Those three special words aren’t the only way to express how you feel. From simple, thoughtful actions to grand gestures, here are some ideas for showing the love this Valentine’s Day and every day.
- Serve coffee and/or breakfast in bed.
- Hide a sweet note where he or she will find it at work or school.
- Do a chore your significant other dislikes without being asked.
- Give compliments — lots of compliments.
- Put your phone away during meals and make a point to communicate.
- Let your significant other pick the movie or TV show you watch next — and show interest in why he or she enjoys it.
- Make a surprise, middle-of-the-week reservation at his or her favorite restaurant.
- Prepare his or her favorite dish on an ordinary day.
- Exchange a meaningful look with your loved one from across the room.
- Plan a weekend getaway, and let him or her pick the destination.
- If your loved one is a fan of flowers, bring them home for no reason.
- Grab a quick kiss on your way out the door.
- Read his or her favorite book and discuss it over dinner.
- Do something kind and unexpected for a close friend or family member of your loved one who needs it; make an effort to get to know and get close to the people he or she loves
- When he or she tells a story, remember the little details.
- Turn on the radio and dance in the living room.
- Gift him or her something with sentimental meaning.
- Whether it’s a treasured t-shirt or prized pair of sunglasses, we all have something our loved ones routinely use without asking. Make a gift of it, or invite him or her to borrow it without complaint.
- Organize a sweet scavenger hunt with something special for your loved one to discover at the end.
- Try a new hobby or learn a new skill together.
- Bring back something he or she loved in childhood.
- Give him or her a pet name.
- Delight him or her with tickets to a concert or play.
- Tell inside jokes and be silly together.
- Text “Good morning!” and/or “Good night!” when you’re apart.