I don’t know about you, but I’m over the commercialized
Valentine’s Day crap gifts. But before I choke on heart candies, and die
surrounded with teddy bears holding hearts and a chocolate mustache, there is
one thing I love about this day – all the love. I blame social media for our lack of human
interaction and the fact that nothing is a secret anymore. But Valentine’s Day,
that is the one day you share between you and the one you love - after your Facebook status update, of
course. But when you cut out all the commercial crap, what’s left for a gift?
AH – don’t freak out! All of these suggestions are easy to incorporate into
your last minute Valentine's Day plans – because, let's be honest, the only
people who have time to pine over every detail of this romantic day are tweeny
high school girls and Nicholas Sparks.
Time for Two
That’s right – not every V-day plan has to start with lux
gifts, involve champagne and end with a $200 dinner bill. I know a couple that
practically go bankrupt buying gifts for one another at every special occasion,
and you wanna know what I’ve learned? Couples who spend more on flashy gifts
and post them on facebook are superficial, and in a relationship for all the
wrong reasons. It’s probably not scientific, but hey – it’s something I’ve picked
up on. So, spend some quality time together this Valentine’s Day, gift-free.
Draw a bubble bath pour deux, light
some candles and pour some rose. Grab the hats and mittens and go for an ice
skate under the stars – bring some hot chocolate to warm you up, or better yet,
warm up each other. Even something as simple as cooking a nice meal together
will be sure to provide you memories that will last longer than any tacky,
superficial gift. It’s a day about love after all, you might as utilize it
because the other 364 days are long ones.
Write a Love Letter
Awe, oui! – nothing speaks true romance like a love letter.
It is something you can cherish forever, read a million times and if it's done
right, it's the only gift they'll boast about. And even though it doesn't cost
a cent, it goes miles in terms of the love you feel for your significant other.
My advice – don't complicate it. Words work best when they come from the heart.
We know you're not Lord Byron or Ludwig so just go with what you've got. As a
writer, here are some tips that will help you write the best love letter you've
ever read.
Answer these questions: How does she make you feel? How do
you see him/her in your future? What do you like/love most about him/her?
Try incorporating these things in: a moment/time/memory that
you cherish the most with him/her. And this is where my advice comes in; don't
complicate it. It doesn't have to be a big moment of a trip, in fact, the
smaller the better. Remember the saying 'It's the little things that count'.
Perhaps it was a time you laid in bed for hours on a Saturday morning watching
funny YouTube videos, or the time you took a walk through the park on a snowy
afternoon...as long as its something you cherish, tell him/her about it. Tell
them why you think of this moment, and tell them something that this moment
made you realize about him/her.
Really drawing a blank when it comes to the memory part? Let
them know of a song that makes you think of him/her and write out a few lines
that really nail it home for that thought.
As long as it's handwritten and not typed, it's going to be
the best thing they've ever received. Love letters are all about the time you
took to make your thoughts and feelings for your significant other come true on
an otherwise plain piece of paper. It's a true art.
It's not all about rose pedal trails leading to a bed with
impossibly crisp, clean white linens. Sure, while we appreciate seeing this
'commercial' scene in our favourite movie, it's pretty much off our checklist
unless its our honeymoon. My advice – don't try to be outrageous.
Planning a night in? Make the space a little bit
more romantic!
Set up some candles to have in the background, lay out the
blanket, set up a bottle of wine, two glasses and some dark chocolate to nibble
on (it's like an at home wine tasting, paired with a chocolate aphrodisiac!).
Just because your plans are simple, doesn't mean you don't have to put any
effort into them.
Going out? Set out his/her clothes. Or, have something new
that you picked up for them to wear (jewellery, panties, perfume) laid out on
the dressing table. Hint: Add a little note so they understand it's a cute
gift, not a bash at their wardrobe choice! Does she take time putting her
makeup on? Bring her a drink to enjoy while she gets all dolled up for you.
Does he always warm the car up for you? Leave a little note on the seat.
The truth is, there are several little things that you can
do that speak much louder in terms of love than any gift in a store. Get
creative, and if all else fails – go to Pinterest!
No comments:
Post a Comment