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Anyone can splurge on a formal dinner or a pricey bottle of
perfume, but it takes creativity and forethought to be truly
romantic.
The key lies in personalizing your celebration. Here are
ten ideas to fuel your own creativity:
1. Empty a box of chocolates. Then cut out 50 to 100
hearts from lace doilies, construction paper, or fabric. On
each cutout, record something about your mate that you love.
Be specific, "The way you smell when you come to bed at
night," "The way you take care of me when I’m sick," "Your
recipe for pancakes"...
Fold the cutouts, place them in the chocolate box, and top
with a red satin bow.
The time you spend coming up with these ideas will
contribute to your own romantic mood, and what your partner
thinks is a plain-old box of chocolates will instead be a
treasured gift for years to come. Plus, you can add to the box
for future birthday, holiday, or Valentine's Day celebrations.
2. Build a romantic fire. Before the kids go to bed,
have fun roasting marshmallows. After their lights are out,
host your own indoor picnic, complete with a bottle of wine
and chocolate-covered strawberries.
3. Recreate your first date together. What were you
wearing? Where did you go? Do you remember what you talked
about? Spend the evening reminiscing and reflecting on how far
you’ve come as a couple.
4. Spoon all night.
5. Choose a book in which you are both interested,
fiction or nonfiction. Read a new chapter each night
before bed. This cozy tradition will allow you to spend some
quality time together and often makes for thought-provoking
breakfast conversations.
6. Make a tape of the songs special to your
relationship. Include "your song," songs from your
wedding, songs from favorite movies. Add a personal voice
dedication and leave it in your partner's briefcase, Walkman,
or car stereo.
7. Turn off the TV.
8. Kidnap your spouse. Arrange for a babysitter for
a few hours--or a few days. A friend of mine had a lot of
success with this one. She knew her husband had always wanted
to get married in Vegas, but he had agreed to a large, formal
ceremony hosted by her family. So, after they had been married
10 years, she surprised him at work with a packed suitcase.
They caught an evening flight and renewed their vows before an
Elvis impersonator in a Vegas chapel. Years later, they're
still talking about it.
9. This one requires a babysitter, too. Next time
you're visiting your parents or in-laws, leave the kids with
the grandparents and travel to another town, where no one will
recognize you. Check into a hotel or B&B. Dress like another
person. Act like another person. It's fun to slip into another
persona from time to time.
10. Have a scavenger hunt. Write a few poems, wrap
candy kisses inside, and hide them around the house. Each poem
should be a clue to finding the next one. Make sure the final
clue lands your mate someplace you want to end up for the
entire evening. A romance package, including a bottle of
champagne and new lingerie, is a nice touch.
Create some romantic memories today. Now with your
pocketbook, but with your imagination.
Copyright 2004 Susie Cortright
About The Author
Susie Michelle Cortright is the author of
Rekindling Your Romance after Kids and More Energy for Moms.
She is also the founder of the award-winning Momscape.com, a
website designed to help busy parents find balance. Visit
http://www.momscape.com today and get Susie's *free*
course-by-email "6 Days to Less Stress."
All content provided is for your information only and
therefore not guaranteed to be 100% correct. Please consult
with a health professional before changing your baby's
routine.
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