A party on Valentines Day without games is like eating toast without butter or jam or apple pie without ice cream! In short, games at a Valentine’s Day party are a must! If you want to entertain your friends, spend time with your beloved or just pass the time, these games are just what you need!
At a Valentines Day party, games play an important role! They bring everyone together by entertaining and amusing your party guests. When everybody is having fun, they feel more at ease with themselves and their host! You do however need to pick the best games based on the age of your guests or you may not get the result you want.
For example, children’s games at an ‘all-adults’ party probably won’t work out very well or indeed adult games at an ‘all-kids’ party! Seems like plain commonsense I know, however if I have seen people make such silly mistakes and thought it was worth mentioning here. Assuming that your games are chosen for your party guests based on their age, here are some ideas for games to play to make a romantic and entertaining atmosphere at your Valentine’s Day party.
GameNo1: The Chin Game
This game can be a bit difficult to master but is also very amusing which is why it remains my top favorite. First, create a heart-shaped pillow or have somebody do it for you. Then divide the participants in five or six smaller teams and get each team to stand in a circle. The rule is that each group’s members must pass the pillow to the other team, WITHOUT using their hands!
Every team’s members should hold the pillow in-between their chins and chests and then pass it along to the next group in a similar fashion; the subsequent group’s members also have to receive the pillow in between their chins and chests. As you can imagine, this game offers some fun and amusing moments and is exciting enough to keep your guests very tensed up. However that’s not where it ends!
During passing the pillow, if it falls on the floor, the team member who dropped it has to pick it up WITHOUT using their hands! The game then begins from scratch once more! The group that is successful in passing the pillow from first to the last group becomes the winner!
NOTE: A variation on this game is to hold the pillow or chosen object between your knees only and pass it to the opposing team member using your knees. This can be lots of fun and create some hilarious moments.
GameNO2: The Guessing Game
Just imagine how fun would it be to keep your guests guessing the answer to something simple! Fill up a glass jar or other container with candies or any type or color – the smaller the better so that there are lots of them. Then, ask your guests to guess how many candies are contained within the jar. The one whose answer matches exactly or at least gets the closest to the true answer becomes the winner. As an added bonus, the winner takes away the jar full of candies (but must promise to share them)!
Before beginning the game, make sure that you know the proper answer by counting those candies beforehand. (You don’t want to look like a fool in front of your guests, do you?). This game will also be played with other types of foods like biscuits, cakes, etc. In case of biscuits, you may ask your guests to count the quantity of biscuits within the jar, while in case of cakes, you’ll ask them to guess its weight!
These Valentines Day games will brighten up any Valentines Day party and provide some fun and amusing stories to tell for weeks to come.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Plan your Perfect Valentines Day.
Let’s start with Valentines Day morning. The first thing you could do is serve your loved one breakfast in bed (if you are married or living together) or treat them to a fancy breakfast at their favorite restaurant. The food could even have a Valentines Day theme. Think heart shaped pancakes, strawberries and whipped cream, you get the idea. If you can adorn the table with flowers and candles it makes breakfast even more special. Or, spend a long morning in bed then go for a champagne brunch.
After spending as much time as you like on your morning meal with your loved one, take them on a mid-morning adventure like a horseback ride, bike trip through the countryside or walk on the beach. Think about their favorite activity and try to incorporate it. Also, when lunch time comes, take your sweetie to their favorite dining establishment and pay for anything they want. After lunch, cuddle in the park under a tree or do an activity like a Valentines Day photo jigsaw puzzle together.
When evening comes it’s time to amp up the romance factor. This might mean a five star dinner by candlelight, a romantic dinner cruise or who knows, maybe even a marriage proposal. All women love an excuse to get dressed up, so tell your sweetheart to wear her finest outfit so you can show her off. You may want to keep the dinner destination a surprise. And, even if you’re not proposing, this is a great time for gift giving.
You can exchange gifts at home, but it makes things more special (especially if you have a small gift, such as a piece of jewelry) to present your gift in a beautiful environment, with romantic candles and fine champagne, perhaps even soft music. After dessert is a great time to surprise your one and only with a gift. Even if you’re just dating you can never go wrong with a moderately priced piece of tasteful silver or gold jewelry. Whatever you choose to give, it will serve as a lifelong reminder of Valentines Day 2010 for you and your loved one. Finally, wrap up the evening with dancing, the theater or a romantic night at home.
After spending as much time as you like on your morning meal with your loved one, take them on a mid-morning adventure like a horseback ride, bike trip through the countryside or walk on the beach. Think about their favorite activity and try to incorporate it. Also, when lunch time comes, take your sweetie to their favorite dining establishment and pay for anything they want. After lunch, cuddle in the park under a tree or do an activity like a Valentines Day photo jigsaw puzzle together.
When evening comes it’s time to amp up the romance factor. This might mean a five star dinner by candlelight, a romantic dinner cruise or who knows, maybe even a marriage proposal. All women love an excuse to get dressed up, so tell your sweetheart to wear her finest outfit so you can show her off. You may want to keep the dinner destination a surprise. And, even if you’re not proposing, this is a great time for gift giving.
You can exchange gifts at home, but it makes things more special (especially if you have a small gift, such as a piece of jewelry) to present your gift in a beautiful environment, with romantic candles and fine champagne, perhaps even soft music. After dessert is a great time to surprise your one and only with a gift. Even if you’re just dating you can never go wrong with a moderately priced piece of tasteful silver or gold jewelry. Whatever you choose to give, it will serve as a lifelong reminder of Valentines Day 2010 for you and your loved one. Finally, wrap up the evening with dancing, the theater or a romantic night at home.
Four Ways to make your partner feel special on Valentines Day.
What is Valentine’s Day all about? It is a day of celebration of love and romance. Now, how could you express your love to your sweetheart? There are many ways to do it. You can simply look at her in a romantic way to let her know about your true feelings towards her, or you can touch her in a soft, lovely way!
Whether you look at her or touch her, your eyes or hands must express your innermost feelings very clearly and convey to your sweetheart how much you love and care about them!
Many couples use Valentine’s Day as an occasion to demonstrate their love for their partners, which is what it should be like. Your partner may know that you love them, but how about stating it more explicitly so that there are no more doubts left on your partner’s mind? That is what you can do on Valentine’s Day. You can offer your sweetheart something really exquisite to make this Valentine’s Day memorable for both of you!
Some couples also use the occasion of Valentine’s Day to rejuvenate their somewhat ‘dry’ relationship. If you feel that the sparks of love don’t exist in your relationship any longer, use Valentine’s Day to bring back those sparks again! There are numerous ways to make your partner feel special on this day, some of which I am going to mention in this article.
1. Do something unique: On Valentine’s Day, do something unique for her, or buy her something really special! It could be anything from buying a bunch of red roses or a set of diamond rings, to simply preparing a fragrant, warm bubble bath for her. The main thing to note is that you should do something you don’t normally do, so as to surprise your partner!
2. Kiss her a love kiss: Kissing is one of the most common ways to express your love for your soulmate, and you don’t need a bedroom for that either! For example, let’s say that both of you are driving on a highway. You may stop your car half-way at a lonely place, loosen the seatbelts of both of you and plant a loving kiss on your sweetheart’s lips. Then take away your mouth so as not to suffocate her! Let her relax so both of you could become ready for another lip-lock!
3. Love letters: Don’t think that the good old love letters are passé; emails may seem to have replaced the old-fashioned custom of writing love letters, but no one said you couldn’t bend the rules! In fact, it is now even easier to win your partner’s heart by writing a sweet, romantic love letter to her because not many people write them nowadays owing to a rather hectic life!
4. SMS: Sending her a lovely SMS is yet another way to express your love. Make sure to make your SMS stand out from the hundreds of SMSs she maybe getting by telling something that she longs to hear from you. You could admire her beauty, her sensuality, or the way she carries herself off.
To make it even more special and strange, call her at a time you know she would be busy. That should really take her by surprise. Whatever message you send, be truthful and honest to yourself and your better half, for she is probably smart enough to catch a white lie
Whether you look at her or touch her, your eyes or hands must express your innermost feelings very clearly and convey to your sweetheart how much you love and care about them!
Many couples use Valentine’s Day as an occasion to demonstrate their love for their partners, which is what it should be like. Your partner may know that you love them, but how about stating it more explicitly so that there are no more doubts left on your partner’s mind? That is what you can do on Valentine’s Day. You can offer your sweetheart something really exquisite to make this Valentine’s Day memorable for both of you!
Some couples also use the occasion of Valentine’s Day to rejuvenate their somewhat ‘dry’ relationship. If you feel that the sparks of love don’t exist in your relationship any longer, use Valentine’s Day to bring back those sparks again! There are numerous ways to make your partner feel special on this day, some of which I am going to mention in this article.
1. Do something unique: On Valentine’s Day, do something unique for her, or buy her something really special! It could be anything from buying a bunch of red roses or a set of diamond rings, to simply preparing a fragrant, warm bubble bath for her. The main thing to note is that you should do something you don’t normally do, so as to surprise your partner!
2. Kiss her a love kiss: Kissing is one of the most common ways to express your love for your soulmate, and you don’t need a bedroom for that either! For example, let’s say that both of you are driving on a highway. You may stop your car half-way at a lonely place, loosen the seatbelts of both of you and plant a loving kiss on your sweetheart’s lips. Then take away your mouth so as not to suffocate her! Let her relax so both of you could become ready for another lip-lock!
3. Love letters: Don’t think that the good old love letters are passé; emails may seem to have replaced the old-fashioned custom of writing love letters, but no one said you couldn’t bend the rules! In fact, it is now even easier to win your partner’s heart by writing a sweet, romantic love letter to her because not many people write them nowadays owing to a rather hectic life!
4. SMS: Sending her a lovely SMS is yet another way to express your love. Make sure to make your SMS stand out from the hundreds of SMSs she maybe getting by telling something that she longs to hear from you. You could admire her beauty, her sensuality, or the way she carries herself off.
To make it even more special and strange, call her at a time you know she would be busy. That should really take her by surprise. Whatever message you send, be truthful and honest to yourself and your better half, for she is probably smart enough to catch a white lie
Cool Ideas on Using Flowers As Valentine’s Day Gifts.
Can Valentine’s Day be celebrated without flowers? Short answer is ‘no’. We cannot even imagine Valentine’s Day without flowers, especially red roses. Among all flowers, red roses remain my favorites because they are not only associated with love but are also able to fill any place with their exquisite fragrance.
Every year on Valentine’s Day, I usually send my wife at least a dozen roses; sometimes, even two dozen! As soon as I handover the roses to her, she cannot help but smile at me with her lovely lips!
However, if you are fed up with the same old-fashioned roses and want to buy something different for your partner, then there is help for you. Instead of buying conventional red roses, try the “Black Magics!” Black Magics are not only beautiful, but a class apart in their elegance; plus they look completely different from the conventional roses as their petals are of dark red velvet color. All in all, I personally believe that Black Magics are the only flowers which could match the elegance and beauty of red roses!
Some people prefer to send a mixture of different flowers to their sweethearts instead of just one. If you are of this type, your local florist should be able to help you select the best varieties and colors of flowers for this purpose. If you want, you can even send her a small plant with a blooming flower, or a flower basket. Or you can also buy her a tall vase containing tulips or Calla Lilies! All in all, there is no dearth of ideas if you want to surprise her with something extraordinary!
If you have decided on sending her a flower basket, I won’t recommend sending her an empty basket.. Have you heard of Gourmet Gift Baskets for Valentine’s Day? These gift baskets could contain anything and everything ranging from candles, chocolates, lotions, snacks, coffees, etc.
If she is an animal lover then you could even add Plush Animals to the basket; if she loves balloons then adding them is also an option. Make sure to put only those things in the basket which are either her favorites or you feel would please her; if in doubt then ask your local florist for ideas!
Thankfully you won’t have to carry the gift basket back home because most professional florists offer home delivery services if you order the basket ahead of time, at least a couple of weeks before Valentine’s day. To make the basket even more special, you can attach a romantic message to it!
Flowers remain on of the best and most affordable ways of celebrating Valentine’s Day. With the right ideas and flower arrangements, you really cannot go wrong! If you are a woman reading this article, note that men also love flowers as much as women do!
Every year on Valentine’s Day, I usually send my wife at least a dozen roses; sometimes, even two dozen! As soon as I handover the roses to her, she cannot help but smile at me with her lovely lips!
However, if you are fed up with the same old-fashioned roses and want to buy something different for your partner, then there is help for you. Instead of buying conventional red roses, try the “Black Magics!” Black Magics are not only beautiful, but a class apart in their elegance; plus they look completely different from the conventional roses as their petals are of dark red velvet color. All in all, I personally believe that Black Magics are the only flowers which could match the elegance and beauty of red roses!
Some people prefer to send a mixture of different flowers to their sweethearts instead of just one. If you are of this type, your local florist should be able to help you select the best varieties and colors of flowers for this purpose. If you want, you can even send her a small plant with a blooming flower, or a flower basket. Or you can also buy her a tall vase containing tulips or Calla Lilies! All in all, there is no dearth of ideas if you want to surprise her with something extraordinary!
