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You either love it or loathe it but you can't escape the romance in the run-up to the 14th February. We're in the 'love it' camp so we're sharing our top tips on how to make Valentine's one to remember this year.
Grand gestures can be fabulous but sometimes the littlest things mean the most:
- Make breakfast in bed, and if you're feeling extra you could even cut the toast into little hearts! This may be all the love that they need!
- Leave little love notes dotted around the house that show how much you care. Leave one with their toothbrush, by the kettle, on the coat hook, in their shoe, in their bag, on the car dashboard. Hide them all around so they can keep finding more as the day goes by.
- If you have kids, get them to make a card instead of buying one as it will mean so much more.
- Make a photo collage of all of your best memories together.
- Bring the mix-tape into the Teenies (who knew that's what we call this decade??!) and create a playlist of all your partner's favourite tunes.
Get creative and keep giving them little money-can't-buy surprises all day long.
Believe it or not, the best Valentine's gift I ever got was a Dyson vacuum cleaner! Who said romance is dead?! It may not be traditionally romantic but as I scraped together the money to afford my first home in the big city of London my vacuum packed up the day before Valentine's Day. So my then new boyfriend (now husband!) surprised me with a gift I really needed, and which showed how much he cared! It was perfect and lasted 10 long years (which is about as long as it took for people to stop taking the mick out of him for buying a vacuum cleaner as
- The world is too full of throw-away things so make it something they can keep for years to come. It doesn't have to be grand, but it should have meaning. Maybe something as simple but thoughtful as a beautiful photo of your favourite memory together, or a date in the first place you ever went out for dinner.
- Instead of the usual box of chocolates, how about a chocolate treasure hunt around the house with clues that only the two of you would know.
- Make staying in the new going out. If you can't get a babysitter or are still skint from the Christmas festivities, make a meal to remember in the comfort of home. Scatter rose petals on the dining table, light some candles, grab the cookbook or a dine-in deal and make the most of the privacy of a romantic night in. It avoids any arguments about who is driving home and you could even squeeze in an episode of your favourite box set after dinner!
When we're all loved up, it can be easy to forget that there is a world out there that could always do with a bit more love, so think about what you can do to make a small difference anytime you're thinking about gifts.
- Flowers are fabulous (and I would still like them, please!) but if you're looking for something a little different that helps to protect our planet at the same time then why not plant a tree as part of The National Forrest scheme? You can even go along to see your tree being planted and it can be a place to visit together forever. Find out more here.
- Give a charitable gift. If you're looking at another set of cufflinks or earrings and thinking 'are these too similar to the ones I got last year' then why not do something that will warm both of your hearts much more than a piece of jewellery? Donate to a charity that means something to your partner, or find one that helps heal hearts so you remember why you did it everytime you see your donation making a difference. Giving something back can mean more than any gift.
- As you plan your special Valentine's meal how about also giving a meal to a homeless person? You don't have to find someone on the street but contact your local homeless charity and find out how you can pay it forward for someone who has no one to love this Valentine's Day.
- If you have children, show them what it means to be partners. When you're busy with family life it can be easy to forget that the reason you have children is
- Show a little love for small businesses. Like any occasion now, big businesses have made Valentine's Day so commercial that the shops are filled with hearts the minute the tinsel is taken down. Show your support for small businesses that are paving their own way for their family's future by shopping small and local. The gifts will mean more to you if you know a business owner has done a little dance because of you!
Happy Valentine's Day. Share the love!
