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valentine's tips

Valentine’s Day Tip “Not Just Once A Year”

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Here’s a valuable Valentine’s Day tip that you can carry with you all year long.

Many of us wait for Valentine’s Day, to express our love and gratitude to our mates. I believe that the special attention that is paid to a mate on that day should be an everyday occurrence for the life of the relationship +/or marriage.

1043941_26514482My mate and I are fortunate enough to have actually been experiencing the added love that is generated on February 14th of every year on a daily basis, for over 19 years. From the day we met, all those years ago, we felt a connection that neither of us experienced in prior relationships. We felt mutually that we have experienced life together in a different era.

We honestly feel we are soul mates. Having that emotional connection helps us to appreciate the fact that we found each other again while living this life. That is why we feel that many couples are making a mistake by following society’s mores on when and how to show love and appreciation. For example, does a mate really need cupid’s day to arrive to have a date, buy them a gift or to make a romantic gesture? We say no you don’t!!! We firmly believe that couples in a successful and committed relationship show and give love on a daily basis with words and actions. It begins in the morning with both mates awakening and saying “I love you” and ends at night with those same words of affection.

As far as giving or receiving gifts, we give one another gifts everyday. Our gifts sometimes consists of making a hot cup of coffee every morning, just the way I like it. Or while my mate is preparing for work, I prepare and pack lunch with something special in the bag every time. To us, it shows that we are a team and shows love in actions other than purchasing expensive gifts.

Life is made so much more pleasant when in love. We are thankful everyday to “Mother Nature” for bringing us back together. So we say to all who have the great fortune of being in a loving and committed relationship to show that love everyday, not just on February 14th of every year.

Happy Valentine’s Day all year long!

Posted by Eve

How to Enjoy a Romantic Valentine’s Day At Home

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Tips for celebrating Valentine’s Day at home

Growing up, my mother always said, ” Your home should always be your oyster. ” I never understood that phrase and its full meaning until I was an adult.

Now, my home is my oyster and I take full advantage of it. In the past, me and my love would spend Valentine’s Day at a upscale restaurant or at a luxurious hotel, complete with room service. When we calculated how much money we spent over the years, we were astonished. It added up to be thousands of dollars. That money could have been better spent making home improvements or investing in our businesses.

With Valentine’s Day soon approaching, we are choosing to exchange gifts from the heart and have a romantic evening at home. Here are some of my ideas for having a great Valentines Day at home.

1. Make a dinner that consists of your partner’s favorite snacks, food and drink. For example, my spouse is an avid pizza eater and enjoys a ton of added toppings. So last year, when I called to order the pizza, I asked if they could make the pizza into a heart shape. To my surprise they did! My spouse was so appreciative of that simple gesture.

2. Next tip: adjust the ambiance in a room in your house. This could be the bedroom, living room, dining room or even the back yard (weather permitting). All that is required is to dim the lights and play nice easy listening music, whilst enjoying a meal, drinks and/ or appetizers.

3. If you happen to live in a warm weather climate, transform your yard into a Valentine’s Day oasis. You can do this by covering the patio table with a red table cloth and add candles and flowers. Also, you can string some outdoor lights to shrubbery, poles and awnings for an added effect.

4. Last tip: run a romantic bubble bath with rose petals added to the water, surrounded by lit candles and champagne for both of you to enjoy.

These tips for celebrating Valentine’s Day at home have yet to fail me. My spouse actually looks forward to them every year.

 

Tips for a Special Valentine’s Day on a Budget

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Many Americans are living on such a tight budget that spending $100-$300 or more on Valentine’s Day is just not feasible.

My spouse and I were affected, like many Americans by the economic downfall. So for the past 6 years my love and I have agreed that Valentine’s Day is not a day to spend our hard earned money on an expensive dinner, flowers, chocolates and gifts. We instead came up with an alternative method to spend quality time together and not break the bank. Here are three tips for a special Valentine’s Day on a budget.

Free Events

One thing that we do for a special Valentine’s Day on a budget is to separately research online any free events held in our local area that are happening before, on or after Valentines Day. For instance, last year my love (knowing that I enjoy wine) found a free wine tasting venue in our area.

Picnic in the Park

With just a little creativity you can have a memorable Valentine’s Day outdoors. For example, you can plan and have a picnic in the park on a nice sunny day. Bring hot chocolate in a thermos, homemade brownies and finger foods. You can then give your mate a heartfelt card, that is handwritten telling how much you love, adore and treasure their companionship.

In-Home Spa

Another idea for a special Valentine’s Day on a budget is to prepare a room in your house for a spa-like adventure complete with candles, massaging oils and relaxing music. Invest in a portable foot spa and a back massager for a real spa-like experience–a total of about $75.

In my opinion, spending a lot of money on Valentine’s Day does not show your spouse that you love them. Yet, when you carefully prepare, plan and execute a romantic gesture, shows your spouse that they are worth the time and energy it took to devise a plan.

Posted by Lorraine