A lot of things have been said about Valentine’s Day. Clearly, not all of them are polite and pleasant. Jay Leno once called it “extortion day” for men, and a reminder that all Christmas decorations must go down for single women. But for lovely couples, the 14th of February is always a good day (heavy traffic aside). It is a day when corny is cool and romantic silliness is cute. Whether it is your first V-day together or your 25th, always remember that Valentine’s is about sharing, creating new memories, and just about making your significant other smile.
It’s also about surprises and pulling them off. Here’s a quick tip: when girls say they are the type that hate surprises — they are lying. And yes, men, too. So this Valentine’s Day, be creative and don’t be afraid to look stupid.
Sure, you can always go on a movie date and have dinner at a fancy restaurant, but haven’t you done that already during the past years? Read on and find out other sweet and unique ways to celebrate Valentine’s Day.
Cook and play the dessert game
Find a menu and cook in your apartment or condo. After all, the traffic outside is probably terrible and all romantic restaurants are booked with reservations. What you can do is come home early and search cooking websites for a Valentine’s Day dinner made easy in your condo. There are video instructions available so you can be your own chef at home. Cook his or her favorite food, something you ate on your first date, a discovery in one of your travels, or just something new and special. Do the works in setting up the table: candles, bottle of wine, and roses. For dessert, fill a jar with candies and chocolates wrapped in “special” paper with love notes. Or if you are a truly fun couple, wrap candies with “consequence notes.” For example, take turns at picking a candy with notes that will earn you 10 kisses, a good back rub, or a tickling blow to the ears. End the night with a dance.
Pig out on the floor
If you are too busy to prepare a decent meal, just order take out or have food delivered in your condo. Put on a DVD, sit on the floor, and eat your packed meals side by side. If your girl or your man is the cool, cowboy, informal type, this will surely be a hit. You may even decide to watch an action movie instead of the predictable romantic flicks. You will also realize that a condo is an ideal venue for events like this.
Surprise in layers
Are you familiar with a Matryoshka Russian doll? It is a doll stuffed with several smaller ones. Use this trick and turn it into your own Valentine’s Day surprise idea. Pack different sizes of boxes into each other and hide your gift in the smallest box. You will be surprised at the layers of laughter and excitement you will share with every box.
Stick them up
Surprise your sweetie with sweet messages to start his or her Valentine’s. Prepare breakfast in bed then ask your partner to go around and look for messages written in heart-shaped paper or colorful post-its that you have stuck to different areas and corners of your condo when your partner was sleeping. Tell your partner that if he or she finds all ten messages, only then will you give your gift. Both of you will enjoy a great giggle as one hunts for sweet messages.
Go gift-hunting
Have you seen the movie Gone Girl? Don’t worry, no one will go missing after you pull off a gift-hunting game. This is much like the “message search game” but instead of sweet messages, you write clues that lead to another until your partner gets to your gift. Condo living should make this easier because the area isn’t that huge. Adding games to the usual V-day dates will make Heart’s day more fun and absolutely more memorable.
Future in roses
A dozen roses may seem traditional but you can spice it up by attaching notes to each stem. On each note, write your future dates that your girl will surely enjoy like going to her favorite band’s concert, take her shopping without complaining, take cooking lessons with her, or simply a date in the park where you can finally teach her how to ride a bike.
Surprise in every turn
Valentine’s Day shouldn’t just be a dinner event. Surprise your partner upon waking up, up to going to sleep, and every hour in between. In the morning, surprise your significant other with a note attached to the mirror of your bathroom condo. You may also stick it on the toilet seat cover so it would be the first thing he or she will see. Hide heart candies in your girl’s bag or your man’s shoes. Surprise her with a flower when she gets to her car or make him smile with a sandwich on his passenger seat complete with a sweet note. Have something delivered in his or her office. Then, prepare a romantic dinner when he or she gets home.
Album of love
In the age of social media, every photo and every note is posted online. Preserve your memories in a special throwback way by deciding to start an album of love. This is a great and lasting Valentine’s Day gift idea. Be the first one to post photos of your favorite memories of the past year and insert notes that will remind you how you felt that day and what makes that memory special.
Go away together
For girls, surprise your man with a spontaneous getaway. Show him that you, too, can have fun in unplanned, let’s-just-go trips. Choose a place where you can try new things.
For men, plan a trip. Be in charge of accommodations, reservations, itinerary, and everything that your girl usually takes care of. Plus, pack her bags, too.
Provide a service
This Valentine’s Day, do a chore that your partner usually does. For men, do the laundry or cook breakfast. For girls, clean the garage, fix his tools, or wash his car. No gift is more precious that making his or her life much easier.
Love knows no limits. So this February, think of something beyond the traditional dinner and flowers. Come up with something that fits your partner’s personality and in tune with your relationship. Remember to take the time to celebrate your love for each other. Be silly, be stupid, and be crazy. When you’re in love, you probably are already, anyway.
