How to Make Valentine's Day Extra Special

The pressure that comes every February 14th should not overwhelm you from showing your loved ones just how much you care about them. Whether you’re in a relationship or single, there are simple ways to make Valentine’s Day extra special for the ones you love, not to mention yourself. Soon your loved ones will be thinking you were struck by Cupid’s arrow!

Edit Steps

Edit For your significant other

Don't forget! Mark your calendars, because the worst thing is to be caught off guard, struggling at the last minute to make Valentine’s Day special for your partner.

Plan ahead. Procrastination leads to sloppiness. Start thinking about plans, reservations and gift ideas a week in advance to make sure everything plays out smoothly.

Anything is better than nothing! Whatever you do, do not leave your partner empty-handed. A card, flowers and candy are all cliché, but clichés become that way for a reason; they’re effective.

Make them feel loved. Valentine’s Day is all about expressing your love for someone. Give your partner your undivided attention, and go the extra mile to prove there’s no one you’d rather share this day with.

Do something specific to your relationship. Whether it’s revisiting the site of your first date or surprising them with plans you’ve been talking about doing forever but kept putting off, showing your partner that you listen and hold reverence for moments in your relationship is the best way to go.

Celebrate your love and relationship. Reflect on your relationship; relive the laughs, the romance and all the other little things that have made it so special. A photo scrapbook or slideshow, as well as mementos from dates are a great way to show nostalgia and sentimentality for your partner.

Edit For your family members

Send them cards. Buy a pack of Valentine’s Day cards, right a quick loving message in them and mail them off to your family. It’s simple, but shows forethought and caring.

Call them. Even if it’s just for a brief 5 minutes, calling up your parents to tell them you love them isn’t going to kill you. They’ll truly appreciate it and you’ll get an “I love you” back indefinitely.

A simple sign of affection: If you’re around your family members, drop in for a visit and leave them with a hug or kiss. Take mom out to lunch or dad out to the golf course to hit a few balls.

Edit For your friends

Celebrate with each other. Go out for a night on the town with your friends if you’re single. What better way to try to find love then going out with your friends and playing matchmaker for the night?

Express how much your friendship means. Something as simple as a text wishing them a Happy Valentine’s Day or a Facebook post with heart emojis is a nice way to show that you may not share romantic love, but it’s still love all the same.

Gift ideas for friends. Give each other silly gifts like a giant pink gorilla, or buy those giant heart-shaped boxes of chocolate and a bottle of wine and share amongst each other.

Edit For your crushes

Go the extra mile. If you’re crushing on Valentine’s Day, a good way to really show that person your feelings is to do something they might not expect. Being there for them in any way could go a long way.

Give them or make them something. This shows a lot of thought on your part and solidifies you as someone who cares about them. Whether it’s baking them a cupcake or slipping them a card, it’s the gesture that will resonate the most.

Tell them you like them. If they’re single too and you’ve been flirting with the idea for a while, just go for it.

Edit For yourself

Treat yourself. You love yourself (hopefully) so why not treat yourself to the same kind of love and affection you’re giving to others. Buy something for yourself or take an hour for some “me” time. You deserve it.

Don’t beat yourself up for being single. Valentine’s Day is notorious for being a couples’ holiday. Don’t let the social stigma of this holiday knock you down if you happen to be single on this one day. It’s better to be single than to have a partner you choose to love out of convenience to satisfy the expectations of this holiday.

Celebrate love in general. Love is universal, so celebrate this natural, all-encompassing human emotion. Celebrate your accomplishments, party with your friends or surround yourself with family. Love comes in all forms beyond just romance. Allow yourself to feel it in some way.

Be the best you can be for your loved ones. It’s the one day of the year where everyone should take an extra minute and acknowledge the loved ones that you value, whoever they may be. It truly is the little things, and you’ll end up making someone’s day by expressing your love for them.

Edit Tips

If you truly love someone, use this day as an excuse to express that feeling. Finally. Anything, even a simple hug or an “I love you” can go a long way.

You don’t have to spend a lot of money to show your love and affection.

Don’t let the stress of the day get to you. Don’t overthink gifts or plans. Do what comes naturally in your relationships with your loved ones while actually taking the time to show and celebrate your love on this day.

You don’t need grand gestures to make Valentine’s Day truly special. Simply going out of your way to do something nice or thoughtful can make a huge difference.

Making something shows more thought and affection. Anyone can go out and buy something, but to actually put your own time and effort into making something, or setting up a marvelous date, shows serious commitment.

Make this day about your loved one. Do the things they like to do, or that you know they’ll respond well to. Remember to always keep their feelings and tastes in mind. Knowing these details and accommodating to them will make for a truly special Valentine’s Day they will always cherish.

Be conscious of when Valentine’s Day falls. You really only get one shot at making sure your cards, flowers or other gifts arrive for your loved ones on February 14th. Nothing is worse than a belated Valentine’s Day gift. Plan ahead, and plan accordingly.

Decorating with cut-out hearts or rose petals is a quick, easy way to show someone you care without having to put too much time or money into the sentiment.