Roses, chocolates, private dinners, romantic getaways, and spa treatments are the order of the day as many people around the world celebrate Valentine's Day.
IOL Entertainment caught up with local celebrities and radio personalities to see how they will be celebrating this romantic day with their loved ones and what the day means to them.
Dan Corder, 5FM breakfast show host
“Valentine's Day means appreciating those I love and treating them in a way that makes them feel how much I appreciate what they do in my life.
As for his plans for Valentine’s Day, Corder mentioned a big surprise for his girlfriend. We hope we’ll all find out soon.
“That’s a secret between me and my girlfriend. Actually, she has no idea, either. Surprises are coming.”
Recipe for a happy relationship
Talk through everything. It’s s the only way to take conflict and make your relationship stronger and better.
Nick Hamman, 5Drive on 5FM
I’m a hopeless romantic. I love doing elaborate and intricate things for my fiancée Sarah all the time, and Valentine’s day is the perfect excuse. Anything from riddles and clues to treasure hunts and dinners on rooftops at secret locations. Nothing is off the table. I love Valentine’s day.
Plans for Valentine’s Day
“That would be telling! What I can say is that myself and Sarah are saving up for our wedding, so it won't be elaborate and expensive. I will, however, be cooking her favourite meal and creating a special themed restaurant out of one of the rooms in our house.
There will be some extra surprises, too, for sure.
Worst and best Valentine’s Day
Worst: I tried cooking chicken for my then-girlfriend. I was a student and didn’t know what I was doing. The chicken was raw and saw us both competing for my one tiny bathroom in my small apartment.
Best: The first Valentine’s with my fiancée Sarah. We had dinner on the roof of the house we were staying, looking over a river with candles, beautiful music and great food.
Tamara Snow, traffic presenter on Good Hope FM
“Valentine’s Day is another opportunity to spread love.”
Plans for Valentine’s Day
My partner and I will spend it together... he’s being quite mysterious about our plans for the day.
Best and worst Valentine’s Day
My favourite Valentine’s Day has to be when we both turned our phones off and hit the long road without a destination in mind. I love adventuring!
My least favourite Valentine's Day has to be when I was in bed with the flu, but my partner was so lovely and made me a pot of soup.
Secret to a happy relationship
Creating a safe space where both partners are able to express their thoughts, feelings and expectations and not being afraid to press pause on a conversation when things get too heated.
Leah Jazz, 5FM late-night presenter
What Valentine’s Day means to you
The cynic in me wants to say it’s a commercialised incentive for people just recovering from Christmas to spend money on more things people don’t need, but the romantic in me is like, ‘oh, cute, heart-shaped chocolate. I hope everyone gets one.
Plans for Valentine’s Day
Make everyone who doesn’t get a Valentine feel special on my radio show with a few tricks up my sleeve.
Most embarrassing Valentine’s gift you’ve ever received
Someone once wrote and performed a home-made rap for me in my bedroom. I clapped and told him it was amazing while I was dying on the inside.
Xoli Zondo, 5FM sport presenter
For Xoli Zondo, Valentine’s Day means a celebration of love and not just romantic partners, but loving yourself, friends, colleagues and family.
Plans for Valentine’s Day
I had plans to spend the day with my partner, but when the ICC called me up to form part of the T20 World Cup broadcast team, I couldn't say no. So I will be at Boland Park in Paarl for the Ireland v England game and the big one, South Africa v New Zealand.
Best Valentine’s Day
Best: Receiving gifts at every hour of the day when I still worked a 9-5 job. Whenever the delivery guy would arrive, we thought it was for someone else in the office, but they were meant for me. I couldn't stop blushing...from 9 am to 5 pm. I felt so bad for my colleagues. Lol.
Jude van Wyk, Sports presenter on 5Drive
What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?
I've always looked at it as a day for the Capitalists to take advantage of consumers. But I also look at it as a day to show appreciation for those you love in your life.
Best and worst Valentine’s Day
I don't think I've had a best Valentine's day yet, but the worst was when I was in high school. While all my friends were receiving gifts, I was left without anything, which made me sad.
If you were to meet your high school crush today, what would you say to them?
Remember that time I confessed that I have feelings for you? Well, I think you missed out on the best years of your life…
Karabo Ntshweng, host of 5 Early Mornings
What does Valentine’s Day mean to you?
I’m a sucker for all holidays and celebrations. Bring on the love, the cheese, classic romcoms and romantic gestures! It’s fun!
Plans for Valentine’s Day
This year, Valentine's falls on a school night, so it will most probably be dinner at home, and we’ll probably squeeze in a movie! I love the cheesiness of Valentine’s, but I really don’t mind keeping it simple! If anything, I think an over-the-top romantic gesture might be a little too much. We can keep it cute and simple. I’m down for that, always.
Recipe for a happy marriage
I think definitely being with someone you’re compatible with. Having the same values. Having a solid friendship with that person, enjoying each other’s company, and never running out of things to talk about.
Being open to growing and evolving with that person but still remaining true to who you are!
Marli van Eeden, traffic presenter and contributor on 5 Breakfast
To me, Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate love and celebrate all the special people in your life. Valentine’s Day gives us a chance to show our loved ones how much they mean to us and pay gratitude towards them.
Plans for Valentine’s Day
I am definitely spending Valentine’s Day with my girlfriends this year and having a proper “Galentine’s Day”. I’m talking sushi, sparkling wine and chocolates galore!
Recipe for a healthy relationship?
Communication, commitment and compromise.
Stephanie Be, Mid Mornings host on 5FM
Valentine's Day has never been exclusively about romantic love - to me, it represents a celebration of all kinds of love. It's an opportunity to celebrate those that you love in any capacity. Whether it's a parent, a best friend, a sibling, or a partner - tell them you love them, and take the day to remind them how special they are.
Plans for Valentine’s Day
My partner lives in the UK, so we'll probably watch a tv series over Facetime and order our favourite foods in. We tend to delay any celebrations we miss, like birthdays and anniversaries, so this will probably be another celebration that we celebrate when next we see each other.
I might also just join some friends and go out for a quiz night and drinks and celebrate my love for my friends!
Most embarrassing Valentine’s gift you’ve ever received.
This has got to be when I was in High School. and they do that big rose exchange. I was at an all-girls school in Cape Town, and they used to make us gather in the quad during break on Valentine’s Day, and they would call you up to receive the roses in front of everyone.
I ended up going up about 7 or 8 times, and by the 3rd time, I was as red as a tomato and so incredibly embarrassed.
The gift itself obviously wasn't embarrassing but I was a shy kid, so getting up in front of the whole school to accept roses was incredibly awkward.
Recipe for a happy relationship
The recipe is very different for different people, but there are some universal truths that I think apply to almost everyone.
Compromise, without martyring yourself, communication, don't stay silent, it'll eat you up eventually, have enough in common to enjoy activities together but not so much in common that it becomes boring, forgiveness, have grace for the person you trusted with your heart, they're human, and so are you, you'll make mistakes, but it doesn't have to be the end.