Confession: last year I had a total wife fail. My husband went all out for Valentine’s day, and I totally spaced it! This year, I have resolved to make it a great day! So, as I was racking my brain for ideas – I started to write them down. And then I decided why NOT share?! Maybe it can help somebody else out, too! 🙂 Happy Day of LOVE!
1. Get jewelry engraved. I LOVE the idea of a necklace with initials, or a ring with a hidden message. It is just screaming “romance!” to me. You can find people who make personalized jewelry on Etsy, or head to your local jewelers to see what they have up their sleeves. It seriously takes the idea of jewelry gift-giving up a notch! 😉
2. Perfume or cologne. Have a favorite smell? Or a favorite scent you love to smell on your significant other? Surprise them with it! It will mean a lot knowing you pay attention to their favorite things, or that you got them something YOU love for them to wear.
3. Weekender bags – stocked and ready to go for a weekend away. One of my most favorite ideas I’ve seen came at the suggestion of a friend. She told me her husband bought them two weekender bags (like this one) for Valentine’s day last year, and had them all packed and ready to go for a romantic weekend away. Seriously? That is probably one of the cutest ideas I have ever heard. Plus, it never hurts to buy a woman a bag. 😉
4. Couples Massage or massage class. Book you and your significant other a relaxing couples massage. If you’d rather not have someone else rubbing down your body (my husband gets a little hesitant when it comes to that) – take a massage class! You can sometimes find massage class deals on Groupon, or try learning some new skills from YouTube!
5. Make a picture frame filled with memories. My sisters gave me this idea, and I actually used it for our anniversary this year. You just need to take a picture frame that has an inch or two of matting around the photo. You can take apart the frame and write memories or a love letter around the edges. Insert a favorite picture of you two together, and voila! It would also make a perfect photo to display on their desk at work! 😉 (Don’t mind the shadows on the photo!)
6. Make them dinner. Do they have a favorite dish their mom used to make them growing up? Are they a lasagna lover? Surprise your spouse with their favorite meal at home. The time and energy you spend making it is worth more than the money you could spend on a date night out! You can spruce it up a little and eat by candlelight. Need some inspiration? Try our Olive Garden Date Night In with printable menus.
7. Date Jar. If you’re anything like us, you know how hard it can be to have something planned for date night. I came across this date night jar and I think it is a BRILLIANT idea! The different colored sticks are for how much planning and money are required for the date. Wouldn’t this be a great gift? It’s like a commitment to your significant other that you will have better planned, budget-minded dates. (This is part of what I’m giving to my husband this year, but don’t tell him!)
8. Plan a movie night in. Get their favorite treats, pop some popcorn, their favorite romantic movie, and a giant blanket to snuggle under. You can put together in a cute basket, to make it even better! (We love these GIANT plush throws from Saranoni!)
9. Spa night at home. Who doesn’t love a cozy bubble bath with candles and a warm, fuzzy robe? Add some luxurious bath bombs, and you’ve got yourself a very romantic night in!
10. Handheld massager. I think this has been on my wish list for about 5 years, but it’s just not something you really buy for yourself, ya know? You can get some AMAZING handheld massagers these days for pretty decent prices. But let’s be honest – it’s a gift that just keeps on giving. 😉
11. Print Instagram pictures. Is your significant other an Instagram lover? Me and my husband actually have a hashtag we use for every picture we post that has anything to do with “us”. You can use a service like Chatbooks to make a book from the images, or print them out using a service like Print Studio.
12. Lingerie. Of course it’s on the list, right?! 😉 Get something in your hubby’s favorite color! Or fellas, I’m sure your wife wouldn’t mind if YOU picked something out! I’d love to know what my husband would like to see on me. #probablytmi #sorrynotsorry
13. Playlist. Put together a list of songs that remind you of your spouse, or that were popular the year you met. Don’t forget to add “your song” to the mix! Don’t have one yet? Pick one out! 😉
14. Learn to dance. There is something so romantic about dancing! Make reservations at a class in your area (you can also find it using groupon!), or once again, head to YouTube and watch some tutorials and test them out!
15. Plant a tree or carve your initials in one. One of my friends planted a tree one weekend with her boyfriend. When they got engaged, they drove up to their little tree and he proposed in front of it. Now they go and visit it when they are in the area. Is that not so romantic?! If you don’t feel like planting a tree, try feeling like a teenager again and carving your initials in one! (I would make sure it’s a tree in your yard or one that you own!). If you don’t have a tree you can use, you can always buy cute tree stumps at your local craft store and carve your initials in it to display in your home!
16. Scavenger hunt. I got this idea from watching Parks and Recreation! The main character maybe went a little over the top (there were like 26 clues), but you could definitely do this and make it so fun and romantic for your significant other. Think of all your favorite places – for my husband and I, we are still living in the town where we met – so I’ll be putting clues where we went on our first date, where we had our first kiss, and where he proposed. It is a great way to talk a walk down memory lane and think about those “firsts”.
17. Make or buy them their favorite dessert. Flowers are great, but so are treats! My husband will occasionally surprise me with treats from my favorite bakery (which is an hour away!), but it is the best thing in the world! Does your lover have a treat they love that’s homemade? Surprise them my making it for them! You can even wrap it up all cute-like. 😉 Need some help? You can find an easy recipe for chocolate-covered strawberries (always romantic!) or go through our Dessert Index to find more mouth-watering treats.
18. Send them a love letter. We used to be excited when we’d get an email and dread getting the mail, but now it’s the other way around! Snail mail is a rarity, especially for love letter! Send your lover a classic, hand-written letter expressing your love in the mail. Don’t forget to seal it with a kiss. 😉
19. Write them a list (or make a book) of 100 reasons you love them. This is one of my favorite things I have ever taken the time to do. For our 100th day of marriage, I got up early that morning and posted 100 sticky notes all over the house, each one with a different reason why I loved my husband. I think I loved it as much as he did, because I was crying happy tears most of the time while I was writing them! You can also take your reasons and make them into a book with photos using a service like Shutterfly!
20. Calendar of special dates. This was one of my favorite gifts I have ever received. Before my husband left for an internship during our engagement, he gave me calendar. Inside, he had written the special events that had taken place on certain dates. He put our first date, our first kiss, when he knew he loved me, when he told me he loved me, when we got engaged, our future wedding date, etc. It seriously is one of my most treasured possessions, and I’m excited that we’ll have it for our kids to look at one day, too!
Does your spouse need some help in the gift-giving department? Be sure to share this post with them! 😉
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