Two weeks ago, my husband and I headed off for a romantic Valentine’s weekend at Walt Disney World. Our getaway was everything we hoped it would be, with most of the details planned out in advance. Since Valentine’s Day fell right in the middle of the long Presidents’ Day weekend, it was a very busy time at the resort. Throughout the weekend, as we checked in at the various restaurants where we had made dining arrangements, I noticed time and time again that other guests were turned away because the restaurants were filled and they had failed to make reservations. Seeing the disappointment on their faces and imagining how let down they felt when they couldn’t enjoy the meals they wanted, made me glad we had made the effort to plan out our time together before it even started.
I believe our attention to advance planning contributed greatly to the success of our little trip and it was everything I hoped it would be, with a few unexpected surprises as well. Even though I am a planner, I believe spontaneity is just as important to the success of romance. The secret to a great romantic getaway, or even just an evening together, lies in finding a good balance of deliberate planning with a bit of surprise thrown in to add some spice.
One of the surprises my husband came up with during our weekend was a gift basket assembled and delivered to our hotel room by Disney Floral and Gifts. It contained all of the ingredients for a romantic evening, including chocolate truffles, champagne, two champagne glasses, brie, camembert, assorted crackers, and some LED candles to softly light the room.
Romantic gift basket from my husband
Did we enjoy the contents of the basket? I don’t know. At least, I don’t know yet, although I’m sure we will. That’s the best part of this story. Although my husband wanted to give me the gift basket for Valentine’s Day, he knew we already had plans for dinner and a special, extravagant dessert and probably would not want to come back to the room and immediately have wine, cheese, and chocolates. However, he didn’t let that stop him from giving me the surprise and then explaining how he thought we could take the basket home with us so that we could enjoy it on another weekend!
I loved the idea because it was a way to stretch the romance, extending it from Valentine’s Day to another time which, otherwise, would have just been an ordinary evening. That is the challenge I offer you this week. Try to do a bit of planning and come up with a surprise for your spouse that will bring more romance into your everyday life together. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate or expensive, just something you and your spouse can enjoy and that adds a bit of fairy-tale romance to your real world marriage.
For more ideas, check out earlier posts on this blog or visit my boards at www.pinterest.com/nancyrose9 and please remember to “Follow” to receive your free weekly email with more romantic tips and stories. You may “like”, share, and comment at this site and at www.facebook.com/belleoftheballpoint .
Belle of the Ballpoint™ 