Valentine’s Day: the one day a year everyone is expected to show how much they love their partner. It can be pretty stressful seeing what everyone around you is doing for their Valentine and not having a clue what to do for yours. Lucky for you though, there are five main ways people like to give and receive love.
These are commonly known as the five love languages: they include quality time, words of affirmation, physical touch, acts of service and gifts giving/receiving. Everyone has a primary love language, and if you don’t know yours or your Valentine’s, you can take the quiz here. By understanding how your Valentine likes to receive love, you can be sure they’ll feel special this February 14th (if you still don’t know what to do, don’t worry, I have some ideas for you).
- Quality Time
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People with their primary love language as quality time feel most loved when they’re spending meaningful time with those they love. If this is your Valentine’s love language, make sure to plan a day full of fun activities that you two can enjoy together. If they’ve been hinting about wanting to go somewhere, Valentine’s Day might be the day to check out that place with them. If their TikTok “For You Page” has been filled with those picnic videos, take them on a picnic date. If they like painting, get the materials for a paint night. If you can’t be with your Valentine due to COVID-19 or distance, do a virtual escape room, virtual movie night, or cook dinner together on zoom.
- Words of Affirmation
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Meaningful written and verbal expressions of love are everything to people with words of affirmation as their primary love language. If this is your Valentine’s love language, write them a letter about how much you love them and why. This written reminder of your love will be a perfect gift and something they can look back on to remember how much you love them. If you’re with them on Valentine’s Day, read your letter to them — but if not, getting that letter in the mail will still make their week.
- Physical Touch
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First, you’re going to give them the biggest hug. People with physical touch as their love language need physical reminders of your love — you probably know if this is your Valentine’s love language already, because when you’re together they’re always basically on top of you. For Valentine’s Day, make sure you hold them close. You can have a simple movie night where you cuddle. If you’re looking to try something new, maybe try a ballroom dancing class. Ballroom dancing will give that physical closeness your partner needs. There are free dance class videos on YouTube, so you don’t even need to leave the house. If you can’t be with your Valentine this year and their love language is physical touch, this makes things a little harder. However, you can send them a stuffed animal or one of your sweatshirts (bonus points if it smells like you) for them to hold until you can hold each other again.
- Acts of Service
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People whose primary love language is acts of service are so appreciative when you go out of your way to help them out. For Valentine’s Day, consider making your partner breakfast in bed. If they have anything they’ve needed to do but have not gotten around to (laundry, errands, dishes, etc.), do it for them. If you cannot be with your Valentine, DoorDash them food from their favorite restaurant.
- Gifts
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Two words: Spoil them. Gift receiving as a love language means these people like having a physical representation of your love. However, the gifts need to be meaningful. Say your Valentine loves Halloween. A bunch of Halloween trinkets from the dollar store that made you think of them might mean more than a necklace. If you see something as simple as a Pez dispenser that makes you think of your Valentine, get it for them, because they love that physical reminder that you were thinking about them. Be sure your Valentine has some thoughtful gifts and their favorite flowers being delivered to them if you can’t be together on the holiday.
Understanding how your Valentine likes to receive love guarantees you can give them a great February 14th, as well as show them your love on all the other 364 days of the year. Oh, and to all my fellow singles out there, find out your Galentine’s love languages and make sure your girls, gays and theys feel the love too this Valentine’s Day.