Valentine's Day: how to celebrate love authentically
It’s Valentine’s Day and you’re wondering what you can do that is original and completely you, avoiding the usual clichés and predictable gifts? Here are some authentic and original ways to celebrate your love.
Valentine's Day without clichés
You do not need a designated day to tell each other how much you love each other, but you can take the opportunity to celebrate one another, to create a little romance just for the two of you. Valentine’s Day also gives you the chance to say ‘thank you’: thank you for your daily support, for shared moments of joy, for the love that is renewed day after day.
So, for one evening:
- Turn off your phones and leave them locked away somewhere. We all know how difficult it is to separate yourself from your mobile phone, but for one evening give yourself the chance to really be in the moment. Your phones are distracting even when they’re on silent: a notification, a glance at the screen and the spell is broken. Really listen to each other and rediscover the pleasure of an uninterrupted conversation.
- Treat yourself to an experience. An outing, a walk, a picnic, a spa, a favourite restaurant, a takeaway pizza in front of a breathtaking view or a dinner cooked together – the main thing is to share an authentic moment.
Have you ever thought about writing a love letter?
It seems like an old-fashioned gesture, and that is what makes it surprising and special: a handwritten letter, sealed in an envelope with a kiss. For once, forget messages on your phone. Take pen and paper and write it all down —who cares about your handwriting? Add a little drawing maybe, even if it’s crude, it’ll make the recipient smile.
Imagine their expression as they open it. Inside, alongside the letter, you could add a rose petal or a photo of you together.
Let your feelings guide you: tell them what you love about them, how their smile brightens your days, that spontaneous gesture that makes you feel loved, that quality that makes your relationship unique. You can also talk about the future, imagining the adventures that await you and the dreams you want to realise together.
The perfect moment for a marriage proposal
What if it was the right time to pop the big question? A Valentine’s Day like this would become truly unforgettable, turning into a date to remember forever. If you feel the time has come to take the plunge, think of a way that reflects your love story and your partner’s personality.
There are endless ways to ask for the hand of the person you love, and each can have its own special touch. Make sure it’s sincere, emotional and perfect for the two of you. If you are looking for original ideas, here are a few:
- With a love letter – Take the idea of the romantic letter and end it with the big question: “Will you marry me?”. You can deliver it at an unexpected moment, perhaps during a candle-lit dinner at home.
- A romantic treasure hunt Create a trail of clues that retraces your most memorable moments together, and make your proposal the “treasure” they’ve been hunting for! You can scatter small symbolic objects along the way, such as the first photo taken together, a ticket from a special concert or a phrase that is significant to you as a couple.
- An unusual message Give a book as a gift and write “Will you marry me?” on the title page, or have it written in icing on a cake. You could have the question engraved on a mug, printed on a T-shirt, or engraved on your dog’s tag.
- A surprise at the restaurant Ask the waiter to bring you a covered plate with a ring and a rose inside.
- A special place The proposal is even more magical if it takes place in a spot that is meaningful to the two of you: where you first met, a beach at sunset, a scenic spot in your city, or even at home, in a setting you can create with candles and soft lighting.
- An emotional video message You can make a short video or carousel telling your story in pictures and words, ending with the big question.
Defying convention a little, for couples who realize on Valentine’s Day that the time has come to part ways, here is some advice on how to break up ‘nicely’
Today, couples separate with a message on WhatsApp, by simply ghosting each other, or with a phone call. Sadly, breaking up hastily or silently is increasingly common. It’s easier and much less demanding than meeting, talking, in short, ‘owning’ it, but it is far more hurtful in the long run.
Here are some tips for breaking up as ‘nicely’ as possible, given the circumstances, which are nevertheless painful.
1) Leaving your partner with a message is childish and immature. Ask for a meeting and communicate your decision to end the relationship, however painful or difficult it is to do so.
2) Ghosting is even worse and should be avoided at all costs. At least call, or have a farewell coffee. Unfinished business has a negative impact on both sides.
3) Separating may be the right thing for both of you: it may be time for both of you to start afresh. When one of you finds the courage to put it into words, there may be a positive washback effect for both of you, and a certain relief.
4) Avoid the gradual approach. It’s much better to be crystal clear and honest from the start; it hurts to begin with, but ultimately it reduces the slow torture of not knowing.
5) Before communicating negative things, always say something positive. For example: ‘you are my closest friend, I really appreciate this and this about you, but sadly I no longer have feelings for you’.
6) Choose a way of communicating that corresponds to your shared history, write an e-mail if you have corresponded extensively by email, send a handwritten letter, propose a walk in the park if that is something you always did together.
7) Do not be unnecessarily cruel, but be firm and clear so as not to create false expectations.
8) Be respectful afterwards, even in the wider friendship group and avoid showing up the next day with a new partner.
9) Do not ask for gifts back.
10) Do not stalk your ex on social media
And finally, if Valentine's Day is the festival of love, then why not take advantage of it?
What about sending a loving message to someone besides our partner?
Write to your parents expressing your gratitude, or to your children telling them how much you love them and why, or send a message to someone who lives in another city, or to a lonely grandparent.
We celebrants, who know a thing or two about feelings, are sure that you will easily find people in your life to signal your love to on February 14.
Happy Valentine’s Day Everyone!
English (UK) 
Italiano