28. Unique Romantic Ideas

Erica: I've often wondered why Valentine's Day automatically means a dozen blood red roses and a heart-shaped box of 90% jam-filled, yucky chocolates. What's with roses anyways? Rose petals are supposed to make me swoon? Well regardless of why romanticism has these stereotypes, there's always time to change them!

Even the most creative, thoughtful, smart guy can run out of ideas to surprise his girl to let her know how much he cares. He can say "I love you" hundreds of times a day, but at a certain point, we ladies need to be able too see and feel that you love us, not just hear it. So I've racked my brains trying to make the longest list ever of unique romantic ideas for you to use on your partner. Get ready to print this checklist out and cross them off one at a time. Even though this is geared towards the readers of the male persuasion, simple tweaking can turn these ideas around for women to use. And girls remember - the sneakiest way to let your guy know you want that sparkle in your relationship is to sparkle yourself, for him.

1. Get her name tattooed on you (recommended for the legally bound).
2. Foot rubs are better than back rubs.
3. Make a trail of string from wherever she is to the kitchen table, where you have prepared a meal.
4. Write down a story from early in your relationship and put it in her car/on the mirror.
5. Look through old pictures of you together.
6. Play your song randomly - and loudly.
7. Go on a walk and hold hands the whole time.
8. Purposefully go to a lame movie, sit in the back, and make out. Might I suggest Killers or Marmaduke?
9. Jump in the shower with her.
10. Plan an entire date, start to finish, for her.
11. Send her a letter in the mail.
12. Turn all the lights off in the house and hang out by candlelight.
13. Dick in a box.
14. When she's getting ready to go out, and looking at herself in the mirror, don't wait for her to say, "How do I look?" Just say, "You look so good." Or something similar. Extra points for saying "damn good."
15. After you shower, write a secret love message to her in the condensation on the mirror. So next time she showers, it will show up again. Avoid "I know what you did last summer."
16. Write a song for her. It can be silly, or short, or not even have words - just something that sounds like how you feel about her.
17. Hang out at a park late at night together.
18. Go to Borders, pick out a book, and read it together (out loud) before bed.
19. Sneak up behind her and give her a hug when she doesn't expect one.
20. Pick out a picture of her (or you together), print it out, and keep it in your wallet.
21. Take her out to celebrate everything and anything good that happened that day. Not getting a flat tire is a good enough reason to go out.
22. Get some chalk and write/draw her messages on the driveway.
23. Buy her some clothes and have her put on a fashion show, but you have to pick the runway soundtrack.
24. Next time she says, "What should I wear?" - recall what she wore during a special time together and ask her to wear that again. Even if she doesn't, she'll greatly appreciate you remembering.
25. "Make plans" to go out with your buddies, and then cancel them because you "just want to stay in" with your lady.
26. Send her dirty e-mails in the middle of the day.
27. Go to the local country club on a summer, weekend night and crash a wedding.
28. Tell her exactly what you want.
29. Sympathetically teach her how to do something you know how to do that she wants to learn how to do. (i.e. drive stick, play an instrument, bowling, swing a bat at the cages, change the oil, say something in a different language, etc.)
30. One word... PICNIC.
31. Two words... MIX TAPE.
32. Change the background of her computer to a picture of you... naked.
33. Plan an in-home mini-date: regular dinner, good ol' movie and cuddle, dancing and drinks.
34. Forward old e-mails/letters from each other again. Or print them up and get them bound into a love letter book.
35. Watch Titanic.

The trick is to not be cheesy. You know her. So do what she will like, not what you see in movies or think the general romantic idea is. She just wants to be around you and know how you feel about her. Sometimes you gotta risk being slightly embarrassed for her sake. She'll love you all the more for you feeling awkward and for putting yourself out there.


Jill: Wow Erica, what a comprehensive list! I don't know how I could ever top dick in a box, but here goes nothing:

1. Take her to her favorite local spots, the zoo, the beach, a baseball game.
2. Do something on the cheap: Watch a local softball game, and buy her a snow cone from the pushcart.
3. Have a day completely devoted to her. "Today, we do whatever you want." Even if that means lying in bed all day watching Kendra reruns. "Go Kin-dra!"
4. Tell her to close her eyes and take her somewhere meaningful.
5. Etch your initials in a tree at a nearby park or lake (my personal favorite).
6. Bait her hook.
7. Make her dinner. Even if you suck at cooking, it will be at least good for a laugh.
8. Brush off her car in the winter.
9. Move her car when you are out/at parties and somebody needs the car moved.
10. Collect little things that remind you of her.
11. Send her text messages when you hear something funny she might like.
12. For god’s sake, let her paint your toenails. Just once. She won’t tell anybody.
13. Plan a weekend away. This is seriously really important. Just take her somewhere nearby, or maybe a few hours away. A bed and breakfast for the night does wonders for the soul.
14. Make her pancakes.
15. Take care of her when she’s sick. Get all the fixings... a.k.a. - Vick’s Vapor Rub.
16. Let her sleep in on weekends.
17. Take her on a man-venture: fishing with just the two of you for the weekend, or a night at the casino (obviously teach her how to gamble).
18. Find out her favorite food, if you don’t know it already, and try to prepare it with your own flair.
19. Leave an “I love you” note on the counter on your way out the door to work.
20. If you’re musically inclined, play her a song as she’s drifting off to sleep.
21. Spoon.
22. Take a bubble bath together (if the tub’s big enough).
23. Pick out vinyl records at a local record store together.
24. Let her lay her head in your lap, then run your fingers through her hair.
25. Switch sides of the bed for a night.
26. Nap together.
27. Tickle her. Even if she threatens she will kill you, pee in her pants, etc. Just do it.
28. Share a bottle of wine, sit out on the deck, and just enjoy each others' company/conversation.
29. Or better yet, take her to a vineyard for a weekend (There’s plenty in Galena, Illinois and tons in Carbondale. They’re pretty much everywhere).
30. Talk a lot about good memories, scary dreams and what’s to come while lying down together before sleep.