Alternative Date Ideas for Valentine's Day, with Support from Standards

2/05/2019

Step into any candy store, jewelry store, or florist, and it's clear that Valentine's Day is around the corner. While the traditional gifts of chocolate, jewelry, and flowers are undoubtedly appreciated by many, consider celebrating your love by enjoying each other's company on a non-traditional date. Standards support these festivities and help you show your affection on the most romantic day of the year.

For those with brisk-but-bearable weather, and especially those in milder climates, invite your partner on a couple's hike. The fresh air, one-on-one time, and escape from technology can help you reconnect, and a picnic lunch will spare you the added expense of eating out on the holiday.

To keep romance and safety in check, be sure to wear the proper gear for a warm and comfortable hike, including supportive shoes. ASTM F1976-13, Standard Test Method for Impact Attenuation of Athletic Shoe Cushioning Systems and Materials, is a standard offering a test method using a gravity-driven impact test to measure characteristics of cushioning systems in the heel or forefoot regions of sneakers. It was developed by ASTM International, a member and audited designator of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Why not share your love and volunteer on Valentine's Day? Donate your time and abilities to an animal shelter, food pantry, or another charity that supports your neighbors and community. Volunteering in a soup kitchen is a worthy way to spend your day, and a standard by ANSI member and audited designator NSF International promotes the safe and effective operations of these organizations. NSF/ANSI 2-2018, Food Equipment, guides equipment used in cafeterias, kitchens, bakeries, and pantry units. The standard includes guidelines on food equipment designed with a security package for use in correctional facilities, mental health facilities, and other institutions with security needs.

Your romantic side will come out on Valentine's Day, but why not bring out your creative side as well? Spend the day with your partner taking pictures that represent your lives together - your favorite places, your shared hobbies, your pets or children, and of course, each other. With the high quality images produced by modern camera phones, no professional equipment is required to capture beautiful amateur shots. IEEE 1858-2016, IEEE Standard for Camera Phone Image Quality, quantifies the performance of camera-equipped mobile devices, with an emphasis on metrics and procedures appropriate to the types of sensors, lenses, and signal processing routines present on such devices.

If you choose to celebrate your relationship with one of these less traditional dates, send a little love to standards for supporting these activities on Valentine's Day and all year long.