With Valentine’s Day being right around the corner, the air seems to be filled with excitement and happiness to celebrate this day with a special someone. Nonetheless, there’s also a lingering pressure to ensure that this day truly proves to be something to cherish in the future.
“What should I get him?”
“I hope she likes my gift.”
“Should we do something grand this year or keep it simple? Maybe next fill and chill isn’t a bad idea”
As you’re whacking your minds over making sure everything is perfect, here are a few things that we recommended you do to celebrate this day with your love.
DON’T’s: Limit Valentine’s Day to a Social-Media Moment
Although most Instagram collages and Facebook videos have now become a given, don’t limit your valentine’s day to a post that could attract a couple of likes. Personally, I don’t think anyone appreciates the fact that all their partner did this 14th February, is make them a 25-pictures collage, go beyond the mainstream. Relationships are all about continually putting in efforts for someone.
DO’s: Be creative, and be thoughtful. Perhaps give your partner something they truly need, it could be picking them up from work, or maybe try gifting a handmade photo frame instead of a Valencia-crafted Insta-collage.
DON’T’s: Forget Valentine’s Day
Everyone knows that there’s a huge anti-valentine’s day club out there, and a lot of people despite disliking valentines are in relationships. However, its times you ask yourself? Does your partner have the same opinion? Maybe you’re partner does appreciate Valentine’s Day and is reluctant to tell you because they don’t want you to do something you don’t like. Don’t assume things in relationships, you and your partner are not the same person. Don’t forget about Valentine’s Day because you don’t like it, remember it because they do.
DO’s: It’s time your turn the table around and wish them. Give them a call, flowers maybe, or reschedule your date-night from any other day to this day. It would be an unexpected yet delightful treat for them.
DON’T’s: Spend money on things they won’t appreciate. Buy them a gift, an actual gift. Not something for the sake of it. Teddy Bears, Perfumes and Candle-Light Dinners seem like the only things that are left of Valentine’s Day, most people assume that just buying something for their partner will help them escape this dreadful scenario. Whether you accept it or not, single people are not the only people that dread Valentine’s Day, couples are equally frightened to the ever-increasing expectations that all of these romantic comedies have triggered.
Buying the perfect Valentine’s gift
1. Don’t gift them chocolate, bake it. I know this might sound ridiculous but you being able to make something for someone from scratch is one of the best ways to express your love for them.
An undergraduate student from Middlesex University Dubai said,
“My 10-year old nephew packed a cookie in his lunchbox from the batch he helped his mom make the other day and gifted it to this girl he likes in class. I thought that was the most adorable gesture ever. Why can’t all guys be like my nephew?”
2. Golden Rule for all married couples: look at the obvious.
If the person’s married to you, chances are they already care about you; you just need to remind them that you do too. You don’t have to invest in the most laborious gifts for them, do the laundry, and cook something special for them today. Or perhaps get them breakfast in bed, the smallest things brings us the greatest joys in life. You don’t need a diamond ring to validate your love to someone, but you need to express your love to them for sure.
“Every Valentine’s Day my husband doesn’t let me cook, even if we don’t go out or do something big that day, I think the fact that he spends this time in the kitchen cooking for me and making a complete mess is one of the best gifts ever”
- Hanen Salem, Irani National, 29.
3. Living in Dubai, I have observed that most couples around me take great pleasure in going to the Mall for a date, what’s so exciting about that? There’s a small after every 200 meters in Dubai, and we’ve all been there a billion times, why the same place? How this anything near to special.
DO’s: Go to the beach for valentine’s day, I’m not kidding, go for a road-trip, plan a mini-escape to another emirate within the country, there’s nothing better that taking time off of your schedule and spending it with your partner.
4. I can’t emphasize on this enough, but buy someone something useful.
If your girlfriend is into fitness get her sportswear instead of lingerie, if your boyfriend likes gaming, buy him a new Xbox control, if you’re dating an avid reader, please do them a favor and buy them a book, there’s something special about buying people ordinary things, your gift may not shine as bright as a piece of jewelry, but your partner’s smile on receiving the gift surely will.
DON’T’s: Don’t limit yourself to Valentine’s Day
Don’t pick this day exclusively to show someone you love them, the relationships that last the longest involve a great deal of effort to be put in each day. Show them you love them more often, Valentine’s Day happens only once in 365 days, what are you plans for the remaining 364? Watch a movie with them on other days apart from Valentine’s Day.
And finally, to all my single people:
DON’T’s: Stop crying about being single and celebrate valentines, you don’t need to be in a relationship to do this. Remember that time your friend helped you study for the test? When your sister stayed up all night listening to you rant about how annoying boyfriend or why you don’t like math? How about the time your mom stayed up for you when you were sick? What did you do for them? Appreciate the people who already exist in your love. I’m not asking you to share the remote with your sibling, but I think a small gift would surely help.
DO’s: Buy gifts for the people you love, and for yourself. Take others out; or take yourself out on a date. Valentine’s Day calls for celebration of love, not couples. Don’t exclude yourself from the celebrations because you’re single.
And if that didn’t help, here are 3 Single Parties in Dubai this Valentine’s Day!