If you have decided on sending her a flower basket, I won’t recommend sending her an empty basket.. Have you heard of Gourmet Gift Baskets for Valentine’s Day? These gift baskets could contain anything and everything ranging from candles, chocolates, lotions, snacks, coffees, etc.
If she is an animal lover then you could even add Plush Animals to the basket; if she loves balloons then adding them is also an option. Make sure to put only those things in the basket which are either her favorites or you feel would please her; if in doubt then ask your local florist for ideas!
Thankfully you won’t have to carry the gift basket back home because most professional florists offer home delivery services if you order the basket ahead of time, at least a couple of weeks before Valentine’s day. To make the basket even more special, you can attach a romantic message to it!
Flowers remain on of the best and most affordable ways of celebrating Valentine’s Day. With the right ideas and flower arrangements, you really cannot go wrong! If you are a woman reading this article, note that men also love flowers as much as women do!
choosing valentine's day flowers For Your Lover.
choosing valentine's day flowers
* Which cut flowers last the longest vs. examples of some with shorter lifespans once cut.
* The Society of American Florists helps you sort out what the meanings behind flowers. Good thing too, because Valentine’s Day is the last day you’d want to give your sweetheart flowers that stand for distrust (Lavender) or friendship (pink rose) if you’re looking for something more than friendship. Not that Lavender doesn’t rock in a Valentine’s bouquet though – the meanings list is more fun than serious.
* Matching flowers to personalities – i.e. is your Valentine romantic, a trendsetter, or a nature lover.
* Learn how to keep holiday bouquets looking fresh and how to make cut flowers last longer.
* What various flower colors mean.
* Top five flowers sold in the UK and the U.S. for Valentine’s Day – what I find odd is that carnations made both lists. I worked for a wholesale nursery but we didn’t carry Carnations so I didn’t see them sell and I personally don’t really like them much, so I’m surprised to find out they’re so popular. Maybe because they’re long lasting, but man, in my opinion there are so many better looking flowers.
* When to order flowers – typically most flower shops say they can deliver up until Valentine’s Day even if you order at the last minute. But keep in mind, last minute flower shopping will cost you. Plus if you’re picky and want a special arrangement you really need to order before all the shops run out. At the wholesale flower shop I worked for you do not know how busy Valentine’s Day was. We’d get orders super early (months) and still we’d run out which means the shops we supplied to would run out as well – growers who supply to shops can only grow so fast. Basically the sooner you order the better for delivery. If you’re ordering and picking up from a shop, order early and pick up in the morning. Most flower shops get their flowers in early in the morning and/or make arrangements the evening before hand or early in the morning. So a morning pick-up may mean fresher, better looking flowers.
Inexpensive Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Her.
February 14th is an important holiday for most women, so each man will want to do something romantic for the special one in his life. Maybe there's not a lot of room in the budget for frivolities, or husbands and boyfriends would rather do something for her a little more unique than the typical flowers and chocolate. With a little thought men can come up with a low-cost (or no-cost) holiday that will still put a smile on her face.
Valentine's Day Gifts That Don't Cost Anything
Many men assume that their partners expect them to spend money on a present, but they may be surprised at the appreciation they receive on February 14th by choosing a present that is free. While many women appreciate the store-bought gifts, the extra thought that goes into these may be more meaningful to her.
* Leave notes that she will find throughout the day expressing appreciation for things she does. Leave them in the bathroom, her car, and on the coffeepot. The more notes, the more appreciated she will feel.
* Stay up late the night before Valentine's Day and surprise her with a clean house. Even just tackling some dishes, laundry, and general clean-up will make her Valentine's morning special.
* Husbands who are the sentimental type could write out some memories they have of the time they've been together, and how she's made a difference in his life. So much better than a store-bought card!
* Wash and vacuum her car. Most women spend a lot of time in the car. If a husband can make this area of her life a little less cluttered she will appreciate it.
* Time! Women all have things they love to do but don't take the time to do them. Give her the gift of time by freeing up her day to do whatever she loves.
* Catch her off guard by doing something on the honey-do list that will make her life easier.
Inexpensive Valentine's Day Gifts
For men who've got some money to spend, or want to do something more, there are several options for their wife or girlfriend's Valentine's Day present.
Choosing Gifts for Your Life Partner.
Choosing Gifts for Your Partner
There is a wide range of gifts that a person can choose from to give his/her darling on Valentine’s Day, keeping his/her loved one's and need in mind.
Gifts for Him
* A trendy wrist watch
* Wallet
* Shoes
* Formal shirt
* Electronic gadgets
* Music CDs
Gifts for Her
* A trendy handbag
* An organizer for working women
* Jewellery
* Perfume
* Designer dress
Read more at Suite101: Some Great Ideas for Celebrating Valentine's Day: February 14 – A Day Full of Love and Romance http://marriage.suite101.com/article.cfm/valentines_day_celebration#ixzz0eqk7cwkH
There is a wide range of gifts that a person can choose from to give his/her darling on Valentine’s Day, keeping his/her loved one's and need in mind.
Gifts for Him
* A trendy wrist watch
* Wallet
* Shoes
* Formal shirt
* Electronic gadgets
* Music CDs
Gifts for Her
* A trendy handbag
* An organizer for working women
* Jewellery
* Perfume
* Designer dress
Read more at Suite101: Some Great Ideas for Celebrating Valentine's Day: February 14 – A Day Full of Love and Romance http://marriage.suite101.com/article.cfm/valentines_day_celebration#ixzz0eqk7cwkH
Valentine’s Day Party Thoughts.
Valentine’s Day Party Thoughts
The duo can also plan a party inviting all their friends for an evening full of dance, music, nice food, romantic games and lots of fun. The party venue can be decorated with heart shaped balloons and perfumed candles, playing soft romantic numbers for an intimate dance and hip-hop beats for a group dance. Hosts can organize Valentine’s Day special games based on the theme of love and romance such as:
* Love story
* Know your mate
* Broken hearts
* Dumb charades
The duo can also plan a party inviting all their friends for an evening full of dance, music, nice food, romantic games and lots of fun. The party venue can be decorated with heart shaped balloons and perfumed candles, playing soft romantic numbers for an intimate dance and hip-hop beats for a group dance. Hosts can organize Valentine’s Day special games based on the theme of love and romance such as:
* Love story
* Know your mate
* Broken hearts
* Dumb charades
Some Great Ideas for Celebrating Valentine's Day.
Every relationship that man is a part of is based on the true emotion of love and care, be it between parents and children, siblings, husband and wife, boyfriend and girlfriend, or friends in general.
Valentine’s Day, celebrated throughout the world on February 14 every year, is a gala affair of love and cheer. It is that special day of the year when lovers try to do something exceptional for one another to show how much they mean to one another.
History of Valentine’s Day
Though Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world with lots of fervor and excitement, not many know the history of this day. There are many tales about Saint Valentine and his maiden greeting to his beloved. Some say that Valentine was a priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius II who defied the king’s orders by performing secret marriages for people in love and was thus killed by the emperor.
Another legend says that Valentine was killed for helping Christian prisoners escape from Roman prisons. The most popular version, however, suggests that Valentine sent the first Valentine greeting to the girl he fell in love with while in prison, signed “from your Valentine,” an expression that lasts to this day.
Read more at Suite101: Some Great Ideas for Celebrating Valentine's Day: February 14 – A Day Full of Love and Romance http://marriage.suite101.com/article.cfm/valentines_day_celebration#ixzz0eqjf62X5
Valentine’s Day, celebrated throughout the world on February 14 every year, is a gala affair of love and cheer. It is that special day of the year when lovers try to do something exceptional for one another to show how much they mean to one another.
History of Valentine’s Day
Though Valentine’s Day is celebrated in many parts of the world with lots of fervor and excitement, not many know the history of this day. There are many tales about Saint Valentine and his maiden greeting to his beloved. Some say that Valentine was a priest during the reign of Emperor Claudius II who defied the king’s orders by performing secret marriages for people in love and was thus killed by the emperor.
Another legend says that Valentine was killed for helping Christian prisoners escape from Roman prisons. The most popular version, however, suggests that Valentine sent the first Valentine greeting to the girl he fell in love with while in prison, signed “from your Valentine,” an expression that lasts to this day.
Read more at Suite101: Some Great Ideas for Celebrating Valentine's Day: February 14 – A Day Full of Love and Romance http://marriage.suite101.com/article.cfm/valentines_day_celebration#ixzz0eqjf62X5
Tips on Presenting Valentines Day Flower.
Tips on Presenting Valentines Day Flower
Select the flower with love and use your own judgement to do so. Your bouquet may not have to be large to show your love, as it is the feelings that you carry with the bouquet that matters most. A great idea to touch your beloved's heart would be to attach a note along with the bouquet stating how much you love her or him. Do something unique in your own sweet way to make Valentine's Day more special for your beloved.
Women should not think that it is their sole right to receive flowers as surveys reveal that most men have the secret desire to be pampered with flowers by their sweethearts. It has been noticed that men like crisp colors like red, orange and yellow. Blooming plant is also a great Valentine's Day Gift Idea for men.
Select the flower with love and use your own judgement to do so. Your bouquet may not have to be large to show your love, as it is the feelings that you carry with the bouquet that matters most. A great idea to touch your beloved's heart would be to attach a note along with the bouquet stating how much you love her or him. Do something unique in your own sweet way to make Valentine's Day more special for your beloved.
Women should not think that it is their sole right to receive flowers as surveys reveal that most men have the secret desire to be pampered with flowers by their sweethearts. It has been noticed that men like crisp colors like red, orange and yellow. Blooming plant is also a great Valentine's Day Gift Idea for men.
Love Books For Valentines Day
Love Books For Valentines
Life without love is like a tree without blossom and fruit
Well if your sweetie pie is fond of reading then the best valentine day gift for him/her can be none other than valentine's love story books. There are numerous books on love for valentine day laying example of famous loving couples. The specialty of these love books for valentines is that they take you into the beautiful fantasy world of love and emotions, which has the capability to inspire you to fall in love. The way love is expressed; trust me it will really motivate you or to put it in other words it will give you fabulous ideas to add on spark to your love life. It will give you some real valuable tips that will enable you to understand your sweetheart better.
Here is a list of some top romantic books that can make a perfect gift for your valentine, so guys just check it out: -
* The Romantic's Guide - this book is perfect for those who are just at a beginner's level in lovemaking. It will give you some interesting tips regarding how to become romantic.
* Communication Miracles for Couples - the success of a relationship lies in conducting proper communication. This book guides as to how to lovingly communicate with your darling.
* 52 Romantic Evenings to Spice Up Your Love Life - this book is a reservoir of wonderful romantic ideas that will make your partner go crazy about you. So guys don't wait just go and buy it and see what magic it will spell on your love life.
* 214 Ways to Say I Love You - this book will give you some nice ideas as to how to express your love with a style.
* 365 Ways to Date Your Love - this book is of great use especially for teenagers who are new to lovology as it encompasses multiple ideas of dating. Check out some cool dating tips through this book.
* The Fine Art of Flirting - this book contains a comprehensive list of flirting ideas that can be extremely useful for youth of today.
Valentines Day Gifts for A long time Girlfriend.
Valentines Day Gifts for A long time Girlfriend
When it comes to buying valentine day presents for a long time girlfriend, you may need to reach deep into your inner creativity. If you have been giving your girlfriend the same valentine day presents year after year, you will want to spruce things up every now and then, at least. Start with shopping at a different store, consider shopping online even. If she has a wishlist on amazon or other stores, why not pick a few of the items on that list and wrap them up in a red silky ribbon and decorate with a rose and some chocolates. If you have been dating for awhile you might also consider going down the jewelry route. This means either bracelets, ear rings, necklaces, tiaras, and even rings. Be careful when buying rings, unless you are looking to move this relationship to the next step.
When it comes to buying valentine day presents for a long time girlfriend, you may need to reach deep into your inner creativity. If you have been giving your girlfriend the same valentine day presents year after year, you will want to spruce things up every now and then, at least. Start with shopping at a different store, consider shopping online even. If she has a wishlist on amazon or other stores, why not pick a few of the items on that list and wrap them up in a red silky ribbon and decorate with a rose and some chocolates. If you have been dating for awhile you might also consider going down the jewelry route. This means either bracelets, ear rings, necklaces, tiaras, and even rings. Be careful when buying rings, unless you are looking to move this relationship to the next step.
Valentines Day Gifts for a New Girlfriend.
Valentines Day Gifts for a New Girlfriend
If you have been dating a girl for only a short while and Valentines day comes around, don’t panic. This is actually a good thing, because you will not be expected to splurge on expensive gifts, and any relatively good presents will make any girl happy. I suggest a Valentines day card that has a lot of humor, and is not overly romantic. Then add some chocolates or other valentines day candy, maybe some flowers or other things like stuffed animals with hearts on them.
