My husband and I are not into extravagant gifts. We have nothing to prove to each other or ourselves. Plus we have everything we need. On birthdays and holidays we give each other a little something. Like this winter, for example, he gave me a Claire Nereim print I’d been coveting. I took him out to a special steak dinner. I’m a vegetarian so it was a special treat for him and we had a ball.

Experiential gifts are the best kind. There’s nothing we’d rather do than be together having a romantic dinner at home or out. We’re going to Joshua Tree in Cali during March break. What could be a better gift then a trip?

To kick off our Valentine’s celebrating early, we’re taking a hiatus from TV this week. No TV at all. Not even a minute. We’re not big TV watchers to begin with but sometimes I get home from work and work on my art for hours till he gets home. Then we cuddle up, watch something on our netflix queue and eat dinner. Then we get tired and lethargic.

This week, we’re going to have dinner at the table each night, with candles and wine. After dinner we’ll play a game, read something together, talk about our Joshua Tree trip, and just be together. It was his idea. He told me that I’m always saying that I feel that life is going by faster and faster,  that sometimes a day, a week, or a month go by in a flash. I guess that’s what happens when you are in love. So he thought slowing down a little, taking heed of every moment together, would be romantic.

That’s the plan, no TV!

Are you doing anything experiential with your loved one this Valentine’s day?

fabulous vintage ad from elestratografico on flickr

(all that being said, the love book is still available and is a bestseller on blurb!)