It’s that time of year again! Time to ponder how exactly you are going to treat your sweetie to a special night and how you can to top yourself from years past. You don’t want to do the same old, same old, so we thought we’d help you out with a few ideas for how to wow the one you have your eye on this February 14.

　　Legend has it that Valentine’s Day started as a Western Christian feast day honoring a saint named Valentinus, a Roman martyr who performed forbidden marriage ceremonies for soldiers. Before he was executed, he supposedly performed a miracle, healing the blind daughter of his jailer, and signed a final letter to her, “Your Valentine.”

　　Valentinus unknowingly started a long tradition of giving romantic letters to our sweethearts.

　　While this day has since become extremely commercialized, if we keep in mind that at the heart of it, the theme is really around telling someone how you feel, thoughtfully expressing yourself to the special person in your life. If we keep that in mind, maybe some of the pressure comes off!

　　

Go Old School Romantic

Okay, off the hop, this doesn’t sound very creative but go with me for a minute. One thing we’re losing as a culture is the ability to have a face to face wooing – screens have taken over and we can look up or order anything we want on a moment’s notice, which takes away the delicious brain-wracking that goes into finding the perfect gift, or writing the most inspiring message.

　　Back in the day, people didn’t have disposable income and there wasn’t a Hallmark store on every corner. They didn’t even have malls with chocolate shops and flowers! People would actually sit down and handwrite beautiful letters, coming up with their own messages instead of relying on Google’s search of inspirational quotes.

　　Making your own cards or gifts was also a tradition in the 18th and 19th centuries. Spending quite a lot of time and effort in customizing a card for the one you love most was key, creating a memento that could be kept in a safe place for the rest of their lives. Even the least talented will still touch a place in someone’s heart!

　　Time is one of the most treasured commodities in this day and age, so skipping your Netflix-binge to glue some sparkles and lace to your best effort will definitely press upon their soft spot!

　　

Be Kids Again

This Valentine’s Day, why not go back to feeling like you’re 6 again? Don’t worry about hooking up, spending a lot of dough or impressing with a super fancy meal. The whole point of the day is to show someone they make you weak in the knees, right? Keep it simple and share your lunch, get one of those candy rings, or buy them a tub of cinnamon hearts.

　　Sharing a pizza at the playground as you push each other on the swings may not sound like a big deal, but when you drop the pretense and show how much you just enjoy the simple fact that you are near each other, it can be pretty darned romantic. Extra points for holding hands and giggling.

　　

Be Daring

V-Day is about love, romance, and showing someone special how you feel. Let’s be real though, it’s also tied to feeling sexy and getting in the mood, right? Why not dive straight into that pool and plan a totally sexy date that could really get your fires stoked?

　　Not every town has one, but sex museums are popping up all over the world, namely Amsterdam, New York, Paris, Hamburg, and of course, Las Vegas. Covering everything from erotic art, to ancient sex positions, to important sex education and a bounty of ideas for you and your lover, this kind of experience could be right up your alley this February 14.

　　Catching a sexy burlesque show could be just the ticket in this aspect as well, and happily, we are seeing a comeback for this art form. Dating all the way back to the 1840s, burlesque was usually used satirically to poke fun at the upper classes, featuring risque acts showcasing the female form, suggestive dance or dialogue, and witty humor, laced with innuendo and puns.

　　Nowadays, the comeback of burlesque is a form of expression, using stripteases, bawdy humor and comedy or variety acts. While they are definitely fun to watch, the ribald music peeks of skin and suggestive dancing will be entertaining, and might just get you inspired to try your own version when you get home.

　　

The Anti-Valentine’s Couple

Not everyone is into this romantic day, in fact, there are a lot of people who actively stay home or take part in activities that could not in any way be confused with the consumer-driven greeting card and flower push that the cynical see leading up to February 14.

　　The hilarious writer Christopher Moore writes, “Scratch a cynic and you will find a disappointed romantic.” That, or they just don’t want to give into the hype, and some scorn Valentine’s Day because it’s silly to think you should only celebrate each other one day a year.

　　As a joke, years ago, my husband and I started an anti-Valentine’s tradition of ordering Chinese food and watching Silence of the Lambs on February 14. I thought it was the furthest thing from romance, hearts and roses as we could get and our single friends ended up loving it, coming over instead of feeling lonely or left out.

　　What’s the opposite of romance for you? Another way to look at this theme is to completely avoid anything cliche or corny, so hockey games and beers, tacos and karaoke, or even grocery shopping (There won’t be anyone there!) all apply. It’s another way of saying, “I like spending time with you every day of the year, I don’t have to get all mushy because I’m supposed to.”

　　

The Blind Date

Holy cow, you have agreed to take on the madness and anticipation of a blind date on Valentine’s Day? How exciting and oh, so much pressure! Remember that you will be surrounded by people who are deeply in love, wanting to give each other a special night and completely engaged in one another.

　　I’ve seen movies where those couples look around the room to spot when people are on a first date and to judge exactly how they think it’s going. Why not flip it around and have some fun to ease the meeting-for-the-first-time tension?

　　Go out for dinner and see if you can tell who hasn’t had sex for a long time, and they’re trying their best to turn each other on. Go to the movies and see if you can tell from body language who just had a big fight, but pre-bought their tickets, or are on a forced double date.

　　Of course, you want to get to know each other too, but a sense of humor is one of the most sought after qualities we all look for, so why not start off by comparing funny bones?

　　

Conclusion

The new trend of V-Day is to focus on spending time together – not oodles of cash. Go with the flow and look at new ways to say, “You’re awesome and I love hanging out with you.” Being genuine is key and creativity earns extra points. If your goal is to make someone feel like the amazing and wonderful gift they are to you, nix the cliches and find a new way to make memories.

　　Related article: A Valentine’s Day Love Tarot Spread