Valentine’s Day is coming up, which means it’s time to start planning some special surprises. Adding at least one surprise to this romantic holiday can make it more exciting, more memorable, and more appreciated by your partner – and it could be exactly what you need to breathe new life into your relationship.
But what makes a surprise work? And how can you make this surprise different than all the others?
Start Planning Now
It’s a good idea to start planning as soon as possible for your Valentine’s Day festivities. Leading up to the big day, flower shops tend to see increased demand in reservation bookings for major restaurants begin to fill up. The sooner you get involved, the more likely you’ll be to get what you need for your big Valentine’s Day surprises.
This holiday is already sneaking up on us, so if you haven’t already started planning your surprise, now is the time to begin.
Get Flowers – But Add a Unique Twist
One of the most common traditions for Valentine’s Day is sending flowers to the person you love most. This is a tradition for good reason; most people love receiving flowers, especially if they don’t anticipate receiving flowers. Getting a big bouquet delivered to your office cubicle or directly to your home generally puts a smile on your face and gives you a temporary, beautiful decoration that can remind you of this romantic gesture for weeks.
Here’s the problem. Valentine’s Day flowers have become so common and so popular that they’re no longer truly surprising – at least, in their current form. You may not want to abandon this tradition entirely, so find a way to add a unique twist to the flowers you deliver to your partner. Instead of going with a classic flower, get a more diverse, richer bouquet. Add some extras with your delivery, such as a box of chocolates or the recital of a poem you wrote in advance.
Deviate From the Norm
Next, deviate from the norm. This tip is especially important for couples who have celebrated many Valentine’s Days together over the years. Like it or not, the longer you’re with someone, the more you fall into a repetitive routine. Every year, you might go to the same restaurant, walk around the same neighborhood, then come home and share the same bottle of wine.
There’s nothing wrong with a ritual like this, but if you want things to be surprising, you need to branch away from it. These are just a few ways you can do it.
· Go out of town. There are probably dozens of interesting things to try in your home city, but consider branching out to a different city if you want a unique view on things. Is there a restaurant a couple towns over that you’ve always wanted to try?
· Get an adrenaline rush. The best surprises are ones that hit you with a rush of adrenaline, since adrenaline is tied to memory. Find an activity or an exercise that can give you and your partner an adrenaline rush together. Skydiving and bungee jumping are two of the activities people think of first, but you can also get an adrenaline rush from tamer things like jumping on trampolines or indoor rock climbing.
· Shake up the order. If you’re all out of ideas, and you love the routine you’ve established for Valentine’s Day, consider issuing the surprise by shaking up the order that you do things or making small adjustments to your schedule.
Make Dinner Reservations
Everyone loves to eat on or around Valentine’s Day, so make dinner reservations somewhere you’ve never tried or replace that your partner would never expect. Obviously, this should be a restaurant that is interesting and palatable to your partner, but it should also be one unfamiliar to both of you.
Show Up
One of the best ways to surprise your partner on Valentine’s Day is to simply show up to whatever they’re doing. If they’re stuck working during Valentine’s Day, go visit them. If you know they go to the gym at the same time every day, show up there and share a workout with them.
Create Something
You can also surprise your partner on Valentine’s Day by creating something, especially if you’re not usually the creative type. There are dozens of arts and crafts that could be helpful here, such as crocheting, cross stitching, woodworking, or painting. You don’t have to be a master of the art; the time and effort you put into your work is enough to make an impact.
Lead a Blindfolded Adventure
If you want to make your surprise even more meaningful, consider leading your partner on a blindfolded adventure. Put a blindfold on them, drive them somewhere special, and remove the blindfold for a big reveal. Just make sure you do this very carefully to prevent your partner from tripping or stumbling along the way.
Valentine’s Day is arguably the most romantic holiday, and the most important one for couples to celebrate. Make your next one as special and memorable as possible by including some of these surprises.
