With Valentine's Day looming right around the corner, romance should be in the air. However, buying your beloved a heart shaped box of plastic tasting candies from the drugstore or a bouquet of roses on your way home from the office isn't true romance. One of the most commonly questions men ask me is how to be romantic without being boring or generic...or spending loads of money! Turns out, it can be done:
1. Do something you hate, but she loves.
Hate is a strong word, but accompanying your girl to the ballet or a Taylor Swift concert will earn you more points than a teddy bear ever would. By being willing to spend time with her doing something that she loves (and not complaining about it!) you're showing her that just spending time together is your number one priority, and that you're happy to be with her no matter what you're doing. Sometimes just saying "yes" to whatever she wants to do and happily going with the flow means more than you'll ever know! Plus, a Taylor Swift concert only lasts two hours, come on, you can do it tough guy! She's kind of catchy, admit it...
2. Buy memories, not things.
Yes, we women tend to love sparkly things and trinkets, but most women treasure memories more than they would another addition to their jewelry box. A romantic overnight stay in a hotel somewhere costs less than a lot of jewelry options, and it's something she'll remember forever. Other ideas include staying in and cooking a romantic dinner together, setting up a picnic in the park (or on your living room rug if weather is an issue), or even recreating your first date or the night you met.
3. Don't freak her out.
Valentine's Day is a totally manufactured holiday, of that we are certain and every day is a chance to show you care, but it's also an opportunity to express your love, so why not use it? However, use it wisely! Don't overdo it and edge into creep territory. One or two romantic gestures done well is more attractive than nine or ten sub-par ones. It's also important to remain true to yourself. If all of a sudden, come February 14, you wake up and start acting like a Don Juan or skeevy smooth operator who only speaks in romantic song lyrics, she's going to be a bit disturbed. Don't act like someone you're not, she's with you for a reason!
4. LISTEN.
Every woman is different. Personally, I can't stand flowers simply because I always kill them. I'm just not a flower loving gal. I'd rather be wined and dined with a hearty red and a cheese plate the size of my head. Brie is my love language. When you're in a relationship with a woman, you should know things like this about her. My husband knows that if he comes home with a bouquet of flowers, I'll graciously thank him...and promptly forget about them and he'll be the one filling the vase with water for the next week. I don't get flowers anymore, and I'm ok with that! My point? Listen to your girlfriend or wife. If she mentions that she is craving sushi for weeks on end, take her out for some sake and sashimi! Pay attention to her, her quirks, likes and dislikes. Chances are, she's dropping hints daily...are you picking up what she's putting down? Nothing makes a woman feel more loved and cared for then realizing that her partner has been truly listening to her and paying close attention to her needs and wants, no matter how insignificant they may seem.