As January comes to an end many retail stores stock their shelves with Valentine’s Day merchandise. It can be a daunting task to search for the perfect gift for your loved one, you often end up feeling more stress than love! Sometimes expectations are very high, but many times we only want to let the other know how we feel for them. That is the true meaning of the holiday, so lets focus on that.
1. A Romantic Dinner at Home. Many times eating out is an expensive outing. After babysitters are paid, the drinks are had, and supper is topped off with some delicious desert, our pocketbooks are empty! I believe with enough love you can have a very romantic dinner at home with your loved one! Of course you will have to plan ahead, and try to be sneaky so your mate doesn’t know what is coming. First plan your menu. Does your significant other have a favorite meal? Is there a “first date” meal you can reenact, or perhaps you could serve your wedding dinner again! Whatever you choose to serve, I suggest it be simple, healthy and delicious! Start with a beverage of your choice, maybe something you don’t have too often, serve a salad, and complete the meal with a desert. Next, you will want to plan your table arranging. Look for a nice table cloth, some candles and a centerpiece to make the occasion special. If you have a gift, you may want to place that on the table as well. If you have children, you may need to serve this meal after bedtime, or maybe just plan a special desert for the two of you.
2. A Poem. Every woman loves a poem. When a poem is written by someone that is very special to you, it is even more meaningful! When composing a poem, don’t be stressed about rhyming and making it sound just “perfect”. Focus on the meaning, and what you want to say. You could compose a poem about a special event that was meaningful to you, or describe how you feel for your mate. Poems don’t have to rhyme, the important thing is that you make it meaningful and that the receiving ear will feel very loved!
3. Coupons placed in a “Jar of Love”. This is a fun activity! Think of some favorite things your mate likes to do with you. Write or type them onto small pieces of paper and place them in a jar. You can include different activities, services (i.e.-wash my car, load the dishwasher, put the kids to bed, etc), or just kisses and hugs! Make a label for the outside of the jar describing the rules and you have a complete gift! To dress up the coupons a bit, you could layer them onto some red or pink card stock, print them in color, stamp onto them, or just color around the edges. You could also include short phrases that address your love amongst the coupons, or love verses as well.
4. Love notes hidden around the house. This has always been one of my favorites! It is so simple, but so effective. There is no way you can go wrong. As your mate goes about their daily tasks, finding a love note from you will always cheer them up and remind them of your love. You could just hide them in one room, or all over the house. If your mate has an office, you could try to hide some notes around the desk, or the whole room. If your loved ones drives a lot, put a note in the glove compartment, on the dashboard, in little cubbies, or any other spots you can think of.
5. Anything out of the ordinary. Now this one is really simple! Ordinary tasks become quite mundane and well, ordinary. Why not try to spice things up a bit and try something different. Perhaps you normally do not do the laundry, surprise your mate one day by having all the laundry done. Or plan a weeks worth of evening meals and do the grocery shopping. Vacuuming, checking the mail, paying the bills, all of these simple tasks are opportunities to show your love!
This year instead of heading to the jewelry departments, or the chocolate hearts aisle, why don’t you sit down and try to show your love in a new way! I’m not saying there is anything wrong with chocolate and jewelry, we all love that, but a little love in addition will go a long way this time of the year!
