The day of love should be happy and free from stress, and spending a lot of money isn’t necessary. There are plenty of ways to express romantic feelings with some imagination, creativity and helpful hints of things that have worked for others.
Electronic Valentine
Go shopping on the computer for the perfect show of love. Find a pair of hearts that can be used as a screensaver. Send a dozen e-roses and an electronic card from Hallmark. Write a love letter or romantic poem and e-mail it. Add free clip art from the Internet to enhance the message.
Other electronic Valentines may include:
- A personal web page
- A blog with daily or hourly messages
- Periodic e-mails throughout the day with love messages
Musical Gift of Love
There is more than one way to send musical Valentines. One is to have a song dedicated to a loved one on a favorite radio station. Another is to burn a CD with all the other person’s favorite love songs. Or make up a song and sing it on Valentine’s Day. Put a romantic poem to music for a heart-stopping performance.
Crafty Cupid
Create something unique and special for the most romantic day of the year. The other person will appreciate the thought that went into the gift.
- Buy a container, cover it with paper hearts or stickers and give it a coat of protection with varnish or other sealant from a craft store. This can be filled with candy, cookies or folded love messages.
- Fill a heart covered photo album with romantic snapshots during special occasions.
- Pick wild flowers and arrange them in a simple vase or glass jar. Add a special note.
Gift of Food
Specially prepared food will warm the heart of a loved one.
- Bake cookies, brownies or a heart-shaped cake. Present them in a tin or gift box.
- A tried and true method of showing the love is to cook a multi-course meal and serve it by candlelight.
- Serve a romantic breakfast of eggs died with red food coloring, toast with strawberry jam and coffee with a heart-shaped doily.
Surprise All-Day Valentines
Some Valentine’s Day presents are ideal for scattering out throughout the day. These ideas will keep a smile on the other person’s face from morning to night.
- Write “I love you” in at least five different languages on separate pieces of paper or cards. Place them in various places where the other person will pick them up.
- Place coupons for different things in the other person’s path. One for the morning drive to work may be for a car wash. A lunch box surprise may be a coupon to a favorite fast food place. A briefcase coupon can be for a massage or pedicure. Be creative and come up with coupons specific to the other person’s taste.
- Start with an inexpensive box of children’s Valentine’s Day cards. Jot a love note on each one and scatter them around so the other person can find them. Places to put them include the vanity by the bathroom sink, in the underwear drawer, by the coffee pot, in the car or taped to the doorknob.
- Starting a week before Valentine’s Day, write a continuing love note. Let the loved one know at least one thing special each day.
Valentine’s Day is a time to show someone how much he or she is loved. Instead of spending money, use the imagination for an electronic, musical, crafty, food or surprise Valentine gift. Then plan a special date that doesn’t cost a fortune. Cook together, go out and take pictures of beautiful scenery, or watch romantic movies.
VAL101
Debby Mayne - Debby Mayne is a published author of more than 30 novels and novellas and former fashion writer for the Home Shopping Network.
