First Date or 10th Anniversary? It really doesn’t matter. Because let's face it. We are all a mystery. Take your curiosity out for a ride and discover your loved ones’ unexplored sides. Here are 6 tips for deepening relationships on Valentine's Day!
No idea what to give your valentine? No offence to gumdrops, chocolates and roses, but come on. We all know what is really most important. Duck the commercial side of it all and give your special someone the finest gift of all: your time, presence and undivided attention!
We are offering some tips on things to do, and life and love hacks for deepening relationships with your partner, closest friend, big brother, mother or neighbour. Enjoy!
#1 Treat yourself to a long weekend for Valentine’s Day!
Go ahead and plan a wonderful long weekend with a loved one! What could be better than taking a day off and getting the weekend off to a great start.
Busy that weekend? Then why not surprise someone with a Valentine’s Day treat! Our hotels boast a range of wonderful facilities that will allow you to enjoy some quality time together. A hotel gift card = love at first sight! Choose your preferred amount and create your digital gift card today. It’s such a simple yet unexpected gift to receive on Valentine's Day! Buy your gift card here.
What’s certain is that you’ll be spoiled for choice when it comes to places to go with hotels in more than 100 different destinations in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and Lithuania.
#2 The food - cook at home or eat out?
How much room is there for love and caring in a homemade, creamy mushroom sauce? Answer: unlimited. Food is love. Full stop. Whether you order food to-go from your local pub, throw together your own garlic aïoli to accompany some prawns, or surprise them with their favorite dish, you can't go wrong!
Another idea, at least as good if not better, is to free each other free from the responsibility of cooking and washing dishes and treat yourselves to a night out at one of your town’s restaurants or bars. Do you need inspiration? Check out our tips and guides for bars and restaurants in both large and small cities in Sweden, Norway and Denmark! Below you can see a tiny selection of all our restaurants and bars!
BUT, you have to promise one thing during dinner. No screens. No TV, tablet or mobile. NADA. Turn off everything. At a restaurant? Leave your phones at home. Or at the very least have them on with flight mode on and carefully tucked away in a bag or pocket. Notifications, vibrations - shut it all off. Comprende?
#3 Do you speak the same Love Language?
Words of affirmation, quality time, gifts, acts of service and physical touch. What do they all have in common? That’s right, they are all parts of the Love Language phenomenon! Psychologist Gary Chapman has identified these BIG FIVE as the most common ways we show our love. And having a knowledge of your partner's Love Language can give you a lot of priceless tips on how to maximize his or her experience of your love (... as well as save you from a misunderstanding).
Not sure which one of the 5 languages is most dominant in your sweetheart? Lucky you! Because then you have a perfect opportunity for a fun, reflective and probably very exciting discussion! Here you can read more about the five Love Languages.
#4 Eye contact is THE shit
...As you know. "The eyes are the mirror of the soul" etc etc. But did you know that 4 minutes of eye contact is enough for the hormones adrenaline and oxytocin to kick in? And yes, you guessed right. Those are the same hormones that dance that samba in the body when we are in love. With longer periods of eye contact, we simply experience a stronger bond with each other. And doesn’t that just sound splendid? Will it be your ace in the hole on February 14th?
#5 Go to a spa – the ultimate luxury
Going to a spa together has always felt like the ultimate luxury. What could be more wonderful than stepping into a small, calm bubble of hot baths, sauna, massage, good food and of course lots of time together. Take care of each other, faaar away from the distractions of everyday life and the darkness and cold of February.
We have over 20 spa hotels in Sweden, Norway and Denmark. Check them all out here!
See also:
- Guide to 7 unique spa experiences in the Nordic countries
- The Nordic region’s 10 best spa hotels
- 10 fantastic hotel pools in Sweden and Norway
#6 Can 36 questions do the trick?
Heard about the 36 questions that are said to create both magic and love between two strangers? Well. Let's take it with a pinch of salt. But we cannot help but love the idea of opening up exciting conversations and getting to know close friends and loved ones better (why limit it to just sexual relationships, hmmm?). We guarantee a conversation that will open up for mutual vulnerability and intimacy regardless!
Here you can read more about the experiment and see all 36 questions!
Okay. To summarise.
Turn off all digital devices. Learn something new about each other with 36 questions. List your Love Languages. Treat the brain to a shot of hormones with eye contact. And most important of all: time, presence and undivided attention! Love for everyone <3
