Can you believe January is almost over?! February is around the corner and most people are starting to think about Valentine’s Day and what to get their significant others. Personally, my husband and I aren’t huge on this holiday, but we incorporate a little extra special-ness into our date for that week. We are both thoughtful in the way that we prepare our “gifts” for each other. We try to center them around our Love Languages. If you haven’t read The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman with your partner yet, I strongly suggest you do. If you don’t have the chance to read the book, I suggest you (and your partner) at least take the online assessment to learn more about yourselves.
After my husband and I learned more about each other’s love language, we were able to more effectively give gifts to each other that made sense and made the other TRULY feel loved. For example, my top two love languages are gifts and acts of service. This means that my husband shows me he loves me by helping around the house, putting gas in my car, buying me a little something that reminded him of me that day, getting me a nice gift, etc. He, on the other hand, loves words of affirmation and quality time. That means I try to reinforce my love for him through compliments, cute texts, ensuring we watch movies together, have dinner together every day, etc. Although the things I listed for him are things I also really enjoy, the other two will make me exponentially happier and feel more loved. When we realized we were completely different, it was like a light bulb came on and we communicated and showed each other love so much more effectively.
All of this said, as you think about some gifts for either Valentine’s Day or an anniversary, consider flexing your love language to fit your partner’s. Here are some gift ideas based on love language:
Gifts:
- What has your partner been wanting for a while? Can you get it for them? Surprise them with a gift from their wishlist on Amazon.
- Don’t have a big budget? Make something! The beauty of gifts is that the person wants something to show that you put effort and were thinking about them. There are some great ideas to make candles, a nice dinner with a lit candle(s), or even a picture frame with a collage.
- A couple ideas for your man:
- A new watch – There are so many different styles and price points now that are from very affordable to very pricey. Choose what fits you!
- Nice shaving gear – Does your man like to take care of his beard? What about a nice shaving kit?
- New shoes – Whether your man likes athletic shoes or boots, a new pair of shoes are nice. Socks are so in right now – so add those in too!
- A gift card to his favorite place, or even a place you can share the time together – What if you give him a gift card to a massage you can go to together?
- DIY – personalized calendars and photo albums are always a hit! Shutterfly already has their Valentine’s Day sale going and you can get a quality way to remember all the amazing times you’ve had.
- No matter what gift you give, make sure to include a thoughtful note. The gift of time to put together a nice letter is priceless.
Words of Affirmation:
- Write a really nice card and ensure that you are affirming their qualities specifically. Instead of blanket statements like “I really appreciate you” say “I really appreciate that you help me fold laundry because I feel like we are part of a team and you love me.” Get really specific with WHY you love your partner.
- Get creative and make a personalized gift for them that has reaffirming phrases such as “#1 dad”, “you are the best husband ever”, etc. You can even DIY this and make a jar of compliments. He can get one paper per day and get a new compliment on how amazing he is.
- Make the days leading up to the big day a little more exciting! Send him daily texts and tell him why you love him. Writing a quick note and sneaking it into his work bag would also be a great idea to give an element of surprise 😉
Acts of Service:
- What task does your partner NOT enjoy that you can do for them for one day? Take time to complete that task for them. Take it a step further and make a task jar – put little papers with different tasks they complete and they can “redeem” your help with them in the coming weeks.
- Help your partner get ready for your date and iron their shirt. Maybe you are going out and their car is a mess. Clean out the car and take it for a car wash.
- If you are going to dinner, offer to take care of making the reservation. With busy schedules, that can become a task in and of itself.
Quality Time:
- Give your partner your undivided attention. If anything else, make sure that when you are with them on a date, or even just having dinner together, they know you are listening and actively engaging in conversation together. Yes, that means leaving your phone away from sight! If you have kids, get a sitter so you can give each other your full attention.
- Plan a getaway or special night where you two will have fun. Here are some ideas:
- Massage date – get a massage and enjoy a glass of wine after
- Walk along the beach and have a picnic – collect seashells along the way!
- Hike together – Enjoy a nice conversation at the top of the mountain
- Mini staycation for the weekend and unplug to enjoy each other
- Wine night and board games. You can even play cards and bet on each other.
- Surprise them and decorate your room or living room with lights, balloons and rose petals to give your home more ambiance
- If you aren’t very creative, buy a date night idea jar and pick out of the jar every time. This will allow you to keep allowing quality time moments to happen.
Physical Touch:
- Make sure that you are constantly touching your partner…. That may come off awkward in public, hu?! LOL JK but seriously.. Touch your partner when you are around them – it can be a gentle hug, hand on their leg, playing with hair, back rub, hold hands more often etc. Physically staying connected is very important to these people.
- Spice up your life! Get a new piece of lingerie to make your physical time together a little more exciting.
What is yours and your partner’s love language? How are you going to cater to it on your next special day together?
XO,
Gina
ginajanine 