The day of love is finally here. We’ve given you date scent suggestions, tips on where to get busy today and have even maybe deterred you from doing anything today at all, but, alas, Valentine’s Day found its way to us once again. Today is a tricky day because people have no shortage of opinions on what the day means to them. Some think today is just another hit at our addiction to consumerism as a society (duh), others are into the whole “love” aspect of it all, some boycott/ignore it and others are merely indifferent. If you’re like me, are coupled and have been for some time, Valentine’s Day is just another day, but always a good opportunity to take a day and just chill with your boo, because sometimes we forget how important “dating” in long-term relationships can be. But, if you’re also like me, you’re trying not to quite literally buy into the hooplah of the day, so with that, here are 29 cost-effective ways to spend your V-Day with your boo.
- Make a big breakfast at home and eat it in bed
- Decide as a couple you’re not going to do anything but stay in bed (and then stay in bed all day)
- Binge-watch a new show together–the best way to solidify your bond as a couple is to get emotionally invested in the rollercoaster that is Making a Murderer together
- Go skating and then after you’ve frozen your asses off, grab some hot chocolate and find creative ways to warm each other up
- Have a board game day at home and wager chores (or other fun things) to the winner
- If you’re not into cooking, go check out a new brunch spot
- Hang out with another couple
- If you’re into The Walking Dead, rewatch the first half of this season before it returns tonight
- Give each other massages (but, like, don’t chince out when it’s your turn)
- Pick a few (or more) of the positions found in these steamy reads
- Let him pick the movie (or vice versa)
- If you’re getting cabin fever, go to the movie theatre and pick the next thing that’s playing, even if it’s not what you want to see (at least you’ll have something to talk about)
- Or, just spring for the movie that you both want to see (or if you can’t decide, see number 11)
- Go to the grocery store, pick up a bunch of ingredients (I just call this “Sunday”) and then cook a fancy meal together
- Or, if you’ve committed to number 2, just order in
- Meet up with another couple who’s doing the same thing and make it a double date
- Go find a bar and watch the NBA All-Star game together while getting drunk on beer–you never know, you may just spot some VIPs when the game is done
- Do the separate-togetherness thing and do different tasks while sitting next to each other (me: reading, him: Xbox)
- Dig out some of that lingerie you haven’t worn him in a while and surprise him with it
- Then have a super-slow romp (with lots of foreplay) because you have nowhere to be and don’t need to rush it
- Give each other space and do something on your own (this sounds counter-productive, but if you live in a small space in Toronto, you know that this will just make you want to spend more time with the other person in the long-run)
- Go for a walk in a neighbourhood you’re not familiar with and see if you can find a new “spot”
- Go to the Aquarium (and then give each other weird fishy kisses for the rest of the day)
- Go on an active date and get all sweaty
- And then go home and shower together (because you’re saving water, duh)
- Go for coffee and have a conversation about something other than the Rogers bill being due or that you’re going to be home late for work
- Plan a vacation together in the foreseeable future (or plan for how you’ll make the money to plan it)
- Have a low-key day, get all dressed up and then, without any stress or fighting, find a restaurant that has room to seat both of you
- Skip the day all together and celebrate tomorrow with half-off chocolate and cards