If you have been dating a girl for only a short while and Valentines day comes around, don’t panic. This is actually a good thing, because you will not be expected to splurge on expensive gifts, and any relatively good presents will make any girl happy. I suggest a Valentines day card that has a lot of humor, and is not overly romantic. Then add some chocolates or other valentines day candy, maybe some flowers or other things like stuffed animals with hearts on them.
Valentines Day Gift Ideas for your Girlfriend.
When it comes to Valentines day, guys might get a little bit overwhelmed by the vast array of choices of gifts for their girlfriend, or the lack thereof. However, with this article, I am going to help cover your bases. You will find some Valentines day gift ideas for a girl you are secretly admiring, a girlfriend you have only recently begun dating, a long term girlfriend and a gift for who may be “the one” girlfriend for life. So keep reading this article find out exactly what she will be expecting and what will make your girlfriend happiest this Valentine’s Day!
Valentines Day Gifts for A Secretly Admired Girl
When it comes to shopping for a girl you have had a crush on for a long time, you will need to consider how she feels about you before you make any moves. If this girl has been your friend for a long time and you want to use Valentines Day to announce your love for her: great! Just make sure there is a possibility that she may like you back. You don’t need certainty here, but she should be single and she should never have told you that she doesn’t like you. Now in this case you know the girl and you should be able to find a gift that speaks to her. If she likes a certain type of treat, for example exotic fruits or Godiva chocolates, get her those. If she prefers CDs, DVDs, notebooks or decorative things, opt for those. Now in the case that you have been secretly crushing on a stranger girl, you might need to guess at what she likes. You can always opt for the traditional valentine day candy hearts, some chocolates and a nice “Secret Admirer” valentines day card. Just be sure to put your name if you want her to know it was you who gave her the gifts!
Valentines Day Gifts for A Secretly Admired Girl
When it comes to shopping for a girl you have had a crush on for a long time, you will need to consider how she feels about you before you make any moves. If this girl has been your friend for a long time and you want to use Valentines Day to announce your love for her: great! Just make sure there is a possibility that she may like you back. You don’t need certainty here, but she should be single and she should never have told you that she doesn’t like you. Now in this case you know the girl and you should be able to find a gift that speaks to her. If she likes a certain type of treat, for example exotic fruits or Godiva chocolates, get her those. If she prefers CDs, DVDs, notebooks or decorative things, opt for those. Now in the case that you have been secretly crushing on a stranger girl, you might need to guess at what she likes. You can always opt for the traditional valentine day candy hearts, some chocolates and a nice “Secret Admirer” valentines day card. Just be sure to put your name if you want her to know it was you who gave her the gifts!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
How to love????
How to love???? Love is a strange thing. It can be the most amazing feeling in the world, or it can really hurt, but in the end love is something most, if not all of us, will face. While there are many different ways to define love and there are many different ways to love someone (even yourself), here is a general guide to loving. Steps 1.Say it. When you say the words "I Love You",they should carry with them the desire to show someone that you love them, not what you simply want to feel. When you say it make sure you really mean it and are willing to do anything for that special person. 2.Empathize. Put yourself in someone else's shoes. Rather than impose your own expectations or attempt to control them, try to understand how they feel, where they come from, and who they are. Realize how they could also love you back just as well. 3.Love unconditionally. If you cannot love another person without attaching stipulations, then it is not love at all, but deep-seated opportunism (one who makes the most of an advantage, often unmindful of others). If your interest is not in the other person as such, but rather in how that person can enhance your experience of life, then it is not unconditional. If you have no intention of improving that person’s life, or allowing that person to be themselves and accepting them as they are, and not who you want them to be, then you are not striving to love them unconditionally. 4.Expect nothing in return. That doesn't mean you should allow someone to mistreat or undervalue you. It means that giving love does not guarantee receiving love. Try loving just for the sake of love. Realize that someone may have a different way of showing his or her love for you, do not expect to be loved back in exactly the same way. 5.Realize it can be lost. If you realize that you can lose the one you love, then you have a greater appreciation of what you have. Think how lucky you are to have someone to love. Don't make an idol of the person you love. This will place them under undue pressure and will likely result in you losing them. Tips 1.It does not make you a bad person to desire someone else's love, even if they do not love you. However, to truly love someone, you must left them be free.It is selfish to blame them for your feelings. 2.There are many types of love, for example: a mother-son love is different from a best friend's love, which is different from a romantic love. Don't be ashamed to tell anyone that you love your friends as much as you love anyone else in your life. 3.You have to find someone that will suit you, someone you feel comfortable with - not just someone to make love to. 4.As a word, love can be found worldwide and is often used to describe compassion and/or emotional attachment. Accepting those you love for who they are is part of love. You also need to learn to accept yourself before you can accept another. If you cannot love your self, how are you to love another? 5.Love genuinely. Do not compare your feelings now to what your feelings were when you were with another mate. At times, we can experience rejection. 6.Realize that love is a feeling that wikiHow can describe and attempt to assist, but ultimately, you are the one who must take action in order to discover love. 7.Do things that make the other person feel good, but do not smother them with gifts and attention. 8.Consider some tips about what people in love do. 9.People in love are sensitive to each other's needs, and endeavour to meet them even when they do not feel like doing it. 10.Men and women may be equal in value but different by nature. People who truly are in love give their mates "space" to develop their potential and find their fulfilment in life.Love does not brag. People who are truly in love refrain from rehearsing their good traits just to show off. Bragging in a relationship often is really defensiveness. 11.People who are truly in love do not insist that their way is best and demand that their mates give in to them. 12.People who are truly in love are considerate of each others feelings and courteous in their actions toward one another. Sadly sarcasm is a way of life for some couples. They ridicule each other, belittle each other and trade jibes with a fury. They may say it is all in fun, but it leaves wounds that will someday become festering sores. 13.People who are truly in love look out for their mates' best interests as much as their own. Those in love should be concerned not only about their own individual interests, but about the interests of the other as well. 14.People who are truly in love control their anger when the other displeases them. We are all human, and all humans feel anger periodically, but we only express our anger in destructive ways when we counting on someone else to meet our needs. 15.People who truly love each other do not take pleasure in their mates' disappointments or failures. 16.People who truly love each other treat their mates with absolute trust. Some husbands and wives torment themselves with groundless suspicions. If you look for trouble you will find it every time. 17.People who truly love look forward to their relationship growing more meaningful and precious. They have hope. Which is an attitude that happily anticipates the good. It isn't being blind and denies there are problems, but it does look beyond the problems. People who truly love each other do not allow their problems to rob them of their happiness. 18.Remember there is no failure in love, because once you tell somebody who you love, that you love him/her, then you have already succeeded in love. Warnings 1.You must love yourself before you can love another 2.There is always the risk of getting hurt, but that's part of letting yourself fully love and trust some one. Being hurt could be long-lasting and could hurt more than anything in the world. 3.Realize what you have while you have it, and care for the person you trust. 4.If something comes to an end, try to let go rather than holding on; it's for the best. 5.The idea of love is fueled by childhood fantasies. The love shown in movies, as obtainable as it may be, is rare to say the least. 6.You just may find your soul-mate sooner than you want to. 7.If you feel any doubt of love your partner has for you, make sure that your suspicions are grounded in reality. If you hurt your partner as a result of undeserved mistrust, he/she may end up doubting both your love for them and theirs for you. 8. Don't ask for love - you should receive love because your partner wants to give you love, not because you want it from your partner. 9.Do not force love - it will come in good time, it will come |
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Tips on Presenting Valentines Day Flower.
Tips on Presenting Valentines Day Flower
Select the flower with love and use your own judgement to do so. Your bouquet may not have to be large to show your love, as it is the feelings that you carry with the bouquet that matters most. A great idea to touch your beloved's heart would be to attach a note along with the bouquet stating how much you love her or him. Do something unique in your own sweet way to make Valentine's Day more special for your beloved.
Women should not think that it is their sole right to receive flowers as surveys reveal that most men have the secret desire to be pampered with flowers by their sweethearts. It has been noticed that men like crisp colors like red, orange and yellow. Blooming plant is also a great Valentine's Day Gift Idea for men.
Select the flower with love and use your own judgement to do so. Your bouquet may not have to be large to show your love, as it is the feelings that you carry with the bouquet that matters most. A great idea to touch your beloved's heart would be to attach a note along with the bouquet stating how much you love her or him. Do something unique in your own sweet way to make Valentine's Day more special for your beloved.
Women should not think that it is their sole right to receive flowers as surveys reveal that most men have the secret desire to be pampered with flowers by their sweethearts. It has been noticed that men like crisp colors like red, orange and yellow. Blooming plant is also a great Valentine's Day Gift Idea for men.
Valentine's Day Flowers Ideas.
Valentine's Day is an occasion to openly express love to your beloved and what better way to do so than by means of flowers! Every year lovers use flowers as the medium to convey their feelings for their Valentine. Of all the flowers used on a Valentine's Day most commonly used Valentine's Day flower is the red Rose as this flower is traditionally recognized as the symbol of love and passion. A single perfect red rose clubbed with Baby's Breath flower is considered to a “signature rose” by the florists and is the most sought after flower of Valentine's Day.
Other flowers that are popular on the occasion of Valentine's Day include tulips, daffodils and irises. Many people also prefer a mixed flower bouquet on Valentine's Day, as it looks colourful and attractive. Most lovers try and avoid silk or artificial flowers as nothing matches the beauty and aroma of fresh flowers. Besides it is said that fresh flowers represent the genuine feelings of love towards the recipient. No, wonder florists across the world do a roaring business on Valentine's Day.
Origin of Rose as a Valentine's Day Flower
According to popular legends red rose is considered to be a favorite flower of Venus - the Roman mythological Goddess of Love and Beauty. Hence the red Rose came to be associated with love and romance. Historians believe that the tradition of giving red rose on Valentine's Day became popular in the 1700s when Charles II of Sweden introduced the Persian custom of "the language of flowers" to Europe. Books giving details about meanings of particular flowers were published which demonstrated to people how entire conversations could be carried out using just the flowers. Poets and romantics at heart also eulogized red rose as a symbol of love, passion and beauty that helped to create strong association of rose with love and Valentine's Day
Meaning of Different Colors of Roses
Rose of different colors symbolizes different emotions and feelings. One therefore needs to be careful while presenting a rose to loved one:
Red Roses - Love and passion
White Roses - True love, purity of the mind and reverence
Yellow Roses - Friendship, celebration and joy
Pink Roses - Friendship or Sweetheart, admiration
Peach Roses - Desire and excitement or appreciation
Lilac Roses - Love at first sight and enchantment
Coral Roses - Desire
Orange Roses - Enthusiasm and desire
Black Roses - Farewell or "It's Over"
Bouquet of Red and Yellow Roses: Happiness and celebrations
Bouquet of Red and White Roses: Bonding and harmony
Bouquet of Yellow and Orange Roses: Passion
Arrangement of Valentine's Day Bouquet
Traditionally a bouquet of dozen red roses is considered to be ideal and most romantic Valentine's Day gift. However, you may try and be a little more creative. A bouquet can be made to look charmingly different by adding balloons, candy or small stuffed animals to it. Besides ribbons, hearts, and toys can also be used to spice up the arrangement. With the help of the florists one can make a mixed flower bouquet by selecting flowers that convey the emotions of your heart. As Valentine's Day comes at the end of the winter season one can find a large number of spring flowers in their full bloom
Other flowers that are popular on the occasion of Valentine's Day include tulips, daffodils and irises. Many people also prefer a mixed flower bouquet on Valentine's Day, as it looks colourful and attractive. Most lovers try and avoid silk or artificial flowers as nothing matches the beauty and aroma of fresh flowers. Besides it is said that fresh flowers represent the genuine feelings of love towards the recipient. No, wonder florists across the world do a roaring business on Valentine's Day.
Origin of Rose as a Valentine's Day Flower
According to popular legends red rose is considered to be a favorite flower of Venus - the Roman mythological Goddess of Love and Beauty. Hence the red Rose came to be associated with love and romance. Historians believe that the tradition of giving red rose on Valentine's Day became popular in the 1700s when Charles II of Sweden introduced the Persian custom of "the language of flowers" to Europe. Books giving details about meanings of particular flowers were published which demonstrated to people how entire conversations could be carried out using just the flowers. Poets and romantics at heart also eulogized red rose as a symbol of love, passion and beauty that helped to create strong association of rose with love and Valentine's Day
Meaning of Different Colors of Roses
Rose of different colors symbolizes different emotions and feelings. One therefore needs to be careful while presenting a rose to loved one:
Red Roses - Love and passion
White Roses - True love, purity of the mind and reverence
Yellow Roses - Friendship, celebration and joy
Pink Roses - Friendship or Sweetheart, admiration
Peach Roses - Desire and excitement or appreciation
Lilac Roses - Love at first sight and enchantment
Coral Roses - Desire
Orange Roses - Enthusiasm and desire
Black Roses - Farewell or "It's Over"
Bouquet of Red and Yellow Roses: Happiness and celebrations
Bouquet of Red and White Roses: Bonding and harmony
Bouquet of Yellow and Orange Roses: Passion
Arrangement of Valentine's Day Bouquet
Traditionally a bouquet of dozen red roses is considered to be ideal and most romantic Valentine's Day gift. However, you may try and be a little more creative. A bouquet can be made to look charmingly different by adding balloons, candy or small stuffed animals to it. Besides ribbons, hearts, and toys can also be used to spice up the arrangement. With the help of the florists one can make a mixed flower bouquet by selecting flowers that convey the emotions of your heart. As Valentine's Day comes at the end of the winter season one can find a large number of spring flowers in their full bloom
Valentines Day in India.
