With all due respect to dinner and a box of chocolates, your Valentine's Day plans could probably use a little shake-up.
To that end, we've gathered 10 unique things to do with your partner come February 14.
1. Look through your old Facebook photos.
Valentine's Day plans don't have to be expensive. Keep things low-key romantic by snuggling up on the couch and clicking through your old Facebook photos and wall posts. Facebook conveniently groups all your interactions with a person under the "see friendship" button on their profile. (We apologise in advance for all the cringing you'll do when you read messages sent during the crush phase of the relationship.)
2. Do a fitness class together.
You + your boo + the gym = a match made in heaven. Studies have shown that couples report feeling more satisfied with their relationships and more in love with their partners after partaking in an exciting physical challenge. Plus, the physiological response you get from breaking a sweat ― a flushed face, a rapid pulse ― may put you in the frame of mind for a different kind of physical activity. Wink wink, nudge nudge.
3. Make a joint vision board.
Bring your New Year's resolutions to life by creating a joint vision board with photos and phrases that speak to the goals you hope to achieve this year as a duo. (A photo of Cabo here, a "life is short, order the pasta" headline there ― you get the picture.)
4. Cook dinner for each other.
Channel your inner John Legend and Chrissy Teigen and cook for each other. Few things bring you closer as a couple or feel more nurturing than making food for a loved one.
"Giving to others fills us in so many ways," Michal AviShai, a culinary arts therapist, told HuffPost. "And even more so when it's cooking, because feeding fulfils a survival need, and so our feeling of fulfilment comes not only from the good of the act of giving, but also the fact that we have 'helped' in some very primal way. We have given fuel."
5. Volunteer.
Make the most of your couple time by volunteering at a local nonprofit. Chances are your nearest school feeding scheme or homeless shelter could use the help; most nonprofits, particularly those involved in food service, see an influx of volunteers over the festive season until the new year, then a drop-off after New Year's Day. Use an app like GiveGab to find volunteering opportunities you're both interested in.
6. Try something new together.
Remember when you first got together, and even mundane things like a trip to the shops felt exciting? Recapture those feelings by doing something brand-new together: Buy that Groupon for a hot air balloon trip (sure, it's kind of corny, but think of all the Instagram opportunities). Check out that new Thai restaurant down the street. Doing something new together increases oxytocin ― the so-called "love hormone" ― so you'll grow closer than you would if you stayed home and watched Netflix.