Ask The Readers: Last Minute Ideas For Valentine’s Day?
Photo courtesy ButterflySha
I hesitate to write this post, fearing that it may further ingrain what I believe to be a made up holiday. The commercial and consumerism side of Valentine’s Day brought to you by Hallmark and many other retailers. I have no problem with the idea of devoting a day to celebrate the love you have with your spouse, but why limit this to just one day.
In case you’ve missed it – February 14th is Saturday!
Whether you go all out for Valentine’s Day or keep it real simple, what are your plans this year?
Share your plans and ideas in the comments below.
It may be that you have failed to plan something this year, speak up in the comments and your fellow readers can help (feel free to comment anonymously if your spouse is a Simple Marriage reader as well).
There are some good lists for creative dates and gifts here and here. Plus, the Twittershpere has all kinds of ideas.
Corey is the editor of Simple Marriage as well as a licensed marriage & family therapist. While he has a Ph.D. in Family Therapy, he only occasionally likes to be called doctor. If you enjoyed this post, please subscribe so you don't miss any future posts.15 Responses to “Ask The Readers: Last Minute Ideas For Valentine’s Day?”
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DH is going to take our oldest DS to a Valentine Tea at the library in the morning. DH and I will exchange Valentine’s Day cards. The little ones and I will make DH is favorite treat – chocolate chip cookies. We believe in celebrating and showing our love for one another every day of the year, but it is nice to have a day set aside to do just a little bit extra to make our loved ones feel special.
I have Friday off so we’ll go out to lunch or maybe dinner and avoid the Saturday rush.
I hear you on the made up holiday thing. But hey why not go with the flow. And I still love my wife on all the other days of the year.
But Valentine’s Day was truly lame when I was single.
Having fun is romantic!
Hey Corey – I appreciate the mention. I never thought to search Twitter for some good ideas – thanks for the idea.
We’re going to visit my friend in Palo Alto. The 3 of us are planning to go see a silent film with live organ accompaniment. I guess not very romantic since we won’t be alone, but we love celebrating with friends (last year our Valentine’s plans went very awry, so we’re both a little wary now).
I haven’t thought about it much. Our big anniversary is coming up in march (25 years) and I have been planing a fun thing there. Valentine’s….we never make much out of it. He’s better show his love and appreciation on more than just one day! (he does so it’s cool). This year we’ll probably grill hot dogs in the chiminea out back and cuddly on the porch swing.
As a single guy in college, Valentine’s is one of those holidays that’s kinda like “Yeah, ok, whatever.” But, in the traditional fashion of living things up, I’m still doing a couple things.
1. Some friends are hosting a party for all the single people, which I think is awfully thoughtful and gracious of them.
2. Later, a bunch of the guys are getting together for the “St. Valentine’s Day Massacre.” Basically, we throw in the most epic, manly (and likely gory) movies (i.e. 300, Terminator, etc) and stay up into the wee hours of the morning consuming copious amounts of snacks and beverages. Should be a great time. =D
Though I, too, have a hard time with the Over Commercialized, Made-Up, Hallmark Holiday aspect of Valentine’s Day, I have an especially difficult time with how it really has turned into “Woman’s Appreciation Day”!! Who said guys don’t deserve to be treated with a little romance so they know how much their woman loves them! SO! In that spirit I have have been working all week on a couple of special, but simple projects!
To Start the day off well, I am making a special breakfast of bacon, eggs, and from-scratch pancakes with homemade berry syrup and fresh whip cream!
We recently took a little vacation, so I made a little (only has 30 pictures) memory book with photos and hand written notes and comments about our adventures!
Next I set up my tripod and took some very tasteful, artistic, black and white photos of myself (that was a funny project! I took over a dozen just to get one I liked! LOL). One is now mounted on the front of a dark red note card, and inside I will write something simple (in big scripty flowing letters) … like “I Love You”!
