BEYOND ROSES AND CHOCOLATES: 4 WAYS TO MAKE VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL

Valentine’s Day is on its way!

Because of popular culture, many feel this means they must “do things” that have become expected for this day: buying flowers, going out to dinner, creating a “sexy” night of events or even giving a large “display of love” like buying something with diamonds. 

For many, the meaning of the day has been lost in overly priced cards and expectations that have us focusing on superficial things we’re told represent love. These expectations create pressure to make sure that this one day goes “just perfect”. But marriage is more than just one day, it’s more than other people’s expectations about what love should look like. 

What would happen if you didn’t celebrate Valentine’s Day or did something totally against the grain? What if Valentine’s became a day where you focused on you and your spouse and moved beyond gifts and flowers? We’re talking: No dinner out. No heart shaped jewelry. Or chocolate candy hearts. Or teddy bears. (PSA: If your spouse loves these things, please keep doing them!)

If you are telling the commercialism of Valentine’s Day to take a hike, here are a few ways to truly celebrate love and build intimacy as a couple beyond what popular culture tells you to do. 

Create a Vision Board for Your Future

What is it you want as a couple? 

Having a visual representation of your wants and desires is a great way to focus on each other and build long-term romance, intimacy, and love. Clip pictures from a magazine, print them out or draw them. You can also use words you want to focus on as part of your vision. Group everything on a board and put it in a place that you will both see it every day. What better way to remind yourselves daily of your goals for the future?

Build Your Own Romance Calendar

Instead of one night of gifts and a fancy meal, what would it look like if you plan a season of romance! Plan one day a week that you’ll simply be romantic. This can be snuggling on the sofa and watching a movie or even leaving a note every Friday letting your spouse know how much you appreciate them. 

Then at the end of the month, plan to make dinner together or do something simple and meaningful as a couple. No matter what you do, keep the romance focused on simple things that have a big impact. Avoid buying things or doing things you’re told mean romance.

Instead, decide for yourselves what it means to be romantic. It might just mean picking up the dirty socks from the floor or setting up the coffee maker the night before so you have fresh coffee every morning!

Vow to Celebrate on any Other Day but the 14th

You’ve been told that your biggest display of LOVE should be on February 14th. So do the opposite and celebrate on February 4th or even March 4th. Take a stand as a couple that you don’t need to be told when to celebrate love. Instead, take back control and show each other what it means to celebrate your love without a heart-shaped box of chocolate. 

Be Bold

Make February 14th the day each year that you do something BOLD together. Go to one of those indoor skydiving places, eat ice cream for dinner or have sex outside in a tent in the backyard. Instead of doing what you’re told for Valentine’s Day, do something bold!

Don’t be afraid to make your own way. Celebrate the love you have for each other the way you want too. You’ll both feel more fulfilled and celebrate the holiday in the authentic way it was meant to be celebrated.