Ladies, you know what day is coming up: Valentine’s Day, a day of clichéd cards, flowers and chocolates. I know I always wanted something more than the typical V-Day routine, and who knows, maybe your guy wants more than a card and kiss too! I brainstormed a few fresh, quirky and cute V-Day ideas (gifts and dates) to get you and your boyfriend feeling the love more than ever before, and in a very non-cliché way!
I know when I was in a relationship my boyfriend and I never did anything fun for Valentine’s Day. I think he brought me flowers–very sweet– and a bag of my favorite candy–so thoughtful–and then we went out to dinner with a million other couples–it was a nice restaurant–but to be honest, I’m surprised I even remember that Valentine’s Day at all. It was just so…generic. Maybe if I had put in a little more effort on my part it would have been a more exciting and memorable day, but it can be hard to get pumped about a hallmark holiday that comes around every year. (Except Christmas, I guess?) If you felt like doing a little pre V-Day planning, and maybe making a pit-stop to Michael’s on your way home from Kroger to get extra crafty, I’ve brainstormed some fresh gift and date ideas that you could use to wow your guy with just how sweet and awesome you are. Here’s what I’ve come up with:
GIFTS!
Gift Idea #1: The Lovely Coupon Book
So you probably know your boyfriend pretty well by now. I think Valentine’s Day, at its heart, is a day to show your lover how much you appreciate him and why, a day to demonstrate that you know him, and that you truly enjoy who he is. While your boyfriend might bring you flowers and a sweet card, you could dedicate a few hours in the days leading up (don’t worry, not that many hours) and make him a coupon book of 10 or so little favors or gifts, to be redeemed whenever he wants. The key to the coupon book is to personalize it! You know your boyfriend, you know what he likes, and you know what will cheer him up or make him smile, so get those creative ideas flowing ladies! Some cute ideas to get you started, and that I might be inclined to include, are: 1 batch of free, homemade chocolate chip cookies, 1 free full-body massage (wink wink), 1 guaranteed complaint-free hike to the top of humpback, picnic included, and 1 lunch or dinner on you. Here’s a quick and easy DIY guide to making the coupon book, complete with a printable template, à la Pinterest. http://www.pinterest.com/pin/242420392411915393/ Happy crafting!
Gift Idea #2: All The Little Things
This one might be a little sappy for some guys, and maybe even for some girls, too, but since Valentine’s Day is a day of appreciation, you could actually tell your guy just what about him makes you so darn happy. Make a list of all of your favorite memories of him, of all of “your songs,” and maybe even just all the things you like about him–maybe it’s the way he kisses you goodbye every time without fail, or the way he looks when he’s deep in thought–any little thing at all. Ignore the stalker-ish feelings that might crop up while you’re making this list–who cares, he is your boyfriend after all! If you felt like being extra creative, you could muster up some paper and some nice binding from Michael’s and make a scrapbook for him. If you go with the scrapbook option, I’d include some pictures.
DATES!
Date Idea #1: Dinner For Two
Instead of that boring old dinner date that everyone else on the planet will be going out on, why don’t you stay in instead? Does your boyfriend like to cook? You guys could cook a meal together! He doesn’t like to cook? You could surprise him and practice those domestic housewife skills by preparing a delicious dinner for him when he returns home from a long day of Friday class. Even if he’s no Gordon Ramsay, getting a guy to experiment in the kitchen can be fun for the both of you! If he’s up for it, set him to work on an easy task, like chopping vegetables, or making pasta, and when the meal is all set you guys can high-five, hug, kiss, and commend each other on what a great team you make in the kitchen. For novice cooks, here’s a real easy chicken recipe that both you and your guy should love. Pair it with some roasted veggies or a salad.
Ranch Parmesan Chicken: http://www.food.com/recipe/kittencals-easy-and-delicious-ranch-parmesan-chicken-200296
For a more confident cook, try this mouthwatering pork chops recipe:
http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/coriander-pork-sauteed-apples-onions-4074
Date Idea #2: Concert Downtown
If you and your man like live country music, consider hitting The Southern on the Downtown Mall. There’s nothing like slow dancing to a live rendition of wagon wheel to get the love going. Tickets are $12 in advance, available online, or $15 the day of the show. Doors are at 7:30, and the show starts at 8.
As an alternative to the country music option, Who’s Bad–The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band is coming to the Jefferson. I don’t know about you guys, but I never get tired of Billie Jean, and Thriller has got to be the most fun song to dance to. Ever.
You could follow up either of these with some fun activity on the downtown mall. If you’re still hungry after dinner, you two could get some gelato from Splendora’s, which is probably the best gelato I’ve ever had anywhere. Plus they have all sorts of weird, delicious flavors like amaretto, milk & cherry, and cookies & cream. Yum.
My other favorite place on the downtown mall is the Twisted Branch Tea Bazaar. If you’re the kind of girl who’s down to smoke some hookah, or even to just hang out in a cool, bohemian, eclectic place, this tea bazaar will suit your fancy. In addition to hookah, they also serve appetizers and dinners, as well as milkshakes. If you’re feeling romantic and adventurous, try their rose milkshake. It’s the bomb.
Those are all of my best-intentioned suggestions for all you lucky ladies with boyfriends out there this Valentine’s Day. I hope you and your man have a lovely February fourteenth, and are able to make your V-Day cute, fun, quirky, and most of all, special.