Valentine's Day celebration is a recent phenomenon in India but has caught the fancy of people to a great extent. Though some see it as a western import and hesitate to celebrate, there exist a large and growing number of those who love the feeling behind the beautiful and romantic festival. Especially to the Indian youth February 14 signifies love - a day when people express their affection for others. Just as several other countries, people in India too celebrate the Valentine's Day by exchanging cards and gifts.
Euphoria of Valentine's Day festival can be experienced weeks before the festival. Television, radio and print media start creating hype about the festival by covering all facets of it. Gift marketers and card companies launch a rigorous campaign to lure the youngsters. Card and gift shops are interestingly decorated with symbols of Valentine's Day including roses, cupid and heart shaped balloons. Shopping malls in metropolitan cities organize fun-filled competitions and distribute discount coupons to lure the consumers.
On February 14, the Valentine's Day restaurants, discos, Cineplex, pubs and pizza parlors see a particularly busy time as couples celebrate the day in togetherness. Many boys and girls even propose to their sweetheart on this romantic day. People also express love to their friends, teachers, siblings and parents. Popular Valentine's Day gifts exchanged in India include chocolates, fresh flowers, cards, soft toys and candies. These are also clubbed with several other gifts to pamper sweethearts.
Euphoria of Valentine's Day festival can be experienced weeks before the festival. Television, radio and print media start creating hype about the festival by covering all facets of it. Gift marketers and card companies launch a rigorous campaign to lure the youngsters. Card and gift shops are interestingly decorated with symbols of Valentine's Day including roses, cupid and heart shaped balloons. Shopping malls in metropolitan cities organize fun-filled competitions and distribute discount coupons to lure the consumers.
On February 14, the Valentine's Day restaurants, discos, Cineplex, pubs and pizza parlors see a particularly busy time as couples celebrate the day in togetherness. Many boys and girls even propose to their sweetheart on this romantic day. People also express love to their friends, teachers, siblings and parents. Popular Valentine's Day gifts exchanged in India include chocolates, fresh flowers, cards, soft toys and candies. These are also clubbed with several other gifts to pamper sweethearts.
Valentines Day Gift for Your Best Friend.
Valentines Day Gift for Your Best Friend.
Valentine's Day is a day to express love to anyone you find special and dear. The person does not necessarily have to be your spouse or sweetheart; he or she can be your mother, father, teacher, sibling, friend, aunt or anyone who has in anyway touched your heart. To wish your friend a Happy Valentine's Day you may gift him/her a special gift. Your gift can be as simple as a card or a rose bud but it should be given with love. To further inspire you here are some Valentines Gift ideas for Friends:
Homemade Gifts
If you are good at cooking, you may bake a yummy cake for your friend or any other dish that is your specialty. You may also make a beautiful Valentine's Day card, knit a sweater or make a painting for your friend depending on you area of interest.
A Lunch or Dinner Treat
You may treat your Valentine with lunch or dinner at his/her favorite restaurant. This could be followed by a long drive and an extended chat session where you can relive the happy moments shared in the past.
Chocolate Hampers
A delicious Valentines Day gift idea for friend is a box of his/her favorite chocolates. This could be clubbed with other goodies to make a wholesome Valentine's Day Gift Hamper. You may also gift sweets or dry fruits if your friend like those.
Show Pieces
Decorative showpieces make an admirable and memorable Valentine's Day Gift for friends and loved ones. You may gift a vase, painting, photo frames or handcrafted ethic table decorative to show appreciation for your Valentine.
Fashion Accessories
Fashion Accessories like bags, scarves and fashion jewelry is another interesting Valentine's Day Gift idea for friends.
Valentine's Day is a day to express love to anyone you find special and dear. The person does not necessarily have to be your spouse or sweetheart; he or she can be your mother, father, teacher, sibling, friend, aunt or anyone who has in anyway touched your heart. To wish your friend a Happy Valentine's Day you may gift him/her a special gift. Your gift can be as simple as a card or a rose bud but it should be given with love. To further inspire you here are some Valentines Gift ideas for Friends:
Homemade Gifts
If you are good at cooking, you may bake a yummy cake for your friend or any other dish that is your specialty. You may also make a beautiful Valentine's Day card, knit a sweater or make a painting for your friend depending on you area of interest.
A Lunch or Dinner Treat
You may treat your Valentine with lunch or dinner at his/her favorite restaurant. This could be followed by a long drive and an extended chat session where you can relive the happy moments shared in the past.
Chocolate Hampers
A delicious Valentines Day gift idea for friend is a box of his/her favorite chocolates. This could be clubbed with other goodies to make a wholesome Valentine's Day Gift Hamper. You may also gift sweets or dry fruits if your friend like those.
Show Pieces
Decorative showpieces make an admirable and memorable Valentine's Day Gift for friends and loved ones. You may gift a vase, painting, photo frames or handcrafted ethic table decorative to show appreciation for your Valentine.
Fashion Accessories
Fashion Accessories like bags, scarves and fashion jewelry is another interesting Valentine's Day Gift idea for friends.
Wonderfull Valentines Day Gift for Your Girlfriend.
Wonderfull Valentines Day Gift for Your Girlfriend.
Valentine's Day Festival bring with it the opportunity to express heartfelt feelings to your sweetheart. The occasion is even more special for those who have not yet declared their love. The best way to tell your girlfriend about your feelings is to say it with a bunch of roses and a thoughtful Valentine's Day card. To overwhelm your beloved with love you may also indulge her with cute Valentine's Day Gifts. Here are some Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for girlfriends to trigger your imagination and creativity:
Stuffed Toys
Girls love to receive cute and huggable stuffed toys from their beau. Gift her a stuffed animal or any of her favorite cartoon character and she will always cherish it as a gift from you.
Chocolates and Cakes
You may indulge your girlfriend with delectable and yummy chocolates and cakes on Valentine's Day. You may enjoy this gift together and have a good time.
Showpieces
Cute and romantic showpieces like an image of Cupid, lovebirds, dancing couple etc make a memorable Valentine's Day Gift. Coffee mugs or posters with beautiful words or pictures can also be gifted to girlfriends.
Jewelry and Clothes
Jewelry like bracelets, necklace sets, rings are an all time favorite gift of ladies. If you are sure about preferences and size of your girlfriend you may also gift her trendy and fashionable clothes.
Handmade Gift
If you are a creative person you may prepare a handmade Valentines Day gift for your girlfriend. For instance, if you are good at painting you may prepare a portrait of her or if you are good in music you can compose a special song for her. The gift you prepare may not be perfect but it will surely be the most touching and precious gift for her.
Valentine's Day Festival bring with it the opportunity to express heartfelt feelings to your sweetheart. The occasion is even more special for those who have not yet declared their love. The best way to tell your girlfriend about your feelings is to say it with a bunch of roses and a thoughtful Valentine's Day card. To overwhelm your beloved with love you may also indulge her with cute Valentine's Day Gifts. Here are some Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for girlfriends to trigger your imagination and creativity:
Stuffed Toys
Girls love to receive cute and huggable stuffed toys from their beau. Gift her a stuffed animal or any of her favorite cartoon character and she will always cherish it as a gift from you.
Chocolates and Cakes
You may indulge your girlfriend with delectable and yummy chocolates and cakes on Valentine's Day. You may enjoy this gift together and have a good time.
Showpieces
Cute and romantic showpieces like an image of Cupid, lovebirds, dancing couple etc make a memorable Valentine's Day Gift. Coffee mugs or posters with beautiful words or pictures can also be gifted to girlfriends.
Jewelry and Clothes
Jewelry like bracelets, necklace sets, rings are an all time favorite gift of ladies. If you are sure about preferences and size of your girlfriend you may also gift her trendy and fashionable clothes.
Handmade Gift
If you are a creative person you may prepare a handmade Valentines Day gift for your girlfriend. For instance, if you are good at painting you may prepare a portrait of her or if you are good in music you can compose a special song for her. The gift you prepare may not be perfect but it will surely be the most touching and precious gift for her.
Rose ...A Beautiful Expression of Love on Valentine's Day.
Flowers are a beautiful symbol of expression. They are a true representative of all emotions related to human nature. Thus, flowers are an indispensable gifting idea when it comes any occasion which celebrates our heartfelt emotions. And especially so when the occasion is the one celebrating one of the most alluring feelings among all of human emotions, love. Therefore, it is but natural that flowers have become an integral part of the occasion of Valentine's Day since a long time.
Though there are many varieties of flowers like daisies, irises, daffodils that can be gifted on Valentine's Day. But, the rose wins hand down when it comes to popularity and relevance as far as the occasion goes. The word rose has come from the Latin word rosa meaning red, and the flower has been a symbol of love since ancient times. Rose was supposedly created by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers. Rose is a blossom with a sensuous fragrance and delicately yet beautifully crafted petals. The colour of a rose is a silent communication of the feelings that are being conveyed from the receiver to the giver. A bouquet of flowers is a small cluster or arrangement of flowers. People even gift bouquets of different colour blossoms to mark the emotions that dominate an occasion.
* White - True love, purity of the mind and reverence
* Pink - Grace, gentle feelings of love
* Dark Pink - Gratitude
* Light Pink - Admiration, sympathy
* Yellow - Friendship, celebration and joy
* Yellow with red tips - Friendship, falling in love
* Lilac - Love at first sight and enchantment
* Red - Love and passion
* Coral - Desire
* Peach - Desire and excitement or appreciation
* Burgundy- Beauty
* Blue - Mystery
* Green - Calm
* Orange - Enthusiasm and desire
* Purple - Protection
* Black Roses - "It's Over"
The most popular flower on Valentine's day is the red rose. Reasons for the same are two-fold, one is that the colour red represents love, and all lovers gift each other a red rose irrespective of the occasion. And, Valentine's Day is the day of love, so the natural choice has to be a red rose. The second reason is in relation to the mythological significance of red rose, it is the favorite flower of Venus - the Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty and this also makes it the perfect choice to be given to someone you love. This is one flower that has also been popularised as being the symbol of love and romance by poets, writers and philosophers since time immemorial.
Though there are many varieties of flowers like daisies, irises, daffodils that can be gifted on Valentine's Day. But, the rose wins hand down when it comes to popularity and relevance as far as the occasion goes. The word rose has come from the Latin word rosa meaning red, and the flower has been a symbol of love since ancient times. Rose was supposedly created by Chloris, the Greek goddess of flowers. Rose is a blossom with a sensuous fragrance and delicately yet beautifully crafted petals. The colour of a rose is a silent communication of the feelings that are being conveyed from the receiver to the giver. A bouquet of flowers is a small cluster or arrangement of flowers. People even gift bouquets of different colour blossoms to mark the emotions that dominate an occasion.
* White - True love, purity of the mind and reverence
* Pink - Grace, gentle feelings of love
* Dark Pink - Gratitude
* Light Pink - Admiration, sympathy
* Yellow - Friendship, celebration and joy
* Yellow with red tips - Friendship, falling in love
* Lilac - Love at first sight and enchantment
* Red - Love and passion
* Coral - Desire
* Peach - Desire and excitement or appreciation
* Burgundy- Beauty
* Blue - Mystery
* Green - Calm
* Orange - Enthusiasm and desire
* Purple - Protection
* Black Roses - "It's Over"
The most popular flower on Valentine's day is the red rose. Reasons for the same are two-fold, one is that the colour red represents love, and all lovers gift each other a red rose irrespective of the occasion. And, Valentine's Day is the day of love, so the natural choice has to be a red rose. The second reason is in relation to the mythological significance of red rose, it is the favorite flower of Venus - the Roman Goddess of Love and Beauty and this also makes it the perfect choice to be given to someone you love. This is one flower that has also been popularised as being the symbol of love and romance by poets, writers and philosophers since time immemorial.
Evolution of Valentine's Day With Time..
Valentine's Day is the day for celebration of love. Love, a very generic term is relative to any of a number of emotions that speak of affection and attraction. This word can refer to a variety of different feelings, states, and attitudes, ranging from faint pleasure to a feeling of strong interpersonal attachment. Valentine's day is also the day of making fresh promises of love and of keeping true to those promises you made at an earlier date.
The aspect of Valentine's day that has held true over the years is its relevance to these various emotions of love. But, there are other facets to the occasion of Valentine's Day that have evolved constantly over time. In the following paragraphs we will discuss some of the relevant aspects of this evolution,
Celebrating Every Relationship
From a day of romance to an occasion that celebrates love in all its forms, that is how Valentine's day has evolved over the years. From gifting tokens of love to girlfriends, wives to boyfriends and husbands this day has now become significant for sending Valentine gifts or tokens of love and affection across relationships. So, be it your wife or sister or mother you can now find this occasion as a reason to express your love for all of them through the various means that have become popular these days.
