34 Office Valentine’s Day Ideas to Spread Appreciation

Ah, Valentine’s Day in the office! A perfect opportunity to spread love and joy. Sure, everyone knows the traditional Cupid, St. Valentine, candy, and pink and red hearts, but does it really create a stronger company culture? (Spoilers: it does)What Does Valentine’s Day Look Like in an Office?Why Should Offices Celebrate Valentine’s Day

At Kudoboard, we consider ourselves experts on love and employee appreciation (although we don’t let it get to our head), and Valentine’s day is right up our alley. This occasion can be a little tricky for some, so we had our team brainstorm some fun and inclusive ways to help you celebrate this heartwarming holiday in your office—and make an impact on your employee happiness. 

Here’s our favorite Valentine’s Day ideas for office to get the ball rolling, plus why you should celebrate.

34 Ways to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in the Office

Let’s get into some ways that you can celebrate with your teams and colleagues, in person, hybrid, or remote:

1. Start a “Spread the Love” Appreciation Board

Create a communal shout-out board where team members can write notes of love, appreciation, and gratitude. This can be a meeting room wall for post-it notes or an employee appreciation platform like Kudoboard.

2. Bring in Valentine’s-Themed Office Decor

Add heart-shaped streamers, red and pink balloons, and cute cupids to liven up the office environment. These decorations don’t take much time to put up but make the day feel extra special. 

3. Host a Love-Themed Potluck Lunch 

Sponsor a Valentine’s themed potluck where everyone brings in their favorite homemade dishes to share. Be sure to be considerate of everyone’s allergies and include ingredients on labels. For hybrid or remote employees, consider giving employees a gift card to a food delivery service that brings lunch to them.

4. Exchange Secret “Cupid” Gifts

Organize a Secret Cupid gift exchange (just like a Secret Santa) where colleagues can surprise each other with small, thoughtful gifts or gift cards. It’s a great way to get to know others around the office and spread employee appreciation on a budget.

5. Create Heartfelt Virtual Valentine’s

For remote teams, set up a virtual celebration with fun activities like storytelling or a virtual scavenger hunt with a Valentine’s Day twist. These events can occur during an all-hands meeting or at an individual team level.

6. Host Coffee or Tea Time

Recognize friendship and teamwork by giving teammates a little time to just talk and get to know each other a little better over their favorite caffeinated (or decaf) beverage. This “happy hour” can happen company-wide, or whenever they choose to step away. 

7. Write Heartfelt Thank You Notes 

Encourage team members to write personalized thank you notes to express their appreciation for their colleagues. These can be on physical notes that are passed around the office or on a virtual thank you group card.

8. Sponsor a Valentine’s Brunch 

Offer employees a midday break to enjoy heart-shaped pancakes, donuts, or other breakfast treats to set a loving tone for the day. Bonus points if you also have orange juice (or mimosas, if you’re really cool).

9. Design a Lovey-Dovey Playlist

Curate a special Valentine’s Day playlist and play it in the office throughout the day. Invite employees to contribute their favorite holiday songs and recognize what people add in a larger channel.

10. Organize Office Candy Grams 

Create a system where employees can send anonymous or non-anonymous candy grams of chocolate or conversation hearts to spread sweetness and cheer. It can be fun knowing that you have an appreciative (strictly platonic) secret valentine in the office. 

11. Promote DIY Valentine’s Day Cards

Set up a crafting station in the office where employees can make their own Valentine’s Day cards for their colleagues. It will be a fun break in their day that gives them a little time to use their creativity.

12. Organize a Love and Kindness Challenge

Challenge employees to perform acts of kindness throughout the day and share their experiences with the team. They can share these items in a Slack channel, in a larger meeting, or on a virtual event board. Bonus points if you encourage employees to recognize others for their good deeds. 

13. Appreciate Staff with Employee Awards

Recognize your team members with playful, Valentine’s Day-themed employee awards, such as “Best Smile” and “Most Likely To Make Your Day.” Make sure everyone gets an award to keep it inclusive. 

14. Host Valentine’s Trivia

In person or on Zoom, host a Valentine’s Day themed trivia game with platonic questions about love, candy, and the holiday itself. Make sure to bring prizes to encourage engagement.

15. “Love” your Local Businesses

Bring a few local vendors into the office to host an event or pop-up shop. The event is a great way to both build and support community at the same time. 

16. Play Valentine’s Charades 

Organize a game of Valentine’s Day-themed charades for a fun and entertaining team activity. If remote, it’s an absolutely hilarious team building opportunity on a group call.

17. Support Employees in Self-Care

Offer employees a window of time to engage in any self-care activity they want during the holiday. If in the office, they can take a walk, go for an extended coffee break, or simply meditate outside. At home, encourage spending time with a pet, playing video games, or maybe enjoying a relaxing bubble bath.

18. Create a “Love-Letter” Writing Station 

Set up a station with stationery, pens, and a “mailbox” so team members can write supportive notes to other employees. Have someone “deliver” the notes later in the day.

19. Organize a Cupcake Baking Contest

Sponsor a Valentine’s Day-themed cupcake baking contest and have everyone vote on a winner. Be sure to hide the baker’s names to discourage favoritism.

20. Encourage Heart-Healthy Exercise 

Promote physical wellness by organizing a lunchtime walk or some heart-healthy exercise activities for the team. You could even bring in someone from a local gym to lead the exercises.

