How to keep the romance alive after Valentine’s Day, from coffee in bed to a funny text
Valentine’s Day is traditionally a time of romantic dinners, gifts and flowers, but experts say there are many more ways to show love
Doing something romantic for Valentine’s Day does not need to involve a heart-shaped box of chocolates, roses or an expensive dinner, according to relationship experts.
In fact, therapists encourage couples craving intimacy and a deeper connection to focus less on grand gestures and more on expressing love with mundane acts that recognise what matters to their partner.
Romance is not one size fits all. For some people, it means holding hands, opening a car door or running a bath for their lover. Others respond to receiving a hilarious text, coffee in bed or an offer to run a nagging errand. Either way, demonstrating kindness and care in small ways over time helps to support relationships as they evolve, says Traci Lee, a licensed marriage and family therapist in Dallas, in the United States.
Showing a romantic partner love throughout the year can be key to a healthy relationship, according to couples counsellors.
Early in a relationship, it does not take much to show romantic intentions, but that changes as couples learn more about each other, discover what their partner needs for emotional and physical well-being, and experience life together.
“Depending on what stage of the relationship you’re in, romance can mean different things,” Lee says. For example, couples with parenting and caring responsibilities have less time to devote to each other than they did during the honeymoon phase after they started dating or got married.