Commercialization of Valentine's day
From a day that honors love, Valentine's day has evolved into a commercial occasion. From cards and chocolate companies to florists, these days everyone comes into action with the knowledge of Valentine's day being round the corner. It has definitely become associated as being one of the most 'profitable' occasions in a calender year.
From a day honoring a Saint to a day that celebrates love
Valentines day has evolved from a day that honors Saint Valentine to a day that is relevant for the feelings of love, from the passionate desire and intimacy of romantic love to the nonsexual emotional closeness of familial love, which is more platonic in nature. In fact this is one celebration that has lost the significant association with its origin. It is thus, that Valentine's day, which always has had a religious basis has evolved over the years into a day that celebrates love in its various forms and degrees.'Why' is now no longer as important as 'How' in terms of celebrating Valentines day.
Valentine's day is one of the most 'adaptable' occasions, it has been accepted and celebrated in variable terms by people over all these years since it has become popular. This is a day which has so many facets to it and that too also since it is an occasion which is so personal in nature. That has resulted in the celebration having taken a different flavor with differences in places, regions and cultures across the world.
The aspect of Valentine's day that has held true over the years is its relevance to these various emotions of love. But, there are other facets to the occasion of Valentine's Day that have evolved constantly over time. In the following paragraphs we will discuss some of the relevant aspects of this evolution,
Celebrating Every Relationship
From a day of romance to an occasion that celebrates love in all its forms, that is how Valentine's day has evolved over the years. From gifting tokens of love to girlfriends, wives to boyfriends and husbands this day has now become significant for sending Valentine gifts or tokens of love and affection across relationships. So, be it your wife or sister or mother you can now find this occasion as a reason to express your love for all of them through the various means that have become popular these days.
Commercialization of Valentine's day
From a day that honors love, Valentine's day has evolved into a commercial occasion. From cards and chocolate companies to florists, these days everyone comes into action with the knowledge of Valentine's day being round the corner. It has definitely become associated as being one of the most 'profitable' occasions in a calender year.
From a day honoring a Saint to a day that celebrates love
Valentines day has evolved from a day that honors Saint Valentine to a day that is relevant for the feelings of love, from the passionate desire and intimacy of romantic love to the nonsexual emotional closeness of familial love, which is more platonic in nature. In fact this is one celebration that has lost the significant association with its origin. It is thus, that Valentine's day, which always has had a religious basis has evolved over the years into a day that celebrates love in its various forms and degrees.'Why' is now no longer as important as 'How' in terms of celebrating Valentines day.
Valentine's day is one of the most 'adaptable' occasions, it has been accepted and celebrated in variable terms by people over all these years since it has become popular. This is a day which has so many facets to it and that too also since it is an occasion which is so personal in nature. That has resulted in the celebration having taken a different flavor with differences in places, regions and cultures across the world.
Symbolising Romance on Valentines Day..
Valentines day or St. Valentines day falls on February 14 every year. This is one of the most awaited days among all occasions that celebrate relationships. Since, this involves one of the most beautiful and intriguing of all human emotions, love. It is because of this fact alone that Valentine's day has mysterious yet alluring undertone to it. There are many things that build up on this fascination that we have with such aspects of love and Valentines day.
Books on Romance
Since forever people have used the written word to describe the feelings of love and romance. This has been put across to the readers through prose and poetry presented through books. Though, these days books are losing its connect with todays' people. But, there are those people who are still in love with reading books. In fact this is one medium which has undergone a lot of change in the recent past also with the introduction of e-books. Books are a beautiful expression of love and thus can be alternately used as the perfect Valentine day gifts for someone who is in love with love and with books.
Romantic Movies
The concept of movies and films was introduced only about a century back but has caught up fast with the audience at large. This is a medium that involves the most important senses in us humans, sight and sound. Movies have the power to transport us to fantasy from reality. The most popular genre among movies is of romance. And the reason for the same is very obvious. After all, people love seeing others on film living the life of love and positivity.
Romantic Music
The basis of all creativity is the range of human emotions. Music too has not lost out on this inspiration. Anyone associated with music, whether a composer or a musician or a singer is a lover at heart. He/She who is an admirer or lover of music associates it with feelings and emotions too. Music is poetry in action, and has always been inspired by the various facets of love as well as the other emotions of human nature. Romantic music makes for a great accompaniment as a Valentines day gift and is responsible for creating the atmosphere in a evening planned around the theme of love.
Couples in Love
Love is in togetherness, it is in companionship and friendship. Couples are symbolic of love since lovers have been universally understood to be in pairs. Thus, everything that is associated with love recognises these aspects in their totality. From Valentines day gifts to all the symbols of love have been created keeping this fact in mind. The love message itself says, 'I Love You' which clearly implies the presence of more than one in a love association.
This was a detailed overview of all those facets of love that associate love with romance. After all, Valentine's day has been primarily known for the romance that is brought to life on this day.
Books on Romance
Since forever people have used the written word to describe the feelings of love and romance. This has been put across to the readers through prose and poetry presented through books. Though, these days books are losing its connect with todays' people. But, there are those people who are still in love with reading books. In fact this is one medium which has undergone a lot of change in the recent past also with the introduction of e-books. Books are a beautiful expression of love and thus can be alternately used as the perfect Valentine day gifts for someone who is in love with love and with books.
Romantic Movies
The concept of movies and films was introduced only about a century back but has caught up fast with the audience at large. This is a medium that involves the most important senses in us humans, sight and sound. Movies have the power to transport us to fantasy from reality. The most popular genre among movies is of romance. And the reason for the same is very obvious. After all, people love seeing others on film living the life of love and positivity.
Romantic Music
The basis of all creativity is the range of human emotions. Music too has not lost out on this inspiration. Anyone associated with music, whether a composer or a musician or a singer is a lover at heart. He/She who is an admirer or lover of music associates it with feelings and emotions too. Music is poetry in action, and has always been inspired by the various facets of love as well as the other emotions of human nature. Romantic music makes for a great accompaniment as a Valentines day gift and is responsible for creating the atmosphere in a evening planned around the theme of love.
Couples in Love
Love is in togetherness, it is in companionship and friendship. Couples are symbolic of love since lovers have been universally understood to be in pairs. Thus, everything that is associated with love recognises these aspects in their totality. From Valentines day gifts to all the symbols of love have been created keeping this fact in mind. The love message itself says, 'I Love You' which clearly implies the presence of more than one in a love association.
This was a detailed overview of all those facets of love that associate love with romance. After all, Valentine's day has been primarily known for the romance that is brought to life on this day.
Valentines Day General View.
Every celebration is representative of a past event or an occurrence which may have happened on the 'date' some years, months or days back. The occasion of Valentines Day on February 14 has a similar association with it. It is understood to have originated as a Christian religious festival honoring a Saint. This is another reason for it being referred to by the name of Saint Valentine's Day or St. Valentines Day. Its origins date back to ancient Rome of 270 AD. It was due to the rebellion and sacrifice of a catholic priest with the same name that this day came to be celebrated. Saint Valentine supported lovers or couples in love by getting them married against the wishes of the then Emperor Claudius.
Day of Romance and Fertility
Some other associations with Valentines Day are related to the spring season. The spring season begins around mid February in most parts of the world. Therefore, this is the time when birds (in the European subcontinent where this festival originated) go out and look for their mates. This is the reason that this day has been chosen for its reference to the mating season of birds and to fertility. Another association of Valentines Day is to some fertility festivals of early European era. Ancient Athenians (people of Greek origin) observed February as the month of Gamelion to celebrate the marriage of Greek Gods - Zeus and Hera, ancient Romans (people who lived in the Roman empire, Rome is the capital of the present day Italy) celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia to honor the Roman Gods of fertility - Lupercus and Faunus.
Present Day Context
The present day context of this festival is as a day that honors love, commitment and promises for a life together. And understandably so, since we as a people hanker after those things that are usually lacking in the world around us. This is a major reason for this craze regarding love and romance. Though, there is a rising trend of 'celebrating love in all its forms', this festival mainly retains its initial relevance to romantic love. It is still known more for its affiliation to romance and sensuousness than for any other kind of bond.
Views on Valentines Day Celebrations
There are conflicting views on the celebration of Valentine's Day. Some people still recognise it as a Christian festival. And thus, do not even acknowledge its presence as an event to be marked in a calender year. The people who are critical of Valentines Day have two reasons to back their approach. One is the distinct religious leanings of this celebration. The other is that some people simply find this celebration silly, frivolous and impractical. Then there are those who are not bothered about the origins of this festival and associate it with rediscovering love and romance. It is to this group of Valentine Day lovers that this day owes its popularity to.
Valentine's Day has also undergone a transformation from a quiet, unassuming observance to a loud commercialized affair. There are different takes on this aspect among the world population. Some people celebrate this day with pomp and gaiety whereas others keep it a private affair. This approach to festivities of Valentines Day depends on two factors, one of which is the cultural and familial influences, the other is the age factor. There is an age and stage for these celebrations, but then some people never lose their innocent approach to love and life.
Day of Romance and Fertility
Some other associations with Valentines Day are related to the spring season. The spring season begins around mid February in most parts of the world. Therefore, this is the time when birds (in the European subcontinent where this festival originated) go out and look for their mates. This is the reason that this day has been chosen for its reference to the mating season of birds and to fertility. Another association of Valentines Day is to some fertility festivals of early European era. Ancient Athenians (people of Greek origin) observed February as the month of Gamelion to celebrate the marriage of Greek Gods - Zeus and Hera, ancient Romans (people who lived in the Roman empire, Rome is the capital of the present day Italy) celebrated the Feast of Lupercalia to honor the Roman Gods of fertility - Lupercus and Faunus.
Present Day Context
The present day context of this festival is as a day that honors love, commitment and promises for a life together. And understandably so, since we as a people hanker after those things that are usually lacking in the world around us. This is a major reason for this craze regarding love and romance. Though, there is a rising trend of 'celebrating love in all its forms', this festival mainly retains its initial relevance to romantic love. It is still known more for its affiliation to romance and sensuousness than for any other kind of bond.
Views on Valentines Day Celebrations
There are conflicting views on the celebration of Valentine's Day. Some people still recognise it as a Christian festival. And thus, do not even acknowledge its presence as an event to be marked in a calender year. The people who are critical of Valentines Day have two reasons to back their approach. One is the distinct religious leanings of this celebration. The other is that some people simply find this celebration silly, frivolous and impractical. Then there are those who are not bothered about the origins of this festival and associate it with rediscovering love and romance. It is to this group of Valentine Day lovers that this day owes its popularity to.
Valentine's Day has also undergone a transformation from a quiet, unassuming observance to a loud commercialized affair. There are different takes on this aspect among the world population. Some people celebrate this day with pomp and gaiety whereas others keep it a private affair. This approach to festivities of Valentines Day depends on two factors, one of which is the cultural and familial influences, the other is the age factor. There is an age and stage for these celebrations, but then some people never lose their innocent approach to love and life.
Valentine's Day Party Ideas.
It's the holiday of love! And whether your child's Valentine's Day Party is at home or at school, everyone will absolutely love these fun and tasty Valentine's Day party ideas – including Valentine's Day party invitations, Valentine's Day decorations, sweet treat recipes, and more.
Best for
Kids of all age love celebrating Valentine's Day. For elementary-age kids, you may even be able to have a school Valentine's Day party!
Party Planning
If you're having your Valentine's Day party at home, begin planning your bash six to eight weeks in advance. This will allow you time to gather all the supplies that you need, including Valentine's Day decorations Valentine's Day balloons, gifts, and menu items. Planning ahead also gives your guests time to RSVP and make travel plans, if needed. Don't panic if you find yourself short on time; you can still plan a great party! Planning ahead simply reduces the risk of conflicts with guests' plans and may increase your party’s attendance.
For invitations, use white, red or pink card stock or construction paper folded in half, and decorate it with heart-shaped cutouts or Valentine's Day stickers. You can also use our easy, printable party invitations. Or, if you’re short on time, purchase personalized or pre-printed Valentine's Day party invitations online. We recommend mailing your invitations three to four weeks prior to the party—any sooner and your guests may forget, any later and your guests may already have plans.
If you're having a classroom Valentine's Day party, work with your child's teacher to have flyers sent home with each child at least two weeks in advance. Make sure the flyer contains any important information on donations that people can make to the party, any food or drinks that children should bring, or assistance that other parents can provide on the day of the party.
To simplify the rest of the party planning process, check out our Party Planning Timeline, and read the paragraphs below for information on selecting Valentine's Day party supplies, classroom Valentine's Day party activities, and more for your child's party.
What You’ll Need
If you plan to use paper tableware and Valentine's Day party supplies, our Suggested Party Supply List may be quite helpful. Please note that you may not need everything on the list; it is intended only as a guide.
For this party, think red and white (with some pink mixed in) as your main color scheme. Simple white and red balloons and pretty pastel streamers work perfectly. Fill your goodie-bags with Valentine's party favors (bubbles, notepads, stampers etc...) and assorted sweet candies. Place all of these items inside clear or printed cellophane bags, and tie the bags closed with pretty, pastel-colored ribbons.
