Tips for keeping your Valentine's Day at level best and on the up side

Valentine’s Day is a lot of pressure for a made-up holiday.

It calls attention to exactly what stage of a relationship you’re in and encourages precise demonstrations of love. But what if you’re not in love? What if you’re just in… like? Should you give flowers? Is tonight supposed to be the night you propose? Are you ready to spend Valentine’s Day with this person?

So many questions! While defining the relationship is up to you, here's a short list of date ideas that should help you show that special someone just how much you love, or like-like, them.

You’ve Just Started Dating
Keep it Simple: Valentine’s Day is a big night, especially when you don’t know where the relationship may go. Take this time to get to know each other better — drinks at a nice restaurant, dinner and a movie, or a mini-golf adventure are in perfect for this stage. Keep it simple, and relax; this is a beautifully exciting time.

Not Quite New, But Pre-“I Love You”
Memory Lane: There’s a lot of pressure in this stage to say and do the right thing. Is tonight the night you say those three magic words? Think hard. If this is the night, take your date to a meaningful location — your childhood home, the first place you met, the place you and your dad would feed the ducks — and make it sweet. Bring a picnic, make a playlist, and woo them.

Gifts and Comforts: If you’re not quite ready to say “I love you,” keep it simple, but nice. Make your date dinner and pick out a great movie for a comfortable night in; there are tons of community dances you can visit if you’re comfortable getting jiggy with your date. Consider giving your date a gift as a show of appreciation.

Recently Said “I Love You”
Scavenger Hunt: Congratulations! You’ve taken a big step! By this point you probably know a lot about your date, so the “getting to know you” stage has, for the most part, passed. At this point you’re exploring your feelings for one another in a bigger way, and you want to show that special person your level of affection. Scavenger hunts are GREAT for keeping the date fun and sharing more and more of who you are and how much you care. Date Night Wingman has an excellent guide to making challenging, yet exciting, scavenger hunts. Visit all of your favorite locales and leave small treats along the way. End the hunt with a nice picnic in your favorite park, or with a nice candlelit dinner at home.

Long-Term Relationship
Weekend Away: It’s tough to keep things fresh when you’ve dating for so long. Instead of a Valentine’s Day, make it a Valentine’s Weekend and take a trip somewhere you haven’t been before. Get a hotel on the beach, take a ski trip in the mountains, or just get out of the house for the day and visit a new city nearby; you don’t have to be rich to travel well, and you’ll strengthen your bonds by experiencing new things together. Airbnb is a cheap place to find inexpensive lodging just about anywhere, especially at the last minute.

No Date to Speak Of
Treat Yo’ Self: Whether you’re on the prowl or happily alone, you have the unique choice to do whatever you want on Valentine’s Day with no pressure. Treat yourself to bottomless mimosas at brunch and go to the movie theater to see the new Deadpool RomCom. Take some friends out for mani-pedis and go dancing; take a camping trip or a weekend away. Do whatever you want, just because you can.

Regardless of what stage you're at in your relationship, Valentine's Day is just a day to show someone you love them. Whether that someone is a new crush, your best friend, your spouse of many years, or yourself, show the love on this joyous day, and be happy.