Side by Side

Q:  Valentine’s Day is around the corner and I’m anxious. I’m romantically challenged and have no clue what to do for my wife. Can you help?

A:  Valentine’s Day in our culture can be a bit intimidating, but the definition of romance is very simple. Romance means, “You matter to me,” and can be expressed in small or large ways. To help you send this simple but meaningful message to your wife, here are 10 ideas:

1.     Share a bottle of wine from the year you first met.

2.     Give her a family heirloom, such as a mother’s pearls or a great aunt’s cameo.

3.     Bundle up and go on a moonlit picnic.

4.     Give your wife’s hands the royal treatment: massage and manicure.

5.     Send a love letter wrapped in a big box and have it delivered by registered mail to your home or her office.

6.     Send your wife a Valentine’s Day card every day for a week leading up to Feb. 14.

7.     Frame the lyrics to “your song” and give them to her.

8.     When planning a romantic dinner, use all five senses–smell, taste, touch, sight, and sound –to make the evening unforgettable.

9.     Tint your popcorn red for a Valentine’s Day movie date.

10.  Lead your wife to a location in your home by leaving a trail of Hershey Kisses, at the end of which is a note saying, “I kiss the ground you walk on.”

Kathy Dawson is a Cleveland Heights author and relationship coach. If you have a question for Kathy, e-mail her at kathy@kathythecoach.com.