Best for
Kids of all age love celebrating Valentine's Day. For elementary-age kids, you may even be able to have a school Valentine's Day party!
Party Planning
If you're having your Valentine's Day party at home, begin planning your bash six to eight weeks in advance. This will allow you time to gather all the supplies that you need, including Valentine's Day decorations Valentine's Day balloons, gifts, and menu items. Planning ahead also gives your guests time to RSVP and make travel plans, if needed. Don't panic if you find yourself short on time; you can still plan a great party! Planning ahead simply reduces the risk of conflicts with guests' plans and may increase your party’s attendance.
For invitations, use white, red or pink card stock or construction paper folded in half, and decorate it with heart-shaped cutouts or Valentine's Day stickers. You can also use our easy, printable party invitations. Or, if you’re short on time, purchase personalized or pre-printed Valentine's Day party invitations online. We recommend mailing your invitations three to four weeks prior to the party—any sooner and your guests may forget, any later and your guests may already have plans.
If you're having a classroom Valentine's Day party, work with your child's teacher to have flyers sent home with each child at least two weeks in advance. Make sure the flyer contains any important information on donations that people can make to the party, any food or drinks that children should bring, or assistance that other parents can provide on the day of the party.
To simplify the rest of the party planning process, check out our Party Planning Timeline, and read the paragraphs below for information on selecting Valentine's Day party supplies, classroom Valentine's Day party activities, and more for your child's party.
What You’ll Need
If you plan to use paper tableware and Valentine's Day party supplies, our Suggested Party Supply List may be quite helpful. Please note that you may not need everything on the list; it is intended only as a guide.
For this party, think red and white (with some pink mixed in) as your main color scheme. Simple white and red balloons and pretty pastel streamers work perfectly. Fill your goodie-bags with Valentine's party favors (bubbles, notepads, stampers etc...) and assorted sweet candies. Place all of these items inside clear or printed cellophane bags, and tie the bags closed with pretty, pastel-colored ribbons.
Features Of Valentine's Day .
To begin the festival, members of the Luperci, an order of Roman priests, would gather at the sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, were believed to have been cared for by a she-wolf or lupa. The priests would then sacrifice a goat, for fertility, and a dog, for purification.
The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.
In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.
According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)
Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.
Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".
The boys then sliced the goat's hide into strips, dipped them in the sacrificial blood and took to the streets, gently slapping both women and fields of crops with the goathide strips. Far from being fearful, Roman women welcomed being touched with the hides because it was believed the strips would make them more fertile in the coming year. Later in the day, according to legend, all the young women in the city would place their names in a big urn. The city's bachelors would then each choose a name out of the urn and become paired for the year with his chosen woman. These matches often ended in marriage. Pope Gelasius declared February 14 St. Valentine's Day around 498 A.D. The Roman 'lottery' system for romantic pairing was deemed un-Christian and outlawed. Later, during the Middle Ages, it was commonly believed in France and England that February 14 was the beginning of birds' mating season, which added to the idea that the middle of February — Valentine's Day — should be a day for romance. The oldest known valentine still in existence today was a poem written by Charles, Duke of Orleans to his wife while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London following his capture at the Battle of Agincourt. The greeting, which was written in 1415, is part of the manuscript collection of the British Library in London, England. Several years later, it is believed that King Henry V hired a writer named John Lydgate to compose a valentine note to Catherine of Valois.
In Great Britain, Valentine's Day began to be popularly celebrated around the seventeenth century. By the middle of the eighteenth century, it was common for friends and lovers in all social classes to exchange small tokens of affection or handwritten notes. By the end of the century, printed cards began to replace written letters due to improvements in printing technology. Ready-made cards were an easy way for people to express their emotions in a time when direct expression of one's feelings was discouraged. Cheaper postage rates also contributed to an increase in the popularity of sending Valentine's Day greetings. Americans probably began exchanging hand-made valentines in the early 1700s. In the 1840s, Esther A. Howland began to sell the first mass-produced valentines in America.
According to the Greeting Card Association, an estimated one billion valentine cards are sent each year, making Valentine's Day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year. (An estimated 2.6 billion cards are sent for Christmas.)
Approximately 85 percent of all valentines are purchased by women. In addition to the United States, Valentine's Day is celebrated in Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, France, and Australia.
Valentine greetings were popular as far back as the Middle Ages (written Valentine's didn't begin to appear until after 1400), and the oldest known Valentine card is on display at the British Museum. The first commercial Valentine's Day greeting cards produced in the U.S. were created in the 1840s by Esther A. Howland. Howland, known as the Mother of the Valentine, made elaborate creations with real lace, ribbons and colorful pictures known as "scrap".
The History of Valentine's Day.
Every February, across the country, candy, flowers, and gifts are exchanged between loved ones, all in the name of St. Valentine. But who is this mysterious saint and why do we celebrate this holiday? The history of Valentine's Day — and its patron saint — is shrouded in mystery. But we do know that February has long been a month of romance. St. Valentine's Day, as we know it today, contains vestiges of both Christian and ancient Roman tradition. So, who was Saint Valentine and how did he become associated with this ancient rite? Today, the Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
A picture of Cupid.
Video: Who is St. Valentine? Why do we celebrate on February 14? Watch the HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY.
Video: From the first mail-posted Valentine on record in 1806 to some of the precursors to today's Valentines, Watch VALENTINE'S CARDS on history.
Video: He's a 3,000 year-old baby with wings, he shoots love-tipped arrows into unsuspecting people, and his name is Cupid: The God of Love.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men — his crop of potential soldiers. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death.
A picture of Cupid.
Video: Who is St. Valentine? Why do we celebrate on February 14? Watch the HISTORY OF VALENTINE'S DAY.
Video: From the first mail-posted Valentine on record in 1806 to some of the precursors to today's Valentines, Watch VALENTINE'S CARDS on history.
Video: He's a 3,000 year-old baby with wings, he shoots love-tipped arrows into unsuspecting people, and his name is Cupid: The God of Love.
Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons where they were often beaten and tortured.
According to one legend, Valentine actually sent the first 'valentine' greeting himself. While in prison, it is believed that Valentine fell in love with a young girl — who may have been his jailor's daughter — who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter, which he signed 'From your Valentine,' an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories certainly emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic, and, most importantly, romantic figure. It's no surprise that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was one of the most popular saints in England and France.
While some believe that Valentine's Day is celebrated in the middle of February to commemorate the anniversary of Valentine's death or burial — which probably occurred around 270 A.D — others claim that the Christian church may have decided to celebrate Valentine's feast day in the middle of February in an effort to 'christianize' celebrations of the pagan Lupercalia festival. In ancient Rome, February was the official beginning of spring and was considered a time for purification. Houses were ritually cleansed by sweeping them out and then sprinkling salt and a type of wheat called spelt throughout their interiors. Lupercalia, which began at the ides of February, February 15, was a fertility festival dedicated to Faunus, the Roman god of agriculture, as well as to the Roman founders Romulus and Remus.
Friday, January 29, 2010
10 Romantic Movies for Valentine's Day.
Watching a romantic comedy is a fun way to celebrate Valentine's Day, whether you're spending the holiday with your special someone or a whole slew of friends and family. And there are lots of lovely movies to choose from. TheHolidaySpot suggests you the following movies that are all-time hits with cinegoers and celebrate the wonderful feeling called love in a beautiful way.
an affair to remember]
An Affair to Remember (1957)
Director: Leo McCarey Starring: Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning, Neva Patterson, Cathleen Nesbitt.
Plot: Handsome playboy Nicky Ferrante and beautiful night club singer Terry McKay have a romance while on a cruise from Europe to New York. Despite being engaged to other people, both agree to reunite at the top of the Empire State Building in six months. However, an unfortunate accident keeps Terry from the reunion, and Nicky fears that she has married or does not love him anymore. Will he discover the truth behind her absence and reunite with his one true love, or has fate and destiny passed them by?
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Director: Taylor Hackford Starring: Richard Gere, Debra Winger, Louis Gossett, Jr., David Keith, Lisa Blount.
Plot: Zack Mayo is a young man who has signed up for Navy Flight School. He is a Navy brat who has a bad attitude problem. Sgt. Foley is there to train and evaluate him and will clearly find Zack wanting. Zack meets Paula, a girl who has little beyond family and must decide what it is he wants to do with his life.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Director: Mike Newell Starring: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow, James Fleet.
Plot: The film follows the fortunes of Charles and his friends as they wonder if they will ever find true love and marry. Charles thinks he's found "Miss Right" in Carrie, an American. This British subtle comedy revolves around Charlie, his friends and the four weddings and one funeral which they attend.
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
Director: Nora Ephron Starring: Dana Ivey, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger, Rosie O'Donnell.
Plot: Tom Hanks stars in this film as widower and single father Sam. When Sam's son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), calls into a talk radio program looking for a new mother, Sam ends up getting on the phone and laments about his lost love. Thousands of miles away, Annie (Meg Ryan) hears the program and immediately falls in love with Sam, despite the fact that she has never met him and that she is engaged to humdrum Walter (Bill Pullman). Believing they are meant to be together, Annie sets out for Seattle to meet Sam, who, meanwhile, contends with an onslaught of letters from available women equally touched by his phone call. Will
Titanic (1997)
Director: James Cameron Starring: Dana Ivey, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger, Rosie O'Donnell.
Plot: This fictional romance features Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, and Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater, two members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the 'unsinkable' ship RMS Titanic. But on 15 April 1912, Titanic meets with an accident on her maiden voyage. What happens to the lovers? Will their love survive?
The Way We Were (1973)
Director: Sydney Pollack Starring: Barbra Streisand, Robert Redford, Bradford Dillman and Lois Chiles.
Plot: The film tells the story of an intense Jewish woman who marries a carefree WASP following World War II. Fundamental differences in the way they engage the world – as revealed in their responses to the rise of McCarthyism – eventually pull them apart. The film is both a romance of star-crossed lovers and a morality tale about the importance of commitment to both individuals and relationships.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Director: Rob Reiner Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby, Steve Ford.
Plot: This romantic comedy centres around Harry and Sally both of whom search for love, but fail, bumping into each other time and time again. Finally a close friendship blooms between them, and they both like having a friend of the opposite sex. But then they are confronted with the problem: "Can a man and a woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?"
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Director: Jon Turteltaub Starring: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Peter Boyle, Jack Warden.
Plot: This fairytale romance stars Sandra Bullock as a love-starved subway toll booth operator, Lucy. who pines for regular customer Peter (Peter Gallagher), and rescues him from almost being run over by a train. While he is in a coma in the hospital, his family mistakenly believes Lucu to be Peter's fiancee. In this cofusion, Lucy finds true love in Jack (Bill Pullman), Peter's brother.
You've Got Mail (1998)
Director: Hallee Hirsh, Michael Palin, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Greg Kinnear, Jean Stapleton
Plot: Kathleen Kelly, owner of a little and famous bookstore for children's books falls in love with a man over the internet without knowing him in person. Suddenly, her business gets endangered by the opening of Fox Books discount store just "around the corner". Although getting advice by her anonymous mail-pal, she has to close down her store and is full of hatred for Fox Books. Will she ever know that her anonymous mail-pal is actually Joe Fox, the son of the owner of Fox Books?
Two Weeks Notice (2002)
Director: Marc Lawrence Starring: Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant, Alicia Witt, Dana Ivey, Robert Klein.
Plot: Lucy Kelton (Sandra Bullock) is the Chief Legal Counsel for one of New York's leading commercial real estate firms, the Wade Corporation. George Wade (Hugh Grant), is the eccentric and remarkably self-centered head of the firm who seems entirely incapable of making a decision without Lucy's advice. When things start to get too much for Lucy, she gives him two weeks notice, and George reluctantly accepts, under one condition -- Lucy has to hire her own replacement. After extensive research, Lucy picks June Carter (Alicia Witt), a Harvard Law graduate determined to make a career for herself. Lucy soon begins to suspect, however, that June plans to hasten her rise up the corporate ladder by winning George's hand, leaving Lucy to wonder if she should warn George about his beautiful but calculating new attorney -- and whether she should tell George that she has finally realized she's in love with him.
an affair to remember]
An Affair to Remember (1957)
Director: Leo McCarey Starring: Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, Richard Denning, Neva Patterson, Cathleen Nesbitt.
Plot: Handsome playboy Nicky Ferrante and beautiful night club singer Terry McKay have a romance while on a cruise from Europe to New York. Despite being engaged to other people, both agree to reunite at the top of the Empire State Building in six months. However, an unfortunate accident keeps Terry from the reunion, and Nicky fears that she has married or does not love him anymore. Will he discover the truth behind her absence and reunite with his one true love, or has fate and destiny passed them by?
An Officer and a Gentleman (1982)
Director: Taylor Hackford Starring: Richard Gere, Debra Winger, Louis Gossett, Jr., David Keith, Lisa Blount.
