Fourteen Valentine's Day Date Ideas

photo by P. Szczepanski

Valentine's Day is coming soon! Are you prepared? If you need help thinking of a creative date idea for Valentine's Day, here are some fun suggestions:

<3 Scrapbook romantic events in your relationship: first date, first kiss, first Valentine's Day, engagement, marriage, children, etc. If you're not scrapbookers, then read journal or blog entries about those events or look at photos of them and discuss how you remember it and how you felt.

<3 Buy finger food and feed each other. Good foods are fancy crackers with cheese, fruit, chocolate, and candy. Or you can make a cheese or chocolate fondue.

<3 Take a ballroom dance class together. Many dance studios offer great introductory specials.

<3 Go to a dollar store or thrift store and buy a gift for each other without spending more than a couple dollars.

<3 Get your favorite picture of you two together printed, framed, and hung up in your home. If you don't have a picture, have a photo shoot. Dress up nice, go to a beautiful or meaningful place, and have someone photograph you.

<3 Take a short walk or hike and end it with a romantic picnic. You can also bring along a book to read together, a portable DVD player and a movie, a frisbee, or a card game.

<3 Do something active: rollerblade, bike, exercise, dance, play sports, bowl, surf, snowboard, rock climb, etc. End it with a shower together, massage, food, and a movie related to the activity.

<3 Play a how-well-do-you-know-me game. Ask questions about each other and write down what you think the other person would say. At the end, share your answers. Whoever gets the most correct answers wins.

<3 Write poetry for each other using different themes and formats, such as romantic, silly, rhyming, limerick, haiku, Shakespearean, etc.

<3 If you have kids, do something you don't normally get to do or don't get to enjoy as much, such as eating out; going to the movies; attending a concert, play, or sporting event; shopping; or going to the zoo, aquarium, or museum.

<3 Plan a culture-themed date, such as a French date. Eat French food, watch a movie taking place in France, and learn how to say simple words and phrases in French. Other cultures include Japanese (learn karate moves, visit a Japanese garden, make a stir fry, and eat with chopsticks) or Hawaiian (wear Hawaiian shirts and leis, learn hula dancing, listen to Hawaiian music, and eat tropical fruit).

<3 Read together at the library or a bookstore. Check out or buy a book you both like and continue reading it together before bed.

<3 Camp out in the backyard or living room. Eat marshmallows and hotdogs, tell scary stories, and gaze at the stars. Then cuddle all night!

<3 Do service together: babysit so someone else can go out for Valentine's Day, bake cookies for a friend, volunteer at a hospital or homeless shelter, do yard work for a neighbor, etc.

Whatever you do for Valentine's Day, make it stress free. Enjoy the time you have together and strengthen your love.