Love is in the Air

By June Owens

For some, Valentine’s Day is a holiday that doesn’t necessarily need celebrated. For me, it’s another reason t be intentional in sharing my love and making sure my husband knows his value in my life. It’s a time for us to put work and other life distractions aside and devote a much-deserved day to putting our love first.  We’ve been through all stages, life chapters so to speak, and recently spent some time reflecting on some of our favorite moments to help you kick-start your planning this year.

Chapter 1 - This group includes friends who have decided to take the next step in their relationship or those just exploring a new one. For us, it was a relationship that started while working alongside each other at McDonald’s. I had become a shift manager and Bob was one of my grill crew members. He was the one who always volunteered to get the boxes of fries from the freezer for me, my first clue that he cared. To this day, he is known as my ‘fry-guy’. Rather than trying too hard to be romantic at this stage, consider these ideas.

• Have a take-out contest where you each order your favorite. Taste and determine the absolute best, with the loser buying dessert.
• Bundle up, grab a blanket and some snacks, then simply find a special place to star gaze for a while.
• Go chocolate tasting. Winans in Dayton (winanschocolatescoffee.com) has a case with a variety of candies and serves some of my favorite coffee drinks. Downtown Tipp City also hosts a Chocolate Walk, offering approximate 20 chocolate-themed treats while you explore the local shops. This event is Friday, February 1st and ticket information can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/february-chocolate-walk-tickets-54196510221?aff=erelexpmlt.

Chapter 2 - By this point everyone knows you are officially a couple. Whether it’s your first Valentine’s Day together or not, this is a perfect time to be a little more romantic and here’s a few ideas to get you started.  My sweetheart made these times special prior to segueing out of the fast food world and leaving for the Navy.

• Celebrate old school style by making dinner reservations at a favorite restaurant. Flowers are a bonus!
• Make fondue, starting with a cheese appetizer and ending with chocolate dippers. Here are some of the tastiest.
  • https://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/classic-swiss-cheese-fondue
  • https://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/chocolate-fondue-79410
• Visit one hometown, sharing the hot spots and how the area shaped who you are. If both of you are local, you could easily do a compare and contrast day, exploring both areas.

Chapter 3 – By this time, couples are usually comfortable enough with each other to be romantic AND enjoy a good laugh (even if it is at ourselves). Date ideas during this time are some of my most memorable.

• Sing karaoke, belting out your favorite individual songs and possibly finding a new “together” song. Chicago’s “You’re the Inspiration” became OUR song, was sang at our wedding, and we still chuckle when one of us tries to sing it. Obviously, music was never meant to be our career choice.
• See a comedy show and then share your most embarrassing life moment with each other. Laughter is truly the closest distance between two people and we strive to add humor to our lives yet today. You can find further information for two of our faves at http://www.wileyscomedy.com/ and http://dayton.funnybone.com/.
• Pick a local restaurant and order a menu item for each other. Round out the evening by stopping by a local theatre, placing all movie names in a grab bag, and randomly choosing which one you’ll watch together.

Chapter 4 – Now we are Mr. and Mrs. We have history together and I love it most when we recreate a favorite time, taking a few moments to reminisce about all the romance and giggles we’ve shared on this journey. Here’s a few ideas that may inspire you.

• Make a Date Jar, planning a year of romantic dates the two of you want to enjoy. This is perfect for all those moments of indecisiveness, taking away the “I don’t know, what do you want to do” comments. Https://datenightguide.com/how-to-create-a-date-night-ideas-jar/ is a great place to start your planning.
• Conquer a home improvement project together, ensuring a special celebration at the end. Adding a rose for every year you’ve been together throughout the project area adds a special touch.
• Go formal shopping together, being sure to swoon over how great you each look.

We dressed to the nines and revisited the McDonalds where it all began, then were off for a special dessert and drinks.  Whether it’s your favorite restaurant or even a candlelight dinner at home, you’ll both feel really special this day.

These ideas will help you ensure that love is in the air this Valentine’s Day but be sure to celebrate your special someone each day, every week, and for all twelve months this year. It’s your chance to say I choose you and I’ll choose you over and over again.