Plot: Zack Mayo is a young man who has signed up for Navy Flight School. He is a Navy brat who has a bad attitude problem. Sgt. Foley is there to train and evaluate him and will clearly find Zack wanting. Zack meets Paula, a girl who has little beyond family and must decide what it is he wants to do with his life.
Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
Director: Mike Newell Starring: Hugh Grant, Andie MacDowell, Kristin Scott Thomas, Simon Callow, James Fleet.
Plot: The film follows the fortunes of Charles and his friends as they wonder if they will ever find true love and marry. Charles thinks he's found "Miss Right" in Carrie, an American. This British subtle comedy revolves around Charlie, his friends and the four weddings and one funeral which they attend.
Sleepless in Seattle (1993)
Director: Nora Ephron Starring: Dana Ivey, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger, Rosie O'Donnell.
Plot: Tom Hanks stars in this film as widower and single father Sam. When Sam's son, Jonah (Ross Malinger), calls into a talk radio program looking for a new mother, Sam ends up getting on the phone and laments about his lost love. Thousands of miles away, Annie (Meg Ryan) hears the program and immediately falls in love with Sam, despite the fact that she has never met him and that she is engaged to humdrum Walter (Bill Pullman). Believing they are meant to be together, Annie sets out for Seattle to meet Sam, who, meanwhile, contends with an onslaught of letters from available women equally touched by his phone call. Will
Titanic (1997)
Director: James Cameron Starring: Dana Ivey, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger, Rosie O'Donnell.
Plot: This fictional romance features Leonardo DiCaprio as Jack Dawson, and Kate Winslet as Rose DeWitt Bukater, two members of different social classes who fall in love aboard the 'unsinkable' ship RMS Titanic. But on 15 April 1912, Titanic meets with an accident on her maiden voyage. What happens to the lovers? Will their love survive?
The Way We Were (1973)
Director: Sydney Pollack Starring: Barbra Streisand, Robert Redford, Bradford Dillman and Lois Chiles.
Plot: The film tells the story of an intense Jewish woman who marries a carefree WASP following World War II. Fundamental differences in the way they engage the world – as revealed in their responses to the rise of McCarthyism – eventually pull them apart. The film is both a romance of star-crossed lovers and a morality tale about the importance of commitment to both individuals and relationships.
When Harry Met Sally (1989)
Director: Rob Reiner Starring: Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, Carrie Fisher, Bruno Kirby, Steve Ford.
Plot: This romantic comedy centres around Harry and Sally both of whom search for love, but fail, bumping into each other time and time again. Finally a close friendship blooms between them, and they both like having a friend of the opposite sex. But then they are confronted with the problem: "Can a man and a woman be friends, without sex getting in the way?"
While You Were Sleeping (1995)
Director: Jon Turteltaub Starring: Sandra Bullock, Bill Pullman, Peter Gallagher, Peter Boyle, Jack Warden.
Plot: This fairytale romance stars Sandra Bullock as a love-starved subway toll booth operator, Lucy. who pines for regular customer Peter (Peter Gallagher), and rescues him from almost being run over by a train. While he is in a coma in the hospital, his family mistakenly believes Lucu to be Peter's fiancee. In this cofusion, Lucy finds true love in Jack (Bill Pullman), Peter's brother.
You've Got Mail (1998)
Director: Hallee Hirsh, Michael Palin, Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Parker Posey, Greg Kinnear, Jean Stapleton
Plot: Kathleen Kelly, owner of a little and famous bookstore for children's books falls in love with a man over the internet without knowing him in person. Suddenly, her business gets endangered by the opening of Fox Books discount store just "around the corner". Although getting advice by her anonymous mail-pal, she has to close down her store and is full of hatred for Fox Books. Will she ever know that her anonymous mail-pal is actually Joe Fox, the son of the owner of Fox Books?
Two Weeks Notice (2002)
Director: Marc Lawrence Starring: Sandra Bullock, Hugh Grant, Alicia Witt, Dana Ivey, Robert Klein.
Plot: Lucy Kelton (Sandra Bullock) is the Chief Legal Counsel for one of New York's leading commercial real estate firms, the Wade Corporation. George Wade (Hugh Grant), is the eccentric and remarkably self-centered head of the firm who seems entirely incapable of making a decision without Lucy's advice. When things start to get too much for Lucy, she gives him two weeks notice, and George reluctantly accepts, under one condition -- Lucy has to hire her own replacement. After extensive research, Lucy picks June Carter (Alicia Witt), a Harvard Law graduate determined to make a career for herself. Lucy soon begins to suspect, however, that June plans to hasten her rise up the corporate ladder by winning George's hand, leaving Lucy to wonder if she should warn George about his beautiful but calculating new attorney -- and whether she should tell George that she has finally realized she's in love with him.
Send your 35 Reasons why you love him/her.
1 I can be myself when I am with you.
2 Your idea of romance is dim lights, soft music, and just the two of us.
3 Because you make me feel like, like, like I have never felt before.
4 I can tell you anything, and you won't be shocked.
romance
undying faith
5 Your undying faith is what keeps the flame out of love alive
6 You and me together, we can make magic.
7 We're a perfect match.
8 Thinking of you, fills me with a wonderful feeling.
9 Your love gives me the feeling, that the best is still ahead.
10 You never give up on me, and that's what keeps me going.
11 You are simply irresistible
12 I love you because you bring the best out of me.
propose
sense of humor
13 Your terrific sense of humor
14 Every time I look at you, my heart misses a beatheart
15 You're the one who holds the key to my heart
16 You always say what I need to hear (You are perfect).
17 You have taught me the true meaning of love.
18 Love is, what you mean to me - and you mean everything.
19 You are my theme for a dream.
20 I have had the time of my life and I owe it all to you.
21 When I look into your eyes, I can see your heart.
22 Your love for me is a natural anti-depressant.
love
by my side
23 I love to hear your voice.
24 Your love has helped me to rediscover myself.
25 Your love is an effective anti-dote to despair.
26 I love to wake up with you by my side...It makes my days better.
27 You always make me feel that you are by my side no matter what.
28 I love that feeling of being secure when you wrap your arms around me.
29 I love the way you keep your cool when I do something stupid.
30 Just being with you feels like I can defy the whole world.
31 You mean the world to me.
32 I like your small gestures that speak volumes about how much you care.
arms around you
treasure of love
33 I love the way you treasure the gifts that I gave you.
34 I love the way you patch up with me after a tumultuous fight.
35 And, of-course, your intelligence, 'cause you were smart enough to fall in love with me
2 Your idea of romance is dim lights, soft music, and just the two of us.
3 Because you make me feel like, like, like I have never felt before.
4 I can tell you anything, and you won't be shocked.
romance
undying faith
5 Your undying faith is what keeps the flame out of love alive
6 You and me together, we can make magic.
7 We're a perfect match.
8 Thinking of you, fills me with a wonderful feeling.
9 Your love gives me the feeling, that the best is still ahead.
10 You never give up on me, and that's what keeps me going.
11 You are simply irresistible
12 I love you because you bring the best out of me.
propose
sense of humor
13 Your terrific sense of humor
14 Every time I look at you, my heart misses a beatheart
15 You're the one who holds the key to my heart
16 You always say what I need to hear (You are perfect).
17 You have taught me the true meaning of love.
18 Love is, what you mean to me - and you mean everything.
19 You are my theme for a dream.
20 I have had the time of my life and I owe it all to you.
21 When I look into your eyes, I can see your heart.
22 Your love for me is a natural anti-depressant.
love
by my side
23 I love to hear your voice.
24 Your love has helped me to rediscover myself.
25 Your love is an effective anti-dote to despair.
26 I love to wake up with you by my side...It makes my days better.
27 You always make me feel that you are by my side no matter what.
28 I love that feeling of being secure when you wrap your arms around me.
29 I love the way you keep your cool when I do something stupid.
30 Just being with you feels like I can defy the whole world.
31 You mean the world to me.
32 I like your small gestures that speak volumes about how much you care.
arms around you
treasure of love
33 I love the way you treasure the gifts that I gave you.
34 I love the way you patch up with me after a tumultuous fight.
35 And, of-course, your intelligence, 'cause you were smart enough to fall in love with me
Gift Ideas For Valentine's Day For Lovers.
Talk with your loved one, and gift at-least half of the money you would spend for the gifts, to missionaries, or for the poor. You will have the best of feelings inside you.
Pack a Chocolate Box with heart-printed wrapping paper, and sign it with a tag. You can also leave it at a place where your loved one will find it for sure.
Copy (or write) a love poem on a good letter pad, and express your special thoughts. You can also add it on with any other gifts that you are planning to give. You can take help from our Poems and free letterheads sections. You should also send a free virtual greetings, cause they are very popular now, and one expects them at every occasion. Click here to send one now !
Material Gifts are not the only things you can give, there could be better options. Plan out a special dinner with your sweetheart. It could be a candlelight or an open-air. But it has to be special in someway, otherwise the charm will be lost. If you do not have option of making it special, plan for some sort of surprise that you can give right after the dinner. However, one of the best option is to get a proper gift, and then personalize it for the person you are sending it to. This way, your gift will be always very special, and would always find a place in the nearest display rack, for many years to come. What's more, these gifts seem to speak for themselves. So a personalized gift is highly recommended.
Pack a Chocolate Box with heart-printed wrapping paper, and sign it with a tag. You can also leave it at a place where your loved one will find it for sure.
Copy (or write) a love poem on a good letter pad, and express your special thoughts. You can also add it on with any other gifts that you are planning to give. You can take help from our Poems and free letterheads sections. You should also send a free virtual greetings, cause they are very popular now, and one expects them at every occasion. Click here to send one now !
Material Gifts are not the only things you can give, there could be better options. Plan out a special dinner with your sweetheart. It could be a candlelight or an open-air. But it has to be special in someway, otherwise the charm will be lost. If you do not have option of making it special, plan for some sort of surprise that you can give right after the dinner. However, one of the best option is to get a proper gift, and then personalize it for the person you are sending it to. This way, your gift will be always very special, and would always find a place in the nearest display rack, for many years to come. What's more, these gifts seem to speak for themselves. So a personalized gift is highly recommended.
Simple Steps For Improve Your Marriage..
Check out these simple steps and improve your marriage. Practicing these small steps will make a world of difference in your relationship with your spouse.
Open Your Heart
Any relationship works only when you open your heart and convey your feelings to the other person. And this is specially necessary in marriage, where the husband and wife are said to be of one flesh and blood. An increased bank balance or a healthy sex life with your spouse loses does not mean much unless you two have a candid relationship. So make it a point to indulge in a heart-to-heart conversation with your partner, at least for half an hour each day.
spacer
Know your spouse
Most of us live married for years without actually knowing our partner. This is because most of us are too full of ourselves to pay attention to others. That's why, often we fail to recognize our mates properly and miss out little things about them till we come to know about them through some other source or when a third person points out those things. That fills us with guilt and often makes us jealous. But the truth is, you should spend more time with your partner and try to understand him/her more.
Be on Time
Being punctual is the greatest tip for people of both sexes. Be on time for your date. It's real bad manners on your part to turn up late and let your date wait anxiously. It makes you seem rude and an insincere person to have a relationship with.
Listening
Try to talk less and listen more. That way, you will discover your spouse's thoughts and feelings more and more. A recently conducted research shows that the average person listens for only seventeen seconds before interrupting with his/her own ideas. Probably you do it too. But you can improve it. Work to increase your listening span more and more. Practice looking at and paying attention to your spouse when he/she talks to you. Remember, listening begins with seeing and having eye contact with your patrner while having a conversation, shows that you are attentive to the words being spoken to you.
Don't Bicker
A lot of marriages head to the brink of seperation only because of constant bickering among the partners. Do you do so too? Just pause and think, how many times did you tell something to your spouse that you repented upon later and rued that you had better left it unsaid? Ignore the little things, and save the confrontations for the bigger problems. Whenever an argument arises, try to solve it peacefully. Even if you have to raise your voice, never lose temper and never let the thought of seperation cross your mind. No marriage is perfect and differences are part of any relationship, be itamong friends or family members or spouses. Tolerance, a little patience, understanding your partner's wishes and respecting his/her opinions are what are required for a smooth marriage life. Be gentle with one another and never go to bed angry with each another. This is harder on the both of you. Keep in mind that no problem is so big that you can't solve it together. No trouble is worth breaking your marriage over.
Appreciate
A common habit of most humans is to see only the negative qualities in their spouse and ignore the posive ones. But no relationship can benefit from constant criticizing and nitpicking. Try to appreciate whatever good you find in your partner and do so openly, vocally. Remember, all of us want a little appreciation in our lives.
Talk
Communication is the key to a healthy marriage. Having a great relationship doesn't mean that things are always perfect. If you have problems, you need to talk about them, and work out a solution that is acceptable to both of you. Make sure that you have an open relationship with your spouse. That way, you will get to know what your partner's expectations are from you. Once you get to know, do not ignore those. Work on them. The little botherations of today can build up into something so big tomorrow, that you may not be able to solve them ever.