Valentine’s Day is another opportunity, other than our anniversary, to have a little extra focus on US! All of the things I am doing are simple, and inexpensive! But very personal, and about US!!
I think there’s huge pressure on my DH to ‘get it right’ and use Val. Day to ‘prove his love’. So this year I decided to make it easy on him and I’m planning the “festivities” DH style.
I am planning to bake him his favorite pie (pumpkin) and we’re going to watch a movie together here at home (probably Fireproof). Someone might take care of the kids for us, or we might just put them to bed a bit early. I bought a few little extras, like a bottle of sparkling grape juice and some heart-shaped playing cards (at the Dollar Tree of all places!) in case we want to play cards. I spent very little money and am keeping it simple. But best of all, it’s some that my DH will enjoy more than a lot of other things. 
I’ve enjoyed your blog, btw…just haven’t commented much.
We will do nothing as hubby doesn’t believe in giving me gifts as he says I have the best gift-staying home. No birthday, christmas, anniversary and certainly not valentines day gifts. I ussally make him a card, just to remind him that I love him.
I will decorate the house for my kids and make them some cookies to decorate and they will make cards to give eachother and us. anyone have suggestions for meals that would be special thru out the day? We usually have pancakes for breakfast, mac and cheese or ramen noodles for lunch and meatloaf or burriots for dinner-boring!!!
I don’t like the commercialism of V-Day but I always made it special when I was single by making time to hang out with my girlfriends. Now that I’m married I told hubby that I’d like to celebrate but low key, just because we’ve been through a lot in the last month or so and I could use some romance. I like the excuse of heading out and getting something for him because I love any excuse to give gifts.
He’s treating me to a one hour massage at my favorite day spa 
Day of we’ll just relax together after our training walk, play on the 360 and watch movies, I can’t wait. 
Feb 15th is our “Unofficial Anniversary” as it is the day we met 23 years ago. We always take advantage of V Day to extend the romantic celebrations. The exchange of hand-made cards and romantic letters which we call epistles, cuddles over coffee and small loving gestures thru out the 2 days is capped by dinner out at the best place we can afford. Some years that has only been Burger King and we split the fries and drink, but it doesnt matter. It’s the affection that counts and the mutual scknowledgement that the day we met is still something to celebrate.
Hi Corey. I used to like Valentine’s Day. I used to look forward to the gifts and the display of love from someone who loves me. I have fond memories as a child of coming into the kitchen and finding a box of chocolates and a card waiting for me to open them. My mom always made sure I had something. As I grew up, this became something that I looked forward to with my husband. It’s that one time men need to make the effort and it is EXPECTED
However, my new husband is totally against the Hallmark holiday and has made it known. So, I am no longer excited about this holiday as a “romantic” holiday. My kids, however, will get lots of goodies from me in hopes of carrying on the tradition.
in recent years, my husband and i have kind of gotten fed up with the hoopla surrounding Valentine’s Day. we came to a place where we realized that we needed to make that kind of effort more than once a year! so we no longer make a big deal of the day in terms of romance – we focus on our family, which is us plus our 4 year old son. we do things together, forging the bond of love among the 3 of us. this year, in keeping with our goals of eliminating debt and living somewhat frugally, our treat will be an event at our local Starbucks with free hot chocolate & crafts for kids, and a coffee tasting event for the grownups.
I don’t think many people realise… but “St. Valentine’s Day” and equivalents are not celebrated on February 14th in every country. My partner is Brazilian, and I’m in Brzil right now – when the “day of couples” is celebrated in June. So, being English, we have this awkward thing where he forgets in February, and I forget in June. *shrugs* But as other people have mentioned, a rose (and any other romantic gesture) on Feb 14th is still a rose, as it is any other day of the year. Besides, for me, it’s more romantic when the gift/thought/action/whatever is completely spontaneous – like “I just remembered that I totally love you” rather than “today’s totally the day when I’m supposed to love you”.