With the main Chinese New Year festivities behind us, it seems that the next “holiday” is Valentine’s Day. While Valentine’s Day has never been a much-celebrated holiday around here, I like to use it as a time to reflect on how I show love to the people in my life and how much they mean to me.
Since the mention of Valentine’s Day typically evokes images of flowers and chocolate, I challenged myself and discovered five ways to show love, sans your typical Valentine’s Day items.
I might add that if your loved one enjoys flowers and chocolate, I say go for it! But if you’re looking for some more unconventional ideas, here you go!
Ways to show love (without flowers and chocolate)
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Spend time.
Sometimes, the greatest gift and demonstration of love is just spending quality time with them. Plan a fun day, intentionally disconnect from social media, and enjoy being in the company of those you love.
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Write a thoughtful note.
It doesn’t have to be long or cheesy. Just a meaningful, handwritten note expressing your appreciation for your loved one and how much they mean to you can go a long way. You can make your own quick and easy ones, or print some fun ones online.
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Cook a meal / bake something.
Food connects people. And if your loved one enjoys food, there is no better way to show them your love than to make or bake their favorite meal or food.
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Listen.
In this day and age of instant gratification, many distractions, and short-attention spans, active listening is learned skill. But your willingness to put everything aside to listen to your loved one will show them how much you care.
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Serve them.
Find out if there’s anything that they would appreciate you helping out with, whether it’s washing the car or running some errands. Sometimes, actions dospeak louder than words and the little things go a long way.
Which way will you choose to show love this year?