A Love Day to Remember!?

The arrival of the month of February means one thing …the onset of Valentine’s Day! One of those days in a year when florists make bank, chocolate consumption goes into overdrive, wearing red, shades of red or anything heart themed is encouraged and confused partners everywhere attempt to wine and dine one another.

With 30+ love day experiences with my partner, I have learned much from the times we (read: I) hilariously have gotten it wrong. Let me kick things off with how not to Valentine! Ever tried to be too ambitious in your romantic gestures?

Picture this, it is Valentine’s Day and I decided to surprise my amazing partner with a 'romantic' dinner, cooked by Moi! Now, I’m not exactly what you’d call a natural in the kitchen - unless you consider boiling an egg a culinary skill. But determined to impress I googled something along the lines of ‘fancy romantic recipes’ and landed on something that sounded like it should be served at Buckingham Palace. 

Fast forward to Valentine’s night - the kitchen looks like a scene from a horror movie. Flour everywhere, raw meat lying forlornly on the counter, and mushrooms in the toaster (just don’t ask okay). The pièce de résistance? Trying to salvage the evening by pouring wine like its water, because nothing says romance like drowning your chef sorrows and choking down a nice fat crème puff pastry while trying to clean up the crime-scene. Moral of the story? Sometimes love means knowing when to buy takeout instead of trying to play Iron Chef. 

So, how to get it right without spending the evening wafting a rag under the constantly erupting smoke alarm, traumatising your family or going so far wrong it’s an unforgettable event for all the wrong reasons! 

Nothing says, "I love you" like a happy (un-stressful) time together. Here's some of my favourite ways to get Valentine's started!

• Exchanging massages, read: intimacy (just stick to tried and tested oils or lotions!)
• Do sunrise or sunset together (and pick a location where you won't be chased by angry dogs)
• Stargazing. Lay on the beach/grass/car and watch the stars (take a pillow and blanket and get comfy)
• Games night (with fun consequences)
• Karaoke night at home to our favourite tracks from when we met!
• Doing a dance challenge together 
• Exchanging love letters along the theme of 'reasons I’m still crazy about you' ...
• Nostalgia movie night with our favourite snacks and treats 
• Taking some time outdoors together and talking about our amazing future plans
• Having an all-day pajama stay home day!
• Meeting up somewhere for a hot date (with each other!)
• Texting throughout the day ‘Things I love about you’ 

Valentines is just an opportunity to show you pay attention and they say actions speak louder than words. So as someone who thrives on spontaneity and chaos (in the best way), I love when my partner surprises me in any kind of way! 

• So, being blindfolded (consensually, of course) and taken somewhere unexpected is my kind of fun!

Sometimes showing your love doesn’t mean doing more, it means doing less but of the things you truly enjoy together.

Whatever you do, make it your own, make it special and embrace your love this Valentine’s Day in a way that is meaningful for you and yours! 💖