By Greer Barnes
If you’ve been married for a few years, chances are Valentine’s Day isn’t what it used to be. Fresh ideas don’t seem so fresh… Instead of a dozen roses you’d rather get a dozen more hours of sleep. A stuffed bear? It’s just one more thing to wash. Chocolate? Well… a girl can never get enough chocolate.
Whether you’ve been married two or twenty years, at one time or another you and your partner will go through one (or a few) lulls. The emotional down doesn’t have to last, however, and the perfect time to get the ball rolling again is Valentine’s Day. Sometimes the regular restaurant date can seem more like a chore than an actual date, so choose something that’s out of the ordinary, perhaps something you and your spouse have never done before. Here are a few ideas that will inspire you to make this Valentine’s Day one to remember.
Spend only $20 EACH on gifts.
Who says Valentine’s Day gifts have to cost an arm and a leg? When you and your spouse set price limits on gifts for each other, you take any stressful questions out of the equation. Rather than wondering “Did I spend too much?” or “Is this enough?” you can actually concentrate on spending time together. If you really want to take the romantic factor up a notch, make handmade gifts and cards for each other, spending no money and using only materials from around the house. Have glass jars or old soup cans in the kitchen cabinet just waiting to be used for craft projects? Decorate a jar or can and fill it up with handwritten describing your favorite memories together. Have your husband take each piece of paper out one by one and read it aloud. By talking about the good times, you’ll both remember the little reasons why you love each other and why you both work to make your marriage strong.
Get your adrenaline pumping–together.
If your love life is in need of a boost, doing a physical activity together on Valentine‘s Day may be the perfect option for you and your man. Studies show that engaging in an adrenaline-pumping activity can lead to arousal and reignite the spark typically found in young relationships. Whether it’s rock climbing or salsa dancing, you and your partner will get some much needed one-on-one time that’s sure to lead to more intimate time later.
Reminisce about and recreate your favorite date.
Some of your fondest memories of your relationship probably happened at the beginning. After all, there’s nothing quite like the butterflies of happiness, excitement, and fear you experience when you’re in love. Those heightened emotions aren’t only reserved for young relationships, however. Fall for your husband over again by recreating your favorite date, including everything from the clothes you were wearing to the conversation. If your favorite date occurred at a cute little restaurant, do the date sans the restaurant. The conversation, not the spaghetti and meatballs, was probably the best part anyway.
Separated on Valentine’s Day? Make a care package.
If you’re in a long term relationship, chances are you’ve been separated from your significant other on a least at one Valentine’s Day. Sure, you can schedule a date the next weekend but not why do a little something extra too? Send your hubby a care package to let him know that you’re thinking about him and what he can expect when you see each other again. If you’re traveling for your job, send a cute souvenir from the city where you’re working along with a handwritten letter. If your husband is the one away, send him a box full of candies, chocolate, and whatever else you can dream up. Make sure to check with his hotel for any special directions or restrictions when sending packages.