Thank your Partner
Try to thank your partner now and then for everyday things like making a meal, taking out the garbage, cleaning the garage or buying the groceries. Common courtesies help a great deal in any relationship. Whatever duties your partner performs in a relationship, a thank you or a compliment can mean a lot. We all crave for some acknowledgement in life. Tell your spouse at some opportune moment, how much he/ she means to you. Acnowledgement is a great necessity in marriage; it fills the recipent with a sense of belonging and acts as an encouragement. If you're not used to doing this, you may need some time to really think about what life would be like without your partner.
Laugh
The couple that laughs together often, stays together always. Modern life has resulted in all of us being tensed and worried for some reason or another all the time. Laughter goes on to ease that. Try to make one another laugh everyday! Too much serious talking can leave you both stressed out, making you both grumpy. Joking and having a good laugh every now and then is necessary for a happy married life.
Share the reponsibilities
The birth of a child often intensifies the stress in the household and creates a distance between husband and wife. Men normally tend to distance themselves from the entire situation, leaving the mother to feel alone and burdened with the responsibilty of rearing the child. This is a wrong approach, for bringing up a baby requires the sharing of feelings and responsibilities of both parents.
Spend time with each other
Take a break and try to spend sometime with each other from time to time. This tends to keep the romance alive and provides both partners a welcome relief from the hassles of family life. Even if ytou have a baby, arrange for a babysitter, and enjoy time as a couple. Go out to dine together, watch a movie or enjoy some game that you both like. Leave aside all worries for sometime and enjoy life in the company of each other. You will be surprised at how refreshed you feel and these timeoffs will give you both a renewed energy and enthusiasm to face life.
Say "I love you!"
I Love You. Just saying these magic words now and then can help you keep the flame of romance burning in your life. Try it often. You're feel a visible difference, not only in your marriage, but in your entire family as well. Remember, happy couples are the foundation for happy families!
Open Your Heart
Any relationship works only when you open your heart and convey your feelings to the other person. And this is specially necessary in marriage, where the husband and wife are said to be of one flesh and blood. An increased bank balance or a healthy sex life with your spouse loses does not mean much unless you two have a candid relationship. So make it a point to indulge in a heart-to-heart conversation with your partner, at least for half an hour each day.
spacer
Know your spouse
Most of us live married for years without actually knowing our partner. This is because most of us are too full of ourselves to pay attention to others. That's why, often we fail to recognize our mates properly and miss out little things about them till we come to know about them through some other source or when a third person points out those things. That fills us with guilt and often makes us jealous. But the truth is, you should spend more time with your partner and try to understand him/her more.
Be on Time
Being punctual is the greatest tip for people of both sexes. Be on time for your date. It's real bad manners on your part to turn up late and let your date wait anxiously. It makes you seem rude and an insincere person to have a relationship with.
Listening
Try to talk less and listen more. That way, you will discover your spouse's thoughts and feelings more and more. A recently conducted research shows that the average person listens for only seventeen seconds before interrupting with his/her own ideas. Probably you do it too. But you can improve it. Work to increase your listening span more and more. Practice looking at and paying attention to your spouse when he/she talks to you. Remember, listening begins with seeing and having eye contact with your patrner while having a conversation, shows that you are attentive to the words being spoken to you.
Don't Bicker
A lot of marriages head to the brink of seperation only because of constant bickering among the partners. Do you do so too? Just pause and think, how many times did you tell something to your spouse that you repented upon later and rued that you had better left it unsaid? Ignore the little things, and save the confrontations for the bigger problems. Whenever an argument arises, try to solve it peacefully. Even if you have to raise your voice, never lose temper and never let the thought of seperation cross your mind. No marriage is perfect and differences are part of any relationship, be itamong friends or family members or spouses. Tolerance, a little patience, understanding your partner's wishes and respecting his/her opinions are what are required for a smooth marriage life. Be gentle with one another and never go to bed angry with each another. This is harder on the both of you. Keep in mind that no problem is so big that you can't solve it together. No trouble is worth breaking your marriage over.
Appreciate
A common habit of most humans is to see only the negative qualities in their spouse and ignore the posive ones. But no relationship can benefit from constant criticizing and nitpicking. Try to appreciate whatever good you find in your partner and do so openly, vocally. Remember, all of us want a little appreciation in our lives.
Talk
Communication is the key to a healthy marriage. Having a great relationship doesn't mean that things are always perfect. If you have problems, you need to talk about them, and work out a solution that is acceptable to both of you. Make sure that you have an open relationship with your spouse. That way, you will get to know what your partner's expectations are from you. Once you get to know, do not ignore those. Work on them. The little botherations of today can build up into something so big tomorrow, that you may not be able to solve them ever.
Thank your Partner
Try to thank your partner now and then for everyday things like making a meal, taking out the garbage, cleaning the garage or buying the groceries. Common courtesies help a great deal in any relationship. Whatever duties your partner performs in a relationship, a thank you or a compliment can mean a lot. We all crave for some acknowledgement in life. Tell your spouse at some opportune moment, how much he/ she means to you. Acnowledgement is a great necessity in marriage; it fills the recipent with a sense of belonging and acts as an encouragement. If you're not used to doing this, you may need some time to really think about what life would be like without your partner.
Laugh
The couple that laughs together often, stays together always. Modern life has resulted in all of us being tensed and worried for some reason or another all the time. Laughter goes on to ease that. Try to make one another laugh everyday! Too much serious talking can leave you both stressed out, making you both grumpy. Joking and having a good laugh every now and then is necessary for a happy married life.
Share the reponsibilities
The birth of a child often intensifies the stress in the household and creates a distance between husband and wife. Men normally tend to distance themselves from the entire situation, leaving the mother to feel alone and burdened with the responsibilty of rearing the child. This is a wrong approach, for bringing up a baby requires the sharing of feelings and responsibilities of both parents.
Spend time with each other
Take a break and try to spend sometime with each other from time to time. This tends to keep the romance alive and provides both partners a welcome relief from the hassles of family life. Even if ytou have a baby, arrange for a babysitter, and enjoy time as a couple. Go out to dine together, watch a movie or enjoy some game that you both like. Leave aside all worries for sometime and enjoy life in the company of each other. You will be surprised at how refreshed you feel and these timeoffs will give you both a renewed energy and enthusiasm to face life.
Say "I love you!"
I Love You. Just saying these magic words now and then can help you keep the flame of romance burning in your life. Try it often. You're feel a visible difference, not only in your marriage, but in your entire family as well. Remember, happy couples are the foundation for happy families!
Top 9 Romantic Dating Tips.
Check out these romantic dating ideas and make your date a roaring success:
One of the oldest tricks in the book is to show the person you date how busy you are. Men or women, both sexes love to date someone who's rare and outta ordinary. Showing yourself as a busy person makes it seem you are taking time from your busy schedule to meet your date and that's what makes you special. It's showing your partner how lucky he/she is to have you there as a date. The perception will be - if your time is important, you're important. Simple tricks to do this are - Talking over the phone only for a short time and hanging up first after a conversation; keeping the appointments to some other convenient time of yours( ex: "I'm occupied that day, I can't make it. If you don't mind...let's see...what about Thursday? I'm free then.") and not calling your date constantly. Never seem too available.
Keep yourself busy before your date. Thinking about your date over and over again can complicate the situation and make you goof it all up. Don't wait all day to attend your date, rather see it as another event that may work out or maybe not.
Being punctual is the greatest tip for people of both sexes. Be on time for your date. It's real bad manners on your part to turn up late and let your date wait anxiously. It makes you seem rude and an insincere person to have a relationship with.
You read it right. Be yourself while you date. Making an impression upon your date and be in your best self is okay but trying to be someone else is not. You can never really measure up to your partner's ideal and even if you do, you can't manage to do it forever. You’ll only get yourself stuck in a role-playing that will increasingly become difficult and irritating for you. Eventually your partner will see through your deception and be offended by your dishonesty.
Men often complain how women can’t take a compliment properly. This is the chance for all you women to prove 'em wrong. If he tells you that you look lovely in that dress, return his compliment with a simple, "Thank you". Do not contradict him or go into the details of the dress to justify your beauty for it will be embarrasing, for him as well as for you. Just accept his compliment with grace. It'll show him that you know you you look great. He'll appreciate your grace and be impressed with your self-confidence and ease with yourself.
Talking about last boyfriend, fiancé or husband is a strict no-no for women on the first few dates. This is because when a woman talks about her ex, men usually assume that she is still bitter and angry about being dumped. Guys don’t like such an emotional baggage and there goes kaput your chances of a second meeting with him.
While dating, your partner is bound to ask you some personal questions out of curiosity. Your answers should be brief and to the point. But talking too much about how much of a pest your boss is or why you just can't patch up with your estranged father can be repulsive to your date. Pouring your heart out is okay, but not early on in a relationship. Your complaints and anguish can make your partner feel that you're not happy with yourself. How can you make him/her happy then? So, stick to positive subjects while you date.
Express Your Opinions Honestly
Sharing the same views as your date can be great to win him/her over but that doesn't mean you have to be servile and say 'yes' when you want to say 'no'. It can flatter your date to an extent but that will soon turn to boredom and irritation when he'she realizes you are impossible to have an intelligent conversation with. Stand firm on issues that are important to you, but don't contradict just to show you are strong. Also, don’t argue just to prove you’re right. Converse cooly and honestly. You're going on a date, not a debate.
Never compare
Finally, never compare your dates in your mind. "Jane is lovely, but Joanna was sweeter or John is charming though Jack was more dashing" is the wrong approach to dating. Remember, going on a date means you're checking out a person not a product that you can buy. Each person has his/her own specialities and hence, comparing them would be inappropriate. Just give some time to your date and see what type of a person he/she is. The more you know your partner, there are chances of your discovering better things about him/her that you'd probably never have ever dreamt of.
I am there, I am not
One of the oldest tricks in the book is to show the person you date how busy you are. Men or women, both sexes love to date someone who's rare and outta ordinary. Showing yourself as a busy person makes it seem you are taking time from your busy schedule to meet your date and that's what makes you special. It's showing your partner how lucky he/she is to have you there as a date. The perception will be - if your time is important, you're important. Simple tricks to do this are - Talking over the phone only for a short time and hanging up first after a conversation; keeping the appointments to some other convenient time of yours( ex: "I'm occupied that day, I can't make it. If you don't mind...let's see...what about Thursday? I'm free then.") and not calling your date constantly. Never seem too available.
Keep youself occupied
Keep yourself busy before your date. Thinking about your date over and over again can complicate the situation and make you goof it all up. Don't wait all day to attend your date, rather see it as another event that may work out or maybe not.
Be on Time
Being punctual is the greatest tip for people of both sexes. Be on time for your date. It's real bad manners on your part to turn up late and let your date wait anxiously. It makes you seem rude and an insincere person to have a relationship with.
Be Yourself
You read it right. Be yourself while you date. Making an impression upon your date and be in your best self is okay but trying to be someone else is not. You can never really measure up to your partner's ideal and even if you do, you can't manage to do it forever. You’ll only get yourself stuck in a role-playing that will increasingly become difficult and irritating for you. Eventually your partner will see through your deception and be offended by your dishonesty.
Accept compliments with grace
Men often complain how women can’t take a compliment properly. This is the chance for all you women to prove 'em wrong. If he tells you that you look lovely in that dress, return his compliment with a simple, "Thank you". Do not contradict him or go into the details of the dress to justify your beauty for it will be embarrasing, for him as well as for you. Just accept his compliment with grace. It'll show him that you know you you look great. He'll appreciate your grace and be impressed with your self-confidence and ease with yourself.
No ex-factor
Talking about last boyfriend, fiancé or husband is a strict no-no for women on the first few dates. This is because when a woman talks about her ex, men usually assume that she is still bitter and angry about being dumped. Guys don’t like such an emotional baggage and there goes kaput your chances of a second meeting with him.
Stick to positive subjects
While dating, your partner is bound to ask you some personal questions out of curiosity. Your answers should be brief and to the point. But talking too much about how much of a pest your boss is or why you just can't patch up with your estranged father can be repulsive to your date. Pouring your heart out is okay, but not early on in a relationship. Your complaints and anguish can make your partner feel that you're not happy with yourself. How can you make him/her happy then? So, stick to positive subjects while you date.
Express Your Opinions Honestly
Sharing the same views as your date can be great to win him/her over but that doesn't mean you have to be servile and say 'yes' when you want to say 'no'. It can flatter your date to an extent but that will soon turn to boredom and irritation when he'she realizes you are impossible to have an intelligent conversation with. Stand firm on issues that are important to you, but don't contradict just to show you are strong. Also, don’t argue just to prove you’re right. Converse cooly and honestly. You're going on a date, not a debate.
Never compare
Finally, never compare your dates in your mind. "Jane is lovely, but Joanna was sweeter or John is charming though Jack was more dashing" is the wrong approach to dating. Remember, going on a date means you're checking out a person not a product that you can buy. Each person has his/her own specialities and hence, comparing them would be inappropriate. Just give some time to your date and see what type of a person he/she is. The more you know your partner, there are chances of your discovering better things about him/her that you'd probably never have ever dreamt of.
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