Romantic Ideas for the Perfect Valentines Day

There are so many other options for Valentines Day than the traditional (and some say boring) candlelight dinner, roses and chocolates. Here are some simple ideas that can add a bit of spark to Valentines Day or any other time you just feel like turning up the romance with something different.

• Make up your own treasure hunt game. Buy a number of small gifts like a small box of chocolate, a small stuffed animal, a bottle of his/her favorite cologne/par fum, etc. and hide them in places around the area with a note at each location giving them a clue where to find the next prize. Start with the smallest item and have them work their way up to the "big prize." This can be fun when you add your own little twists!
• Have a nice candle light dinner at home. Going out to dinner on Valentines Day can be a waiting game. Restaurants are usually extremely busy on that evening so why not avoid the crowds and have a night in with just the two of you? Just because you are dining at home does not mean anyone has to cook. You can order your favorite meal from your favorite restaurant and have them wrap it up for carry out to be picked up at the time you designate.
• Make something... anything. Handmade gifts mean more because you took the time to create for the one you love. A simple handmade card or a hand written letter telling him/her how you feel means more to most than a card picked up at the drug store.
• Say it with music. Make him/her a "mixed tape" of their favorite songs and put it on a CD. Play it with dinner and ask him/her to dance with you when "your song" starts playing.
• Leave a note or two. Just a simple "I'm thinking of you" or "I miss you when you are gone" written on a note card left in places that he/she will find. Put your special notes in places like the car steering wheel, a drawer or in a coat pocket where they will be stumbled upon at the most unexpected time.
• Be traditional with an nontraditional twist. If you decide to buy those roses, place one silk rose in the bouquet. When she asks why one of them is fake, you can tell her that the silk rose will live as long as your love for her.
• Write a special message in steam. After your shower and before he/she goes into the bathroom that morning, write a special message in the fogged up mirror. Lipstick works well for this also and is easy to clean up afterward.
• Send a romantic poem. Almost everyone has an email address. Send him/her a romantic poem. You can pick one from an author that has already been published or write one yourself.
• Create your own coupons. Good for things like back rubs, foot massages and anything else that you want to do for him/her. So anytime he/she wants a foot massage, they just hand you the coupon and get what they want.
• Have a living room picnic. Since Valentines Day is in the middle of winter, the majority of places are too cold for an outdoor picnic. Spread a large blanket out on the floor and pack a picnic basket just like you would in the summer months. Bring all of the houseplants (real and fake) into the living room and put them around the blanket. You could also purchase and place glow in the dark stars on the ceiling for a bit of laying on the blanket, star gazing after the lights go out.

Valentines Day is the perfect holiday for showing the one you love just how much you do care. Be creative and daring with any romantic adventure. It will pay off in the end!