.e. “Galentines Day” or 3) Hate it and call it “Singles Awareness Day.” Personally, I have always loved the holiday and love to celebrate LOVE in all its forms. 💌
So true. Valentine's Day is heart day, a day to share our hearts and love with others. I don't think it has to be complicated. Human kindness mixed w/ love for all.
🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻
Love your answer 🥰