Valentine’s Day advice

The day of the year that some people loathe and others adore! Valentine’s Day may well be overhyped and anticlimactic at times, but it is still a great opportunity to show your other half what they mean to you, or to get a foot in the dating scene if you are single.

This article will share a few ideas for February 14th, whether you are single, in a monogamous relationship, or anywhere in between…

Valentine’s Day if you are single:

A lot of single people try to ignore or steer clear of Valentine’s Day altogether but it is actually one of the best days of the year to meet people of the opposite sex.

The last Valentine’s Day that I was single I went to a bar with a few male friends and it was the easiest night to meet women ever! It is reasonable to assume that anyone who is not with someone of the opposite sex is single and you can therefore be far more direct with your approach.

Obviously it depends on your personality and the type of venue you attend but I had a lot of success with role-plays revolving around Valentine’s Day. Things such as approaching a group of females and acting offended that you didn’t receive a card and flowers from them, or simply going up and saying “Happy Valentine’s Day” in a cheeky way will both open up fun conversations.

Although Valentine’s Day falls on a different day of the week each year, there will still be groups of singles heading out to have fun on what can otherwise be a rather depressing day. If this kind of proactive approach seems scary then there are many organised singles events during Valentine’s weekend in major cities. Check out what is on in your area and get involved!

One other fun thing that I just remembered was a few years ago on Valentine’s Day when I sent every female in my phone a text message: “Thanks for the flowers ‘secret admirer’ ;)”. The responses I got were hilarious and started up conversations with women who I might have otherwise lost contact with. Give it a try and let me know what responses you get.

Valentine’s Day if you are in a relationship:

I adhere to the advice that you shouldn’t need a special occasion to dote on your partner or give gifts and surprises. I enjoy doing thoughtful things to express my feelings for Heidi throughout the year.

Having said that, Valentine’s Day has become a modern day litmus test for love, so unless you and your partner have specifically agreed not to make a fuss of the occasion – and make sure that the feelings really are mutual if so – then make the effort to be creative.

Cliché gifts such as flowers and chocolates, although still delivering a message, do not have the same level of thought to them as other gestures. Do something that makes your partner feel special! This doesn’t have to be anything expensive. Use your imagination for something fun that you can do TOGETHER. Think along the lines of romantic, sexual, thoughtful and possibly homemade.

I have a wealth of ideas myself and already have some wonderful things planned for Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately Heidi will probably read this, so to preserve the surprise element you will have to contact me personally if you would like to know some of those ideas.

One thing I did in the first few years of our relationship was book a special meal out for the two of us. Although that is not a particularly original idea itself, I presented it in a fun and original way, which you can see in pictorial form here.

Another year I wrote a humorous yet romantic poem on burnt, coffee-stained paper and cooked Heidi a special Valentines themed meal.

There are hundreds of different things you can do that don’t have to involve the commercial side of Valentine’s Day but still make your partner feel special and loved, so start making a list of things you can do to surprise your other half as soon as possible!

Valentine’s Day if you are casually seeing one or more than one person:

The thing about Valentine’s Day is that it forces men and women to reveal their true intentions. If you are just starting out in a new relationship, or you are casually seeing someone, it can make things slightly tricky.

I have previously discussed how to frame certain aspects of a relationship, mainly regarding commitment and attitudes. With Valentine’s Day, it is easy to make your intentions seem ambiguous or insincere by the way that you act on February 14th.

Be careful that you are giving the right kind of message by how you act around this time. If you don’t want to make someone think they are your exclusive girlfriend or boyfriend for example, then don’t go over the top doing girlfriend and boyfriend type stuff.

There is obviously a vast spectrum of how serious a relationship can be, so think carefully about where you want the relationship to go before deciding what you do or do not do on Valentine’s Day.

I hope everyone has a really fun day whatever you are planning and if you have any ideas or thoughts of your own then please feel free to share them. 🙂

Much love,

Samuel