Valentine’s Day has been getting a bad rap recently – and maybe it’s good that it has. Retailers have milked every cent out of hopeless romantics; it’s almost a competition to see who can charge the most for a bunch of roses. It’s also led to the creation of a follow-up holiday – Singles Awareness Day on the 15th of February – because single people were a bit annoyed by the lovie-dovieness and wanted singleness to be recognised as a legit relationship status.
But Valentine’s Day is great. What other day offers you a golden ticket to profess your undying love to your future boo? The haters may argue that it’s cliched, and maybe it has been in the past, but like round glasses, chokers, and chunky sneakers – it’s making a comeback!
So, now that you’ve just bought back into Valentine’s Day and all the magic it holds, you’ve also realised you’ve been ignoring it for so long that you don’t have an actual game plan. Well, thankfully City Lodge Hotel Group has your back. We’ve compiled some hot tips to winning your valentine over:
BE BRAVE
Taking a step like this is a big deal and there are probably butterflies in your stomach. Good, that means this means something to you! Mustering up the courage is sometimes the hardest part, particularly if you’re an introvert that hates the idea of speaking to people in general, but with Valentine’s Day coming up, people are surprisingly open to the idea of romance. And, even if you do get batted better than a Protea batting line up (sorry, not sorry), at least you know where they stand and might even have time to try someone else. You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take, you know?
But yes, back to the point, be brave! Take a chance and do what you need to do to get yourself psyched up and ask the question. Ladies, the best part is, being a leap year, it’s also okay for you to make the first move yourself – if you aren’t okay with making it any other year. And if you’re on the receiving end, know how much guts it’s taken just to ask and be kind with how you respond.
BE YOURSELF
So, hypothetically, let’s say they’ve said yes. Score! Now on to the next panic, what do you actually do for this big, first date that you’ve invited them to? Find something that fits with who you are. Enjoy going to the movies? Great, find a suitable movie and take them along. Enjoy a good meal? Take them to your favourite restaurant. What you pick should reflect who you are, telling your date about yourself without saying a word.
It’s also important to be cool during the date. It can be a bit nerve-racking and, as an absolute last resort, you can take something to take the edge off – Rescue Remedy is a good option for calming the nerves on big occasions! But you also don’t want to overdo it – being too calm and casual can give the impression that you’re not fully “into it”. So be yourself as best you can!
DON’T BE AFRAID TO BE ROMANTIC
People shy away from being romantic because it feels cheesy, and we have countless Hollywood movies to thank for that. But so what, a little cheese can be nice!
Want to get them a gift? Cute! A bunch of flowers or chocolates is a good call. Ladies, getting things for guys is a bit more difficult, but he’s probably dropped hints about what his hobbies are and there’s bound to be a small, thoughtful gift you can get in line with that.
Chivalry, like opening doors and picking up the bill, is a bit of a contentious issue – so maybe test the waters early to see how they respond. Make a joke about them paying for a small part of the evening, then you pay the rest. That’ll help you avoid an argument about feminism, which will 10/10 ruin your night.
So good luck, helpless romantics – may your Valentine’s Day be successful! If you play your cards right, we’ll see you and your date soon for a baecation with Spouse On The House – where you only pay for one person for your weekend getaway, plus we throw in breakfast free!