Ideas: Find Romantic Things to Do for Those You Love

This idea is excerpted from Barbara’s book “CARE Packages for the Home–Dozens of Ways to Regenerate Spirit Where You Live” (Andrews-McMeel, 1998) 

THE IDEA:

We all need to keep the romance and caring alive in our relationships. My friend Scott Finley of Dallas, Texas, is one of the most romantic men I have ever known. I asked Scott for some of his “secrets.”

THE IDEA IN ACTION:

Scott says, “First of all, romance doesn’t always mean a red rose, a bottle of wine, and satin sheets. Under my definition, it also includes these ideas which cost you little or nothing and are easy to do:”

  • Backing her car out of the garage and turning it around in the driveway to face the street on cold mornings.
  • Noticing that her car is out of gas, taking it, and filling it up for her.
    Making the bed.
  • Doing the laundry (Men take note: Look at the “how to care for” tags in her clothing!)
  • Doing the dishes (including unloading the dishwasher).
  • Dropping off and picking up dry-cleaning.
  • Doing the grocery shopping.
  • Vacuuming and dusting.
  • Rubbing her shoulders.
  • Brushing her hair.
  • Leaving a little message in her jewelry box: “Hello to the most beautiful woman in the world!”
  • Bringing her a cup of coffee or hot chocolate or tea in the morning while she’s doing her makeup and hair for work.
  • Taking care of the cat boxes (It’s a nasty job, but someone’s got to do it, and you’re fooling yourself you think the Persian is going to get in there with a little shovel!)

Now, if you want to spend a little money:

  • Stop and get a box of Godiva chocolates and a card for her on your way home.
  • Rent a movie you know she wants to see.
  • Take her on a Saturday shopping excursion and buy her lunch. (Please note: It’s HER dollar at Nieman Marcus, but she’ll enjoy just spending time with you!)
  • Surprise her with a limo ride and a really fancy evening.
  • Make her birthday an annual “big event” and try to top what you did last year.
  • Memorize her sizes and pick up something nice at Victoria’s Secret.
  • When you go to the store, pick up her favorite brand of beverage.

Here’s how I proposed to Jana (on her birthday 12/17/94):

I had my marriage proposal typed into the program at Ballet Dallas’ “Nutcracker.” It was in just one program, printed at the bottom of the donor page, and I picked up that special program when I picked up our tickets at will call. I later switched out her “normal” program with my fixed one. A limo had picked us up at home, taken us to eat, then to the theatre, and then picked us up from the theatre to look at Christmas lights.

When we got back to the house, I had already had my next door neighbor come over and set out flowers, champagne, cheese, turn on the Christmas lights, and have music playing on the stereo. How it ended: She never looked through the program to see the proposal until we were back home, and it wasn’t until I asked her (for the third time) to check out the list of donors to see if anyone we knew was on it that her eyes finally traveled the length of the whole page! Scott says, “This is easy stuff to do.”

Ray Perez of Gainesville, Florida, does something wonderfully romantic and kind for his wife Rosita. Whenever it’s cold, before Rosita comes to bed, Ray puts a heating pad on her side of the bed to warm it up for her.

TIPS FOR IMPLEMENTATION:

What I realized after reading Scott’s suggestions is that Charlie is more romantic than I thought he was! I also remembered an ad I had seen recently posted in Lansing, Michigan, for Precious Party Planners, Inc.:

Precious Party Planners, Inc.
presents “Romance in a Basket”
for SWEETEST DAY (date)

Instead of waiting away your Sweetest Day in a long line,
Why not order a picnic basket for two.
Dine in your car overlooking the sunset,or that magical place where you met.
Dinner comes to you all prepared (in the Lansing area)

Baskets will include:
Two candles/with matches
Two wine glasses (plastic)
Sparkling Cider
LOVE CHOCOLATES
Main course and your choice of two sides
And dessert

TREAT YOURSELF TO SOMETHING SPECIAL AND DIFFERENT!

Isn’t this a wonderfully romantic idea? For those of you who live in the Lansing area, call them. For those of you who don’t, why not create your own basket and surprise your significant other or your family?

Barbara Glanz Biography

A member of the prestigious Speaker Hall of Fame and one of fewer than 700 Certified Speaking Professionals worldwide, Barbara Glanz, CSP, CPAE, works with organizations to improve morale, retention and service and with people who want to rediscover the joy in their work and in their lives. She is the first speaker on record to have spoken on all 7 continents and in all 50 states. Known as "the business speaker who speaks to your heart as well as to your head," Barbara is the author of twelve books including The Simple Truths of Service Inspired by Johnny the Bagger®, CARE Packages for the Workplace, and 180 Ways to Spread Contagious Enthusiasm™. Voted "best keynote presenter you have heard or used" by Meetings & Conventions Magazine, Barbara uses her Master’s degree in Adult Learning to design programs that cause behavior change. She lives and breathes her personal motto: “Spreading Contagious Enthusiasm™” and can be reached at bglanz@barbaraglanz.com and www.barbaraglanz.com.