Love. It’s that feeling you get when you are smitten with another human being. Love is a tender affection you share with your beloved, and hopefully it lasts a lifetime. Love is deep, profound, and intense.
For some, love is expressed in heartfelt handwritten notes, bouquets of flowers, and intimate dining by candlelight. And for others, love is communicated through gifts, taking your beau’s car to the automotive shop for an oil change, or cleaning the house until its spotless just because your significant other had a rough day at work.
For some, love is felt through physical touch, spoken aloud with words, and/or defined by memories captured in photos and videos. Love can be expressed in many different shapes and forms, and varies greatly across couples.
Many people celebrate their love for their beau on Valentine’s Day. If you’re a fan of the heart-shaped decadent chocolates, bouquets of vibrant red roses, and arguably cheesy Hallmark cards that Valentine’s Day brings, then this February-themed post is all for you.
Here are five meaningfully romantic ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with your beau this year:
1. Plan a mini getaway.
What is more romantic than planning a trip away with the person you love? Consider renting a hotel room complete with rose petals on the bed, champagne chilling in a bucket of ice chips, and a bathtub fit for two.
Staying away from home for a long weekend is a romantic way to spend some much needed peace and quiet with your beau. Getting out of the house and breaking away from your regular routine is the best way to ensure you devote your time and attention on your partner.
Pro-tip: try scheduling the getaway early in advance to avoid the high fees associated with traveling during a holiday. If you can’t avoid the steep costs, you and your beau could always plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day at an earlier or later time to avoid traveling during the holiday.
2. Buy tickets to a show or event.
Surprising your other half with tickets for the two of you to attend a concert, comedy show, movie, or sports event is a great way to celebrate your love. Treat your love to Ny Knicks tickets, for example, for a night you’ll never forget!
Spending time together by watching your favorite singer/band perform, laughing together as a hilarious comedian cracks jokes, or cheering with one another as your favorite sports team competes are all fantastic ways to connect during Valentine’s Day. Each of these suggestions will no doubt put a smile on your beau’s face!
Pro-tip: Commemorate the event with a photo of the two of you together. Taking photos captures memories that you can frame later on.
3. Book a table at a fancy restaurant.
Every town and city has a fancy restaurant nearby that maybe you’ve thought about trying out but never had an excuse to go. Well, what better reason to dine at a posh eatery than by making a reservation for Valentine’s Day?
Book a table at an upscale spot because you and your love deserve to dine by candlelight at a 5-star restaurant in dressy outfits. Use this special day as the setting of your romantic evening.
Order a hodgepodge of plates and share with your partner. Even better? Order one plate of dessert with two forks! Share that slice of chocolate cake with your love. Food and fine dining really complete an evening of romance, wouldn’t you say?
Pro-tip: Book your reservation as far in advance as humanly possible. Not only is Valentine’s Day a super common day to make a reservation, but upscale restaurants are often by reservation only and book fast. Do you and your beau a favor by booking a table far in advance to rest assured that your romantic dinner date will happen as planned. Can’t make it for dinner? Try lunch instead or pick a different day to celebrate.
4. Do dinner and a movie at home.
If you’re budget-conscious or you opt for a simpler celebration, consider cooking dinner, indulging in sweet treats, and renting a movie at home in honor of Valentine’s Day. Opting to stay in can be just as romantic as going out for a night on the town or planning a getaway.
Test out a new recipe you and your s/o have been meaning to try. Cook a nice meal together and have fun with it. Play music in the background while you’re cooking and pop a bottle of wine or champagne to set the mood. Have a movie on-hand for an after-dinner special.
Doing dinner and a movie at home is an inexpensive and intimate way to channel your love for each other!
5. Opt for homemade gifts.
Whether you’re trying to stick to a rigid budget or you don’t find expensive flowers or gifts all that romantic, try making homemade gifts for your valentine. There are so many different ways you can celebrate Valentine’s Day with homemade gift ideas. Valentine’s gifts for teens or adults are always the best choice to impress the person you love.
Try framing your favorite photo of you and your beau. Write date ideas on scraps of paper and toss them in a jar. Create a photo album of all of your favorite memories together. Make a scrapbook with photos and old ticket stubs from the places you’ve gone together.
The list of homemade gift ideas goes on and on. Dust off your craft supplies and get creating to make your s/o a lovely homemade gift!
Valentine’s Day doesn’t have to include romantic gestures, shocking proposals, or jewelry that is going to prevent you from paying your rent next month. As lovely as receiving a dozen red roses may be, you can celebrate in far simpler ways.
These romantic date ideas for you and your valentine are only some of the many ways you can spend the holiday together. Just remember: Valentine’s Day is about you and your beau. Spend time celebrating in whatever way makes you both feel loved and blessed.
About the Author
Rachael is a University of Southern Maine graduate with a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and a minor in Sociology. She remotely works full-time as a Senior Content Marketing Specialist for Champlain College in Burlington, Vermont. In her leisure time, Rachael enjoys traveling with her husband, finding the next Netflix series to binge, and taking too many photos of her dogs Jax and Kai. Rachael is obsessed with chapstick, favors the Oxford comma, and is a proud Mainer. You'll likely find her exploring New England + beyond.