I watched Jim Carrey’s The Mask for the first time when I was 8 years old. It’s a movie about style and pizzazz- the kind that only comes with a hopelessly romantic lead that makes heartfelt comedy out of outrageous acts of hooliganism. Ignore the latter, focus on the former: hopeless romantics are out there, and if you’re reading this, you’re one of them.
Weaving romantic gestures into your marriage can be done in so many ways. From something sentimental, such as holding a vow renewal on your wedding anniversary, to something outrageous, such as living in a cave for love, being romantic without being over the top can be hard to pull off.
Trust me, I know.
Because real life doesn’t involve magical masks that make incredible acts of romantic ruffianism okay, try these romantic gestures to let your spousal situation know how much you love them. They don’t involve outrageous credit card bills or special circumstances, either- just a small bit of planning and a bit of creative energy!
Create a Hidden YouTube Playlist of “I Love You’s”
Technology empowers the hopeless romantic! In this case, you can use your phone or computer to record cheesy messages. Post them to YouTube – unlisted/private, for privacy – and create a playlist to share with your companion when the time is right.
Hot tip: overlay some sappy music to really get the tear ducts warmed up.
Fun or Funny Wall Photos
In today’s ever-willing selfie culture, setting up a selfie photo album is easy. Do it up inconspicuously. Get your spouse to pose with you in increasingly goofy expressions. Take 3-5 of your favorites and get them blown up and enhanced. A website like Posterjack makes it ultra easy to print up art gallery-esque frames.
While you’re probably swimming in selfies on Facebook and Instagram, having your memories represented throughout your home helps keep you in touch with what you love about your partner.
Hot tip: use a collage maker like BeFunky.com to create a collage of your favorite images in a wide panoramic resolution. Then upload that into Posterjack 32×48” Gallery Box. This turns almost any wall into a feature wall!
Surprise Warmth
How often are you or your partner feeling cold? Are either of you the type of person that grabs a sweater or hoodie in the middle of spring or summer? If so, this handy lifehack will always be appreciated.
Here’s what you do: about a half hour before you and your partner plan to go to sleep, take your bed sheets/linens/pillow cases and toss them in the dryer. High cycle, maximum heat. Throw them back on before you hit the hay and bask in your fortress of warm toes.
Note: this works best when a little extra cuddling is involved… you know, to conserve heat.
Learn to Dance in Secret
Many community halls, recreation centers, and businesses offer affordable dance classes. If your partner likes to boogie but you’re lacking the moves, sneak away for a couple of hours a week and learn how to cha-cha! Don’t let on that you’re learning; wait until you’ve got the right groove.
Then line up an occasion where you can show off your new moves. Make sure you choose something appropriate- you don’t want to be the only people cha-chaing at a country concert!
Get Creative: Write a Short Story…
… with your partner as the protagonist, of course! Dive deep into your spouse’s interests and put their character – literally – to the best. Long or short, rhyming or not, this little exercise will be fun for both of you.
Bonus points: sneak your story onto their Kindle and leave it open beside the bed. Bonus bonus points: make the story something that ought to be read in bed 😉
