There isn’t a right or wrong way to celebrate Valentine’s Day. With so much emphasis and pressure to impress your significant other on this special day, Valentine’s Day can be considered one of the most overrated holidays. That being said, most people still want to experience a romantic night with their partner. If you’re the one who usually doesn’t make the plans, take initiative this year and plan something special for your significant other. Just keep in mind that there’s more than one way to do this. Forget the roses, forget the chocolates, and save your money instead of buying useless fluffy teddy bears. Not only is this a bit cliché and maybe even unoriginal, it’s expected and overpriced for nothing. If you’re looking to impress a certain someone, think outside the box, and yes we mean that overpriced heart-shaped box filled with chocolate that doesn’t even taste good.
Valentine’s day is about loving your partner or your friends or your sister or your parents, and showing them how much you appreciate them. That being said, why don’t you try spending your money and time on an experience, rather than materialistic items. If you’re over the seriousness and price associated with this holiday, we suggest this trifecta of ideas for Valentine’s Day success; make it personal, make it cheap, and make it fun.
Make It Personal
When planning your Valentine’s Day date, try to organize something thoughtful and meaningful. Any person can go into a store and buy shoes or a bag for their partner. But, only a good boyfriend or girlfriend will go above and beyond to plan something more than just shopping. A good companion knows your likes and dislikes along with your interests and hobbies. Thus, only they could create a day centered on you and what you love. This could include an activity or event that your partner would really value and enjoy. If your significant other is a foodie, drink wine and cook dinner together. If they love to dance, go to a jazz bar or a salsa club where they can move their hips all night. If they’re into sports, spend the day skating outdoors followed by some hot cocoa and their favorite movie. If he or she is funny and enjoys entertainment, go to a comedy club and watch them laugh all night. We could go on listing more ideas, except no one knows your partner better than you. Thus, only you can choose the perfect date. Keep in mind the following are questions, they should help you narrow down a few ideas for this Valentine’s Day date night.
- What do they spend a lot of time talking about?
- What is their favorite activity to do?
- What have they never done that they’ve always wanted to do?
- What is their favorite thing to eat?
- When do they always have a smile on their face?
Make It Cheap
In addition, while trying to plan something special, make sure to stay in your budget. Despite how much you may want to impress your valentine, it’s not worth going into debt, especially for one night. Remember this, when you’re deciding what to do this year, make Valentine’s Day about the time you spend not the money you spend. You don’t need to spend a lot to say a lot. It’s more than likely that your partner is only interested in you, not the Valentine’s Day themed items you purchase them that will be irrelevant in a few days or weeks.
Furthermore, a lot of money can also put a lot of pressure on the day. Here’s the thing, Valentine’s Day is just another day of the week (it’s on a Tuesdays this year), which means you’ll be dealing with “day of the week” things. Stick with something inexpensive or better yet free, this way if one of you ends up having a bad day or having to work late, no one will feel disappointed or like they’ve wasted too much money.
Make It Fun
The seriousness of Valentine’s Day is another common reason why people tend to spend too much money, have too high expectations, or ignore the day all together. Make it about spending time with, and having fun with, the people you love the most. This will not only help you actually look forward to this special day but will also guarantee that you have a great time.
There are so many things in your life that you should take seriously, give yourself a break and make Valentine’s a little more silly, fun, and relaxing. This goes for everyone, whether you’re in a relationship or not and whether or not you’re the planner.
