Who says you have to spend a lot of money on Valentine’s Day? Who says you have to brave the traffic just to eat at your favorite restaurant on this special day? Who says you have to buy the exorbitantly high-priced red roses just to be called romantic?
Whether you are single or married, young or old, I have some ideas here that will (hopefully) work their magic on your special someone. And yes, these ideas are not just meant for Valentine’s Day alone. I find that they can actually be useful anytime you are feeling the romantic blues! (Mummies need romance too every now and then, don’t you think?! 🙂 )
Here are my DIY ideas for Valentine’s that are easy, practical and inspiring to do :
1. Preserve lasting memories of your love story on a nice photo album or better yet, on a coffee-table book.
Everyone has a love story tell, we all know that. So make sure yours is retold in a more extraordinary way. And what’s more special than making your own coffee-table book with your love story in it?
Think of old letters from your courtship days, photos from your first few dates, presents from your anniversaries, souvenirs from your wedding day and momentos from your trips together. Collect them, scan them and gather them all in one nice, lasting present that you can look back into and even share with family and friends!
I know that these days, we just save all our photos in our computer (or worse, just on our iphones. I’m guilty!) But don’t you think it’s also nice to see these special photos organized, printed, and published in your own love-story book? This present won’t just make you relive precious moments together but most importantly, it will serve as your special memoire for your children and grandchildren someday.
2. Write thoughtful notes to your Valentine for the whole month.
“What, for a whole month?!!” Honestly, it doesn’t need to be for a whole month and they don’t have to be lengthy letters. The whole idea here is to give words of affirmation or words of encouragement to your special someone – especially on days when he doesn’t expect it.
It could be just anything random. Surprise him with sticky notes on his briefcase, a short letter inserted inside his favorite book, or a card on top of his breakfast tray. Tell him how thankful you are for his presence in your life. Tell him he is important to you or tell him he is gorgeous in his new suit, or he is a great dad or he is a loving husband who you are so proud of. Just say all the positive words that best describe him and I’m sure he will appreciate and love you even more. These may be simple acts of thoughtfulness, but they are guaranteed to boost your special someone’s confidence and security as your partner.
3. Surprise your loved one with a box of his favorite goodies.
It could be his favorite food or bottle of wine, a new sports gear or a nice selection of bath and body stuff. You can collect all his favorite things and put them in one nicely wrapped gift box. The idea here is to give your special someone a well thought out present that he could both use and enjoy.
4. Make a collection of your favorite songs or movies together.
Every now and then, it’s alright to be mushy, don’t you think? I think it’s nice for couples to reminisce old songs and romantic movies together, even if they have been together for so long. So why not gather, download and save your special someone’s favorite songs or movies on DVD, on his desktop, or on his ipad? I think it’s sweet to listen to these old tracks on a lazy Sunday afternoon or just watch your favorite movies late at night when kids are asleep. Think about those days when you would hold hands (and feel giddy about it!) while listening to sappy songs or while watching romantic movies in the theater!
The idea here is to rekindle the romance that made you fall in love with him in the first place.
5. Make your partner feel extra loved by giving him your quality time.
It’s time to turn off that TV, shut down your laptop and put down all your mobile phones! (Uh-oh, guilty again.) Spending quality time with your special someone should always be of utmost importance. Beyond the flowers, chocolates and gifts, romance should be given priority in your relationship. You may be husband and wife or dad and mom now, but remember that first and foremost, you were lovers too!
If you want to play it up, why don’t you give your special someone a hand-written note or a “gift certificate” stating a special service that you can render to him or her for a certain period of time? (e.g. chauffeur for the day, shopping buddy for the weekend, movie night on Friday, breakfast in bed on Sunday.) The point here is to spoil your partner and give him your undivided attention and quality time.
Simply put, romance does not have to be cheesy or expensive. Enjoy the silly, little things together. Have regular date nights without the kids. Go on trips alone together (my fave!). Or get married again. Focus on each other and just enjoy each other’s company without other forms of distraction. Our time — our quality time — is the best gift that we can ever give to someone.
Here’s wishing you all a sweet and spoiled Valentine’s Day!
Great ideas for Valentine’s day gifts.