Valentine’s Day can feel like a tricky day to plan and get right. With so much commercialisation that has set the pressure of making things perfect for your loved one, we often find ourselves overwhelmed by the social waves of judgment that it can sway us from the actual purpose of the day – love.
After all, everywhere you turn is filled with heart shaped candy and love themes all around. And suddenly, you’re faced with having to plan a special moment, when you yourself may never have been a great planner every other day of the year.
Lucky for you, we’ve broken down the secrets behind setting up a successful Valentine’s Day that will be memorable and sentimental for that special someone.
To gift, or not to gift
Tangible gifts have always been the rave when it comes to Valentine’s Day. That special pair of earrings she had her eye on, that cologne you’ve always wanted him to wear, oh and don’t forget the heart shaped chocolates and balloons to set on display so the whole world can see just how much you love them. The list can certainly go on and on.
For this Valentine’s Day, you’ll have to decide whether presents are on the table. Look into your wallets and set a budget on how much you’re prepared to spend for a gift for your Valentine.
Flowers are a girl’s best friend on Valentine’s Day and although may seem like a cliché, every girl secretly wants to be spoiled with a fresh bouquet of their favourite flowers on Valentine’s Day. It’s the sense of feeling special, loved and appreciated in the form of a romantic gesture that has been commercialised.
Gifts should be meaningful and heartfelt. The best gifts aren’t necessarily expensive, as the beauty about gifting isn’t in the money. It’s about what it means to the recipient. So, when gifting something like flowers, you’ll want to select their favourite types and colours instead of randomly picking one up from the store.
If time is to your advantage and you’re looking to really impress this Valentine’s Day, a scrapbook detailing the journey of your relationship wouldn’t cost much to make – aside time on your part. Photos, event tickets, meaningful receipts can all form part of your scrapbook, which can then be wrapped up and given as a gift.
The romance playlist
Playlists are an awesome treat that is often overlooked on Valentine’s Day. From music playlists to video playlists, the power of the playlist can be to your advantage as you’re presented with the chance to impress your significant other by showing them how well you know their tastes through song and movie.
Set the mood by creating a playlist of romantic songs to play in the background at home when you’re hanging out. Then pick a few feel good romantic comedies to binge watch a movie marathon.
Let there be sugar
Valentine’s Day and chocolates come hand in hand. So don’t forget to bring out the big guns and indulge in some quality chocolates to celebrate the day accordingly.
After all, chocolate is known for releasing feel good endorphins that will lift the mood, and contribute to appetite and reward.
Don’t stress it
Perfection isn’t fun. So don’t put too much pressure on yourself by trying to be perfect on Valentine’s Day.
There will be hiccups, things may not go as planned, but so long as you remember that Valentine’s Day is a day to celebrate your love and relationship together, all the other bits and pieces come secondary to spending some good quality time as a couple.
The Valentine’s Day dinner date
A dinner date on Valentine’s Day may be a cliché, but it’s a cliché for good reason – that it amplifies the ambience of love and appreciation even more as you leave the hard work to the professionals.
Slaving over a hot stove on Valentine’s Day may be appreciated, but once it comes around to doing the dishes and cleaning up, the energy and enthusiasm fuelled by love can just as quickly be exhausted.
With all that effort spent into making a delicious homemade meal, there isn’t much energy left for the after cuddles, spending time embracing each other, and movie watching that often comes after.
Given all the above, it makes complete sense to go out on a dinner date this Valentine’s Day.
Pamper your loved one with a dining experience filled with explosive flavours that will entice your taste buds and have you salivating for more.
The Maraboon Tavern in Emerald is a local favourite for a reason. Headed by professionally trained chefs that hold the expertise of a global influence, you can rest easy knowing that the quality of your meals are unparalleled.
With an extensive menu that offers brilliantly curated entrées, salads, pasta and noodles, and smokehouse grilled meats, you’ll have to make sure to leave some room for indulgent desserts for a sweet finish.
