How are you celebrating Valentine’s Day this year? For many years, small budgets and small children made it hard to get away, so Joe and I learned to get creative with dating at home. Sometimes it’s the simplest things that are most meaningful!
1. Exchange love letters… new or old! If you have old cards or love letters (or emails!) you wrote, bring them out and re-read them! Or write new love letters to your spouse and take turns reading them to each other.
2. At home concerts. Joe and I love to go on YouTube and find live concerts of our favorite artists and songs. There are so many available now that we’ve spent hours watching some epic concerts that we never had a chance to go to.
3. Get creative in the kitchen. If you can’t decide what restaurant to go to (and how that landscape has changed!), tackle the cooking at home as a couple. Find a new recipe that can grow your culinary skills and your connection!
4. Story time with the kids. Do your kids know your love story? Sit down as a family and talk about how you fell in love and proposed. Bring out the wedding album and video if you have one! Share the ways that God has been faithful in your marriage, even in the hard times.
5. Tackle a project together. Whether it’s a home project you want to tackle or trying a new hobby, do it together and grow the friendship and teamwork side of your love!
6. Board games. Board games aren’t just for kids and families. A good board game or card game is just as fun with just the two of you. Get competitive!
Joe and Tara Buchanan have been married for 23 years and have four children. They have a passion for building strong marriages, and they share more of their story on their blog, Behind Our Smiles.
7. Laugh together. It’s getting harder to find clean comics, but they are out there! We’ve watched some of our favorite stand-up comics on YouTube and Netflix. Jim Gaffigan, Michael Jr., and Tim Hawkins are some we love to watch again and again!
8. Pretend Prom. Take some time to curate a playlist of your favorite love songs, past and present! Don’t forget your wedding dance. Get dressed up, dim the lights, and slow dance in your living room!
9. Read a book together. Reading together has been a great, low-stress, screen-free activity that grows our connection. Maybe find a classic love story, a mystery, or pick up a couple’s devotional to read!
10. Talk. A great date always includes good, healthy conversation where you get to know each other better. If you’re not sure how to start, pick up a book like this and start talking!
Happy Valentine’s Day! If you are missing WCIC's annual Marriage Celebration, thanks for praying for us as we are working on plans for an event later this summer.