The romantic icon Winnie the Pooh is quoted as saying, “Love isn’t something you say. Love is something you do.” Valentine’s Day is an important time for newlyweds to remember this aphorism, to focus on what it means to love each other. It’s a day to show our feelings, not just recite the fact of our love and affection. For newlyweds, Valentine’s Day is an exciting opportunity to set traditions that will carry them through the years, reminding them of the distinction between a wedding, which is a one-time event, and a marriage that’s built for a lifetime. Here are eight fun Valentine’s Day traditions for newlyweds:
1) Recreate a Date
You might not live in the same place as when you went on your first date, but wherever you and your spouse are, Valentine’s Day can be a way to reconnect with the meal or activity you did when you first discovered each other.
2) Do a “Favorite”
Each of you can choose one “favorite thing” to do on Valentine’s Day each year, from a special meal to a walk in a favorite park. You can also have fun guessing what your spouse will select for this year’s favorite.
3) Learn Something Together
Sign up for a class—in person or online—that will teach you a skill you each would like to learn. An evening’s exploration of a favorite cuisine, an art technique, or a history topic will connect you and expand your minds at the same time.
4) Dedicate a Song
What’s more romantic than dancing with your spouse? Even if you don’t have time to head out to a dance club, you can play a song that makes you think of your spouse and the life you share together. Bonus points if you perform the song karaoke style—out at a place or in the privacy of your own home.
5) Write a Letter
Valentine’s Day cards are a dime a dozen (actually, quite a bit more costly than that). But a hand-written letter directly from you to your spouse opens your heart and puts your feelings down on paper, giving your partner loving words to return to year after year.
6) Make a Wish
Start a Valentine’s Wishes book early in your marriage, where you and your spouse can keep a record of wishes you have for each other, yourselves, and your family on this day of loving reflection. It’s a Valentine’s Day tradition for newlyweds that will grow over the years!
7) Get Out in Nature
“Going out” for Valentine’s Day can be a nature-based activity as much as a candlelit-dinner one. Choose a new outdoor experience to have together each Valentine’s Day and feel how your love is as natural as a mountain, lake, or forest.
8) Snap a Pic
Cell phones allow us to take dozens of photos a day but getting together for a pic is a special occasion when you’re doing it with your spouse on Valentine’s Day. Pick out a beautiful photo album that you can fill year-by-year with pictures of the two of you living your life with love.
What other Valentine’s Day traditions for newlyweds would you suggest?
