Valentine’s Day has always struck me as a weird holiday. I’ve had old high school boyfriends take me out to dinners, order me flowers and maybe even bring some chocolates or a teddy bear…It was all so cliché (I didn’t even like half of the chocolates in a variety pack). The day is filled with expectations and “surprises” that usually don’t live up to any cute gestures in the romantic comedies I love so much.
When this Valentine’s Day was approaching, my current—and pretty awesome—boyfriend and I were trying to come up with ideas for our first V-Day together. We go out to eat fairly often, and he already surprises me with cute, romantic dates all the time. I thought back to my first and favorite valentine: my dad. I used to love when my dad spoiled me on Valentine’s Day. It was something that made the holiday special. My boyfriend’s mom was his first valentine, too. Obviously, as we each grew older, V-Day had become more about SOs than about relationships with family, but I thought: Why does it have to be that way?
RELATED: My Girlfriend & I Celebrated Valentine’s Day Like a Normal Couple for the First Time
His mom put so much work into being there for her four children over the past few decades and now Valentine’s Day was just another day for her. So I asked my boyfriend, “Why don’t we cook dinner for your mom this year?”
Like any mama’s boy, he answered with a “YES!”
And so the planning began. We picked up pink salmon, fresh strawberries, fancy cheeses and jams, and, of course, chocolate. I set up a huge cheese platter while his mom sat down in her slippers watching The Bachelor Valentine’s Day special. She loves The Bachelor, so the timing worked out perfectly. My boyfriend and I jammed out to some music, danced around a bit, and actually had an awesome time cooking up the meal. I handled the sides while he roasted the salmon. His roommate even joined in—at least as far as eating half of the cheese and crackers. His mom was nice enough to make some Pinterest-worthy strawberry cocktails after!
RELATED: I Celebrated Valentine’s Day For Me & Here’s What Happened
We laughed together eating at the table. His mom complimented the food as if it were from some five-star restaurant. She took care of dinners for more years than I had been alive; it was only right for us to do something for her. There were none of the typical Valentine’s Day expectations of a life-sized teddy bear or two-dozen roses. It was just relaxing, fun, and wholly enjoyable. Honestly, it was the best Valentine’s Day I’ve ever celebrated. Telling from his mom’s text, she had a pretty good time, too!