People sit in a restaurant with Valentine's decorations in Jounieh, north of Beirut, on Feb. 12, 2026, ahead of Valentine's Day. (Photo by Joseph Eid / AFP)
Gentlemen, are you hesitating between gift selections "for her" this Valentine’s Day, debating between a hair dryer or a facial lifting device? Ladies, have you called every restaurant in Beirut to book a table for two for a dinner featuring a "one-man show" who performs, with varying degrees of tremolo, the best and worst of love songs? Are you hoping to avoid boxes of chocolate and big concerts in Lebanon's venues, but you don't know what else to do?
Every year, Valentine’s Day can become a headache and a source of stress for many couples. According to Denise Abi Rached, a psychotherapist who specializes in couples therapy, this is often due to "expectations" of one's partner and the hope of having a "perfect date," especially in the age of social media and constant "comparison" with what others are doing. Then there’s the price of outings – that would have Cupid fainting – roses sell out, or restaurants are fully booked months in advance.
If you want to avoid this kind of logistical and financial pressure — and the frustration of "doing exactly what everyone else is doing" — why not try something new this year?
A romantic or nostalgic stroll
What could be better than a walk, hand in hand? Take advantage of your afternoon off to take a stroll along the coastal corniches or through the streets and port of Jbeil; have a quick picnic on a bench facing the sea, toast with coffee from a street vendor ... The country is full of romantic landscapes where you can enjoy a sweet moment together, from the peaks of Zaarour to the beaches of Batroun, passing through the valleys of the Chouf. If you want a dose of color and beauty, sunrise will be at 6:24 a.m. and sunset at 5:21 p.m. this Valentine's day.
You don’t always need to wait for a special date to show your love, but the day can be marked by "little touches and thoughtful gestures" that make all the difference, and mean even more if they connect to your relationship story, suggests Abi Rached. So why not take a road trip down memory lane, and visit places that have been significant to your journey as a couple? Or, on the contrary, set out to discover somewhere you've never been before and play tourist close to home. You could also show your partner a place filled with your own personal history, share what it means to you, and create new memories together.
For parents
Parents of children of all ages, who may have fewer chances – or less desire to go out – why not share the roots of your love with those who were born from it? On the agenda: an evening of nostalgia and fond memories — recount your first meeting, early sparks and anecdotes, flip through a wedding album (or rally the family to help put it together if it’s been collecting dust for months or years). Prepare a nice appetizer and some popcorn, and watch together — not a series on Netflix, but perhaps your wedding video ...
You could also consider preparing your spouse’s Valentine’s Day gift together with your kids. A bouquet of tissue paper or painted flowers, a song, a skit ... It’s a great way to keep the children occupied and please your significant other, creating memories that won’t fade.
Shared experience
If your budget allows for it, why not spend it on an experience together that goes beyond the traditional "restaurant-hearts-bouquet of flowers?" In Lebanon, it’s easy enough to find chocolate-making workshops, pottery, or cooking classes.
If your relationship is happy and you want others to be as well, why not organize, as a couple, a get-together for one or more of your colleagues or friends? A nice dinner so they can get to know each other, and maybe it’ll turn into a double date?
Singles’ events and blind dates
If you’re single, aside from all the parties organized in Beirut and across the country that promise you’ll find your soulmate — with or without color codes showing your relationship status — L'Orient-Le Jour invites you to discover The Blind Spark, to arrange "blind dates" ... without having to go through social media.
The bonus with these ideas: why save them just for Valentine's day? Why not try them out with your lifelong friends, or take your parents along for the adventure? Because after all, isn’t Valentine’s Day "a celebration of love for everyone, and for all," as Abi Rached reminds us?
