Valentine’s Day is a cherished occasion for expressing love and affection towards your significant other. To make this day truly special, it’s important to plan thoughtfully and consider the preferences of your loved one. In this article, we’ll outline five essential rules to create the perfect Valentine’s Day celebration, ensuring it’s a memorable and heartfelt experience for both of you. Whether you’re in a new relationship or have been together for years, these guidelines will help you design a day filled with love, romance, and lasting memories.
Here’s how to plan the ideal V-Day for your significant other
February’s flood of pink and red hues may induce instant stress and anxiety in some – but Valentine’s Day is really just about sharing the love. Whether you’re nervously anticipating a first date or celebrating 50 years with your partner, here are five rules to ensure that your V-Day goes perfectly:
1. Don’t Go Out To Eat
I know what you’re thinking: what’s Valentine’s Day without a fancy meal? But take your sweetie out for dinner on the 13th or 15th, and you’ll not only save yourself a ton of stress – you’ll increase your chances of getting lucky.
In the restaurant industry, Valentine’s Day is known as “Amateur Hour” because everyone flocks to his or her favorite spot. On V-Day, the food is never as good (it’s rushed and mass produced for easy turn-around), the service is lacking (your server will be smashed-busy), and you’ll likely be hurried out of your seat prematurely (to make room for more diners just like you). So cook a meal at home and wait to celebrate until the storm has passed.
2. Get Busy First
To paraphrase sex-columnist Dan Savage, if you plan on going out, getting lots of drinks, eating a huge meal, and capping it off with a box of chocolates… you should make all the love you can before leaving the house.
Too many intimate Valentine’s Day plans are ruined by the half-drunk, totally-stuffed reality of a post-V-Day food coma. So if you’re making sexy plans, push them to the front of the evening.
3. Think Outside The Box
What’s your big “romantic” plan for Valentine’s Day? Are you counting on dinner at an expensive restaurant, a box of chocolates, and a dozen red roses? You better add a shot of espresso to that snooze-fest to keep your partner awake through such a boring, clichéd evening.
Try something different this year! Comedy Clubs host Valentine’s Day themed shows. Movie theaters screen romantic classics. Some water-logged cities even offer romantic night cruises. Shake it up and you’ll be the star of the 14th.
4. Use A Blank Card
Here’s an easily rectifiable mistake that too often gets made: Let’s say you’ve picked out the perfect Valentine’s Day gift and made very thoughtful plans, only to hand your significant other a holiday card… with someone else’s sentiments in it. Instead, buy or make a blank Valentine’s Day card and fill in your own sweet-nothings. If your card does have pre-printed text, at least add a personalized message that reveals some real emotion.
A handwritten note goes a long way anytime – just imagine the effect it will have on this special day.
5. Get Away
You spend your whole life living, working, running errands, and seeing the same people every day. If you can afford to get away, get out of town for the weekend! If you can’t afford to get away, take some time to decorate your home to resemble a Parisian Cafe, an Italian Bistro, or heck – if you’re feeling crafty – the deck of a ship. Changing location, whether in real life or with the help of some string lights, will hit the reset button on your relationship. Valentine’s Day only works when you can temporarily leave work, school, family, and the rest of the world behind, and focus solely on your partner for the night.
