No Wait! I Really Do Want Romance (But Please Don’t Be Cliché)

Picture it; an early morning in February last year – crisp and fresh.
The alarm clock sounded and I reached across my groggy spouse to turn it off.

“Good morning,” I whispered. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

He stretched and yawned.

“Oh yea! Happy Valentine’s Day.” Without looking at me he got out of bed and headed for the bathroom.

Okay, I thought. I can wait. He has to go to work. It’s okay.

So I waited and waited and waited. Nothing. Nothing…except for disappointment.

Now in his defense, I am not an average Valentine’s Day participant. I hate the cliché pink hearts, teddy bears and conversation hearts that say, “Be Mine.” I don’t like going to movies. I hate that flowers cost as much as they do. I dislike going to dinner on holidays. I hate…Okay I love getting chocolates, but I’m good with every day, average chocolate. No need to bring it in a heart shaped box.

My husband and I have been together forever and he knows these things about me. However; that doesn’t get him off the hook for Valentine’s Day. Not when there are so many non-cliché, fun things to do in Ogden.

I love, love! I love being in love with him, that is the part I like to celebrate.

But sadly, last year there was nothing for Valentine’s Day. Honestly, there was something. There was a little bit of crying and hurt feelings. (A card, man. A card would have been nice.)

This year, in an effort to avoid the cliché and still keep a romantic feeling on Valentine’s Day, I’m going to take matters into my own hands. I’ve planned our afternoon in an inexpensive and unique way, doing things that will meet both mine and my husband’s needs – things that reflect who we’ve become together.
We are going to go letterboxing. (I know it’s a little nerdy, I’m not concerned about that.) If you’re not sure what letterboxing is, Indie Ogden has that covered here. It’s like a treasure hunt. It gives you have the opportunity to see things you might otherwise ignore in our town. You also get the chance to connect with other people in the community in an uncommon way. It will also offer my husband and me a chance to just get out of the house and go for a walk, something that we’ve not been able to do for a while.

Then I’m going to take him to El Matador. If I had to pick a place to call “our place,” it would be El Matador. We used to go there frequently when we started dating. It’s just good food and fun. We have a lot of good memories there.

I have a six week old so after dinner it will be time for us to go home.  We will curl up with our kids and watch an old movie together. I am partial to Arsenic and Old Lace. He likes Man in the Gray Flannel Suit. Maybe we can fit both into the night.

After the kids go to bed we will exchange homemade gifts. I’ve made him a coupon book for the chores he doesn’t like to do. (Again, it’s a little geeky, but who cares. We’re geeks.)

Then we will probably just pass out. (Hey, I’m being honest and that’s what happens when you have a six week old.)
If letterboxing, El Matador and homemade coupons are not your thing, there are many more things to do around Ogden and lots of inexpensive gift ideas.
Here’s a list:

1. Dig out those old pictures of the two of you. (Yes, even the one in which you look goofy.) Make a collage of your relationship. Remember to leave a space for pictures from this Valentine’s Day.
2. If you won’t be together on Valentine’s Day why not take part in Nature is for Lovers at the Ogden Nature Center on February 8th from 7pm to 9pm. There will be deserts, romantic walks and games for couples.
3. You could go retro and make your loved one a mixed CD of their favorite songs, or songs that remind you of your relationship. You could listen to it together, over a romantic candlelit dinner.
4. You could go for a couple’s massage. There are several places that offer discounts to couples for Valentine’s Day. We have a list of local spas here.
5. Write your significant other a love letter. Who wouldn’t like to get that for Valentine’s Day?
6. Surprise your love at work and take them for a romantic lunch.
7. Perry’s Egyptian Theater is broadcasting Phantom of the Opera on Valentine’s Day. Why not get tickets to this HD broadcast rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s longest running Broadway production?
8. Give your significant other a mason jar filled with slips of paper each detailing a memory of your relationship from the beginning. You’ll have a great time reading them together. Leave a few blank to write down future events.
9. Make a gift basket with his or her favorite treats.
10. All of these things are fun, but my husband’s favorite gift is when I unplug from everything. I shut down the computer, turn off my phone and just spend the day with him. For couples with busy schedules, sometimes just hanging out is the best kind of date there is.

The thing to remember is to make Valentine’s Day unique. It should reflect your relationship and who you’ve become or who you are becoming together.
I hope you all have a great Valentine’s Day. I hope it is a day to celebrate your relationship and I hope that whatever you choose to do brings you closer together.

About the Author:

Lori is a writer whose home is full. She has four children, a dog, a turtle and a husband providing her hours of entertainment, awareness, anxiety and pure joy. They also mess up her house quite a bit.
She has lived in Ogden for most of her life except for a five year stint in Norfolk, Virginia where her husband was stationed with the Navy.
Currently, her diet consists mostly of left over macaroni and cheese and peanut butter sandwiches which she refuses to let go to waste.
Lori’s favorite pastimes are hiking, swimming, reading and writing which she does with her fellow nerdy friends in a rather quirky, local writers group. You can find their fiction writing here.