Valentine’s Day is a very important day on our daily calendars as it is seen as a day set aside to show love to the special people in our lives, especially our spouses or romantic partners. It falls on the 14th of February. Well, presently we all spend lots of time in our various offices and this has led to the celebration of this holiday of love among office colleagues. Awkward right? Not necessarily. If it is done the right way you should be able to express your love for your colleagues without crossing any boundaries.

Celebrating Valentine’s day in the office can be both exciting and professional at the same time. Here are some tips to bear in mind to achieve just that:

1. Do not see it as an opportunity to cross certain lines- What do we mean by that? Well this is not the opportunity to propose to your colleague or tell him or her how you feel about them. This is not the time to give gifts such as lingerie or invite a colleague for a weekend getaway. Remember, in the office setting it is more about celebrating friendship than initiating or maintaining romantic relationships. Yes, even if you are in a romantic relationship with an office colleague, the gifts or gestures in the office setting should remain professional and friendly. You can present the romantic gifts and engage in public displays of affection when you are out of the office.
2. Try to celebrate it with all your colleagues- It is much better if you try to celebrate it with all your colleagues as opposed to focusing on one particular person. As we mentioned earlier, in the office, it is more about celebrating friendships that initiating or encouraging romantic relationships. Do your best to make everyone feel appreciated by sending sweets or chocolates to each and everyone of your colleagues. Focusing all your attention on one person may raise a few eyebrows too. ” What is going on between those two?”, the office gossip mongers will ask. You do not want to start any rumours that will adversely affect your career. This is especially necessary when you are a superior or head of a department or unit.
3. Don’t be a downer- Make sure you are not a party pooper. Do not bring the mood down with your dislike for love and all things about love. Sure, you may not like to celebrate valentine’s day but do not go around trying to bring everyone down because of your dislike for valentine’s day. If someone gives you an appropriate gift, accept it just to be polite. All these celebrations build or strengthen chemistry among workers as such being a downer may not sit too well with your colleagues and their perception of you may actually affect how they deal with you professionally.
4. Do not be a showoff- Yes, so maybe you significant other had flowers or other gifts sent over to your office. Just pick it up at the reception and take it back to your desk. It is that simple. No need to show it off to everyone or gloat excessively over it. This is simply not the right setting for that!

So there you have it. Celebrating valentine’s day in your office can be professional and fun at the same time. How you go about it can help or mar your career. Celebrate love and friendship but remember you are still in an office!