21. Screen a Valentine’s Day Movie or Episode

End the workday with a screening of a feel-good romantic comedy or a classic love story. We highly recommend the Valentine’s Day episode of The Office: Season 2, Episode 16 (but that’s just us).

22. Sponsor an Office Book Exchange:

Organize a Valentine’s Day book exchange where colleagues can bring in their favorite books to swap. These can be love-themed (PG-13, please) texts or simply anything under the pretenses of “spreading the love”.

23. Love Your Office Space

Have a designated time for employees to declare their love for their workspace by organizing a “desk decor” activity. You could bring in new, inexpensive knick-knacks for them to choose from, or you could hold a “desk decor” garage sale.

24. Schedule a Meditation Session 

Arrange a session focused on self-care and self-love, featuring meditation, stress-relief techniques, and deep-breathing exercises. There are many that offer these courses virtually so all can attend. 

25. Organize a Virtual Game Night (or Afternoon)

Coordinate a virtual game party where employees can participate in online games and quizzes. There are a number of popular online games like Jackbox that some employees may have experience with.

26. Book Care Practitioners

Schedule a care practitioner like a yoga teacher, acupuncturist, skincare expert, or a nail technician to visit the office. Offer small windows for employees to book throughout the work day. 

27. Promote Random Acts of Service

Encourage employees to perform acts of service for each other, such as making coffee for a colleague, helping with tasks, or simply offering a listening ear. This can be as formal or informal as you want. 

28. Purchase Valentine’s Day Florals

Schedule a delivery from a local flower shop for each department or team. If the office is too large, purchase one or two arrangements and leave them in meeting or break rooms for all to enjoy. You could also purchase a small arrangement or single stem for everyone in the office.

29. Encourage DIY Valentine’s Art

Set up a crafting station where employees can make personalized Valentine’s Day art pieces for their colleagues or loved ones. This works best in a setting where supplies are readily available.

30. Organize a Cookie Decorating Contest

Hold a cookie decorating competition with Valentine’s Day-themed icing and sprinkles, and have staff vote on their favorites. Offer some small prize for the top three winners.

31. Sponsor a Mentorship Mixer

Pair up experienced employees with newer team members to foster connections and provide mentorship support. While not totally Valentine’s Day themed, the holiday is a great excuse to kick off a gratitude or mentorship program.

32. Organize a Gratitude Journaling Activity

Provide journals for team members to engage in a guided gratitude journaling exercise focused on appreciation. These can be physical journals or a virtual document or holiday event board that all can view. 

33. Plan for a Volunteer Day

Collaborate on organizing a volunteer day or service event for the team to express love and care for the community. The holiday is a great opportunity to spread love in your local area with a trash clean up, animal shelter visit, or social work event.

34. Create an Employee Recognition Wall

Dedicate a wall for team members to post notes of gratitude, recognizing the positive traits and sharing the “love” for their colleagues. These recognition walls can be physical rooms or posters, or they can be virtual boards that enable everyone to participate.

What Does Valentine’s Day Look Like in an Office?

While usually associated with romance, Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to spread employee appreciation in the workplace. It’s fun, inclusive, and themed around recognition and joy (plus it’s already in our Google Calendars).

For some, the occasion may feel unusual or taboo in an office setting. Valentine’s Day, celebrated every February 14th, is usually known for expressing love and appreciation for the special people in our lives. People often think of roses and candle-lit dinners, not laptops and business-casual dress. 

But in an office setting, Valentine’s Day is a platonic opportunity to bring good vibes to the workplace and recognize our bosses, colleagues, and team members. You don’t need to give a Valentine’s Day gift to have fun (although it’s always appreciated), but it’s important to be open to fresh, new ideas.

During Valentine’s Day in the workplace, you might see:

• Valentine’s Day-themed decorations
• Exchange of cards and gifts
• Inclusive celebrations and recognition
• Team building activities
• Special treats and snacks
• Virtual events
• Company shout-outs
• Fundraising activities
• Themed competitions

Why Should Offices Celebrate Valentine’s Day?

While certainly fun, these celebrations in the workplace also offer tangible benefits for employees and employers alike. 

Valentine’s Day celebrations bring workers together in meaningful ways and increase feelings of belonging. According to our recent survey, 85% of employees value company culture, team connection, and employee happiness as a high priority. Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to tie those feelings into a workplace celebration that fosters bonds and ties to the company. 

When offices celebrate Valentine’s Day, the holiday:

• Boosts employee morale and happiness
• Strengthens relationships
• Provides an opportunity for recognition
• Creates a sense of belonging
• Improves productivity
• Encourages creativity and teamwork
• Promotes a healthy work-life balance.
• Showcases the company’s core values

Do you need any more reasons? 

Doing Workplace Celebrations Right

Celebrating Valentine’s Day in the office is more than just a fun way to break up the winter months—it’s an opportunity to foster a sense of togetherness, appreciation, and joy among coworkers. By engaging in any of these thoughtful and inclusive Valentine’s day ideas for the office, you not only enhance workplace culture but also acknowledge the hard work and dedication of your team members.

So, go ahead, spread some love, and make this Valentine’s Day a memorable one for everyone in the building. Use these office Valentine’s Day ideas to spread gratitude and love to teammates, family, and friends. Have a Happy Valentine’s Day!