Is it more important to love … or to be loved? Most of us would agree with George Eliot’s words, “I like not only to be loved, but also to be told I am
loved.” Valentine’s Day is the occasion when you can experience both. I asked FamilyLife Facebook
friends and Marriage Memo readers to share some
of their favorite Valentine’s Day ideas.
With a little help from my friends, here are 25
creative ways to tell your spouse, “I love you.”

1. On small pieces of paper, write down every kind
of kiss that you can think of (examples: passionate,
on the cheek, etc.). Then fill an inexpensive red felt
bag with your “kisses” and give it to your spouse. Ask
your spouse to pull several pieces of paper from the
felt bag, and then give your sweetheart whatever
kind of kiss is described.

2. Make a book about why you love your spouse and
why you are thankful for him/her. The woman who
sent this idea wrote, “He loved it! Said it was the best
gift he has ever gotten. And it helped me to focus on
the things I love about my husband and not his
shortcomings.”

3. Take your sweetie on a scavenger hunt. Ask him/
her to answer riddles to find the clues to items that
you placed somewhere around town. The last item
should give instructions that lead to your Valentine’s
Day activities.

4. After enjoying a candlelight dinner for two at
home, give your spouse a massage and watch a
romantic movie. The woman who suggested this
wrote, “Last Valentine’s Day when I got home from
work, my husband … had our bedroom set up with a
candlelit table for two. He is NOT a cook but he
made an awesome meal … grilled steak, sautéed
shrimp in lemon, garlic, and butter, a vegetable, and
[he] bought a chocolate fountain that was flowing—
surrounded by fresh fruit for dipping. After dinner
he led me over to his homemade massage table. …
We ended our special night with a romantic movie.

5. Surprise your spouse with a special getaway
together. The man who suggested this made
reservations at a bed and breakfast, arranged for
childcare, asked for time off from work for himself
and his wife, and packed his and her bags. When he
asked his wife to go to lunch on Valentine’s Day she
was in for a wonderful surprise. “The little bit
of effort I put into that weekend paid off huge for
weeks to come.” (For an extra special experience,
take your spouse to one of FamilyLife's Weekend to
Remember marriage getaways. It's one of the best
investments you could make in your marriage.
There are seven scheduled around the country for
Valentine's weekend, and many more throughout the
year.)

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