No-Spend Ways To Make Valentine's Day Special
Valentine's Day is just around the corner! I don't know about you, but my husband and I don't typically make a big deal of V-Day. Our wedding anniversary is in March, so we usually save the fancy dinner, gift-giving and romance for then because our anniversary is more significant to us as a couple (and it's easier to get a reservation!). And yet, it feels odd to let this worldwide celebration of love come and go without recognizing my husband!
If you'd also like to honor your spouse in some way without splashing out this Valentine's Day, here's four ways you can make the day special without spending any money:
- Cook and serve a special meal. They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and this is certainly true for my husband! A great way to make your man feel special is to cook and serve his favorite food, and if you already have the ingredients in-house, all it costs is a little extra effort! Put the kids to bed early, light some candles and use the fine china to really set the tone.
- Write your husband a love letter. On the real, it's far too easy to leave our appreciation for our loved ones unspoken. Take some time to write a thoughtful letter about all the things you love about your spouse. You don't have to write Shakespearean prose: just write from the heart, recognizing and thanking him for all the ways that he enriches your life! Handwrite your letter for an extra-special touch.
- Craft a handmade gift. Some of the most thoughtful gifts that you can give don't cost any money! Once, I printed photos of my husband and I that had been taken throughout our relationship, hole-punched them, and attached them to helium balloons. When my husband walked into our bedroom after work, he was surprised by dozens of photographs of our special moments suspended in the air in front of him! Another time, I wrote 365 brief messages of love and encouragement and gifted them to my husband in a glass jar, so that he'd have a note to read every morning for a whole year. There are lots of ideas for handmade gifts like these on Pinterest or Google: just search around for inspiration!
- Plan a date night in. And get creative! You don't just have to bust out the popcorn and watch a movie (although if that's your thing, that's great too!). Play a board game. Bake something together. Make some lattes in travel mugs and go for a walk. Find a way to spend some time having fun with your lover, basking in the chemistry that brought you together from the start!
Tell me about the best Valentine's Day you ever spent with your better half in the comments below! Did you stay in or go out? Are your favorite gifts store-bought or handmade?
Written by Jaclyn van Beek
Founder & CEO, Creekside Press
