Valentine’s Rituals:: The Key to Getting What You Want Every Year

Valentine’s rituals are simple ways to connect with your partner and ensure that both of you get the experience you want each year.

My husband and I had our first date at a local fancy restaurant in Fort Worth called Ellerbe’s, and it quickly became a part of our relationship story. The dress I wore still brings back memories of fluttering excitement and anticipation of that night when I wear it again. We had engagement pictures taken in the same neighborhood, and a photo of us in front of the restaurant’s picture window hangs in our bedroom. But probably the most significant way that it stayed in our lives is that every year on our anniversary we went back there.

When our first Valentine’s Day rolled around, we discussed what we wanted to do. My husband asked if I would rather have a fancy dinner or a gift, since we {he} didn’t have funds to do both. I chose fancy dinner which we celebrated at Bonnell’s, another local Fort Worth spot. Valentines day became our excuse to visit it every year. And so the tradition was born. When we moved to Houston, we found new dinner spots for valentines and our anniversary {Rainbow Lodge and Brenner’s on the Bayou respectively} and kept the fancy dinner tradition alive. We’ve found so many benefits to it over the years, like:

We Don’t Have to Think About What We Are Doing Each Year

We both know that come February, its time to make a reservation, and come September {our anniversary month}, it’s the same. We barely even have to check in about it anymore. Just pick a date, make a reservation and now schedule the babysitter. No mess, no stress.

Pro-tip:: To Get the Full Experience, DON’T Go on February 14th

Valentine’s Day is the rare time where we allow ourselves to spend money on a fancy dinner, and I don’t know about you, but if I am spending that much dough I don’t want to be limited to a pre-fixed menu. I want to get whatever I want. Combine that with my hatred of crowds and the fact that I am kind of a picky eater, and this has been a no brainer for us. We just pick a day around the middle of February and go then.

No Gifts = No Risk of Disappointment

When I knew I was going to spend the rest of my life with my husband, I started calculating all of the gift occasions staring me down from the future. Between birthdays, Father’s Day, Christmas, anniversary, and Valentine’s….that is a lot of gifts over the years! Choosing to make our Valentines and anniversary celebrations about spending time with each other enjoying a fancy night out and delicious food has saved us having to think about shopping for two gifts a year. This saves us time, money, energy, and lets us keep those awesome gift ideas for other occasions.

Looking Forward to our Valentine’s Rituals All Year

Because we found something we liked and have stuck with it, I KNOW I am going to have a good time every Valentine’s or anniversary. I know the food will be delish, I will get dessert, we might take a walk, and I get to wear a fancy dress and feel like an adult human. Because I know what the experience has been like, I can look forward to it for months before without worrying about if the food will be good, if things will go smoothly, or what to expect.

Rituals Connect Us

The research on relationships has shown that rituals, both small and large, are the glue that connect us. From that kiss goodbye every morning to monthly date nights, or just watching the same TV show together. Doing something meaningful to you and your spouse over and over connects you more. I love our fancy dinner ritual, and I love that we have been able to bring it with us to Houston.

What Valentine’s rituals do you and your partner have? Tells us all about them in the comments!


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