I’ve been meaning to get this post out for weeks now. Except two weeks ago, it felt too early and now it feels too late. Can you believe Valentine’s Day is next week?
My husband and I don’t go all out for Valentine’s Day. We’re lucky if we actually go out on the night of Valentine’s Day. We’d prefer to go out on a quieter night when it’s easier to get a table and the restaurants aren’t overcrowded. Yes, I realize how old I am sounding! But as I’ve gotten older, Valentine’s Day is a reminder that we need to schedule time for ourselves. It’s about reconnecting and pausing to tune out all of the noise. It’s so easy to fall into the trap of always putting the little ones first. A healthy relationship is the best gift we can give to ourselves, to our significant other, and to our children. It’s the gift that keeps on giving. So while I think physical gifts are great ways to show affection, I don’t think the impact is as strong or as sustaining as creating new experiences together.
Here are some special ideas for couples to keep that spark alive, while also reconnecting spiritually and physically. These are experiences that my husband and I have personally done to reengage with each other and reignite the spark in our relationship.
COUPLES MASSAGE
We both love a good massage. It’s something that we both try to schedule individually for ourselves on a routine basis. Sort of like going to a therapist from time to time. A massage is similar in that it is therapy for our mind, body and soul. So why not do this together? It’s relaxing, you’re in an intimate setting, and you both come out of it feeling like a new person.
FLOAT
This experience was like nothing I’ve ever experienced before. If you aren’t familiar with float therapy, it is another form of relaxation and reconnection of the mind, body and spirit.
The place we went had two separate float rooms. I went in one and my husband used the other. As you enter the room, it appears to look like a normal bathroom, but behind the big chamber door is a 10×10 pool filled with 1000+ pounds of Epsom salt. I stepped into the water, laid back, and immediately felt my body float to the surface. I floated like this for over an hour just completely detached from reality and with all senses turned off. While my husband and I didn’t float in the same room, it was an experience that allowed me to relax, re-center and reconnect, creating an outer-body experience. I walked out of that room more relaxed than I had felt in a long time. I can see why people go back.
8 COURSE FOOD AND WINE TASTING
This is something that we don’t do as much now that we have kids, but going to a restaurant that has a five or six course tasting menu and wine pairing is one of our favorite things to do. Six years ago, my husband and I did a food and wine tasting at Amada in Atlantic City and he proposed to me as the dessert course came out! For that reason alone, I love a good tasting. However, now my husband has raised the bar and I look forward to sparkly surprises for every dessert course! A girl can dream……
MOVIES
This is a simple and inexpensive option, but every time that my husband and I see a move it reminds me of the early days of when we started dating. We saw a lot more movies back then but it’s still fun to hold hands and sit quietly with each other, only to analyze and compare thoughts on the movie after it’s over.
BROADWAY MUSICAL
This isn’t one of the cheaper ideas on the list, but it is something that we also enjoy when we’re getting tired of the routine date nights. We tend to see plays for special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. And often we go with another couple because it breaks up the routine.
ICE SKATING
Probably the simplest little pleasure on the list. It’s a great date if you only have an hour or so to get away from the kids. Ice skating always reminds me of my childhood and teenage years. As a teenager there wasn’t a lot to do in my hometown but there was always ice in the winter to go skating on. Not to mention, it screams Hallmark movie where man and woman are on a casual date, only to fall in love and get married by the end of the movie.
CONCERT
While my husband and I have different tastes in music, we have seen some really enjoyable concerts together. Concerts spark energy within us and that energy allows us to connect and get in touch with our emotions. Sometimes it stirs emotions that we didn’t know were there. Either way, any time we’re able to connect with ourselves, it opens up the passageway to connect deeper with our significant other.
MIXOLOGY CLASS
So I have to admit, this is something that my husband and I did with a group of clients, but it is something that I have been wanting to do with just him. While it’s a fun, interactive learning experience, it is also highly social and creative. Anytime alcohol is involved, you know it’s going to be loads of fun!
COOKING CLASS
Lastly, take a cooking class together. Pre-kids, we celebrated an anniversary at Mohegan Sun in the Viking Room Kitchen. The cooking class was more like a live television show, where the chef shows us how to prepare the meal and then each course magically comes out. It really is an interactive and engaging alternative to a traditional dinner date night out.
So there you have it, 9 ideas on how to make this years Valentine’s Day date more about reconnecting and less about physical items. Let me know what you plan on doing to make your Valentine’s Day extra special this year!
