Write him a love note

With Valentine’s Day tomorrow, there is still those last minute things you can do to surprise the one you love dearly. Pick 'n Pay gave a few ideas. Make it extra personal with a love letter! Don't know how? Here's some tips.   

Get some proper writing paper and a good pen. Writing on work stationery just isn't going to cut it, so get something special – preferably simple and elegant. 


Make sure you're in a place where you're not being disturbed. Put on some romantic or calming music to get your creative juices flowing.


Don’t be too formal or business-like. You're writing to someone you love, but you also want it to be serious enough so that it conveys your feelings accurately without the recipient feeling like you're joking around. Start with ‘To my dearest…’ or ‘Darling…’


Make sure your handwriting is legible and that your spelling is correct.


Refer to the recipient as ‘you’ and yourself as ‘me’ to make it personal.


If you're still battling to think of things to write, then simply list the things you love about him/her or re-tell the story of how you met. You could also explain how your life has changed with your partner in it.


If you know your partner’s favourite author, then quote a meaningful line or, if you can, write a poem. If you copy one, make sure you say who the author is to avoid any embarrassment if s/he finds out it wasn’t you who wrote it.


Make sure you deliver the letter by hand. If you're sincere in what you write, then you're guaranteed a positive emotional response!

Also fresh out of ideas on what to do? Maybe try some of these:

Picnic
Pack a picnic basket complete with bottle of bubbly and chocolate, and go somewhere beautiful. This could be the beach, a park, a botanical garden or even a look-out point over a city. Your very own garden can also be turned into a magical space with some candles and cushions.

Planetarium
This sounds a bit geeky, but imagine sitting in a dark, cool space looking up at thousands of stars, holding hands, watching the world spin around you. Sounds pretty romantic, actually. Or, if you can't make it to a planetarium, go to a secluded place, far from the city lights and watch the stars glittering above you.

Dance lessons
Go for a tango or salsa lesson with your partner on Valentine’s Day. Dance lessons have you standing really close and learning how each other’s bodies move, plus you’re learning a new skill and it can be really fun.

Sushi or chocolate-making classes
This will require some concentration, but you get to eat what you make at the end of the class – and if it’s on Valentine’s Day nobody will object if you bring a bottle of MCC along! Check out the classes available at the Good Food Studio in Cape Town and Joburg here.

Couples spa treatment
Even if you just have a couple’s foot massage, you will be doing something that feels really good together. Some spas have specials that include covering each other in mud, showering in a room that sprays from all directions and then lounging in a spa bath afterwards.

Get out of town
Getting away for a weekend can do wonders for your soul and is quite rejuvenating as long as you don’t go too far. Hot springs or going to a cottage that has no electricity can bring a whole new dimension to your weekend away. 

Valentine’s Day can be overrated and a cliché, but if you make it into something unique and special, you could spark a new tradition that will keep you away from all the insincere hype. So get creative!

(All images from Pinterest)