Valentine's Day in a New Relationship
As we round the corner toward Valentine’s Day, it got me thinking about all of the relationships that this holiday celebrates. You may be expecting a 10-course dinner and a dozen red roses, or you and your partner may purposely avoid the cliche and choose not to celebrate at all. (You know what I’m going to say - if you’re on the same page, then great! Don’t change a thing).
It can be exhausting figuring out how to handle Valentine’s Day - ESPECIALLY if you’re in a new relationship! You likely haven’t had the chance to get familiar with this person’s preferences. The next couple of weeks I will be sharing some tips and tricks for handling Valentine’s Day - today is all about the NEW relationship. Check out these strategies for making this holiday successful when expectations aren’t ironed out yet:
1. Ignore it (if you JUST started dating). Here’s the thing - there’s no need to push an idea or make big plans when you have absolutely no idea what your new boyfriend/girlfriend/special friend thinks in the first place. It’s OK that you haven’t had these conversations yet, and it’s ok that if you’ve been on a couple of dates, you might opt to pretend V-day doesn’t exist this year.
2. Take their temperature. No, not literally. But feel them out - maybe try a joke about Valentine’s Day, ask them to be your Valentine, or just ask directly, “what are your thoughts on Valentine’s Day?” Humor is always useful here also. Be playful, joke about not being sure how to handle it - your partner will get that you just don’t want to disappoint them, and ultimately, that shows you care.
3. Keep it simple. Grab a sweet card and share that you care about the person. Maybe add in a small gift - a small bouquet of flowers, a thoughtful gesture like his/her favorite coffee. There are so many gifts in the $10-20 range that would be sweet and appropriate. Use the holiday as an opportunity to communicate to them, “I observe you, I care about what you like.” This will always speak to someone’s heart!
More strategies for Valentine’s Day coming next week…stay tuned!
If you, or you and your spouse, want to feel more connected or learn to communicate better, call to make an appointment today! I look forward to hearing from you.