Five Easy Ways to Ruin Valentine's Day
February 14, 2019
To my married friends: I offer these suggestions based on my vast experience as a Control Girl wife over the past 25 Valentine's Days, spent with my husband Ken. Here are 5 Easy Ways to Ruin Valentine's Day.
Or not. It's your choice.
1. Create a secret checklist.
You might consider putting several things on your list that your friend says her husband does on Valentine's Day. Or curate your list from romantic scenes of movies. Consider including long stem roses and candle-light dinners. Stuff like that.
But make sure you keep your list secret. Don't let your husband in on it. Keep it tucked away in your mind where he can't see, then be bitter and angry when he doesn't do the thing son your list. Keep score and deduct points--and make sure your transfer that negative score over to next year.
Or... why not talk to your man and give him a couple of hints? Grin at him in a flirtatious way, and say, "You know what might be sweet on Valentine's Day?"
2. Make rigid demands.
Say something like, "You better be taking me someplace really nice tomorrow. And I sure hope you made reservations." Let him know that you have high expectations. He married a classy girl. Make sure he feels all kinds of pressure to surprise you with something big. Crack the whip. It's Valentine's Day, for crying out loud. He better have thought ahead.
Or... you could let him surprise you. Rather than demanding he meet your standards, you could let him decide how best to say, "I love you."
3. Be hard to please.
Can you picture a child, with wonder in her eyes on Christmas morning? Be exactly the opposite of this. Fold your arms across your chest and give your husband a sullen expression. Dare him to try to please you. Sigh and roll your eyes if he tries anything remotely romantic. Be critical of any gift that he places before you. Tell him all the ways he has failed to please you, both in the past and today.
Or... you could go with the wonder-filled child-on-Christmas-morning expression. You could treasure any token of your husband's love, and let him know how much it means to you that he thought of you.
4. Doubt his intentions.
If your husband fails to take you out or get you a gift, be fully convinced that this is because he doesn't love you. It's impossible for a man to forget or overlook planning for Valentine's Day. Men are never busy or preoccupied with other things in early February.
If your husband does try to pursue you with a romantic gesture, you should question his motives. If he tries to pull you close or kiss you, resist him; he's obviously just selfishly trying to meet his own needs. If he gives up at the end of the day and goes to bed facing the other direction, It's clearly because he no longer thinks you're pretty. You have every right to be angry, sullen, and sad all day on Valentine's Day.
Or... you could believe that your husband truly wants to please you. You could give him the gift of trusting that he does truly love you and wants to crawl into bed each night with the beautiful woman he chose.
5. Be completely disrespectful.
Your husband spells love r-e-s-p-e-c-t, so make sure that you spend the day rolling your eyes, sighing, arguing, shooting holes in his ideas, and putting him down. Nag at him for the way he picks at his toes or leaves whiskers in the sink. Criticize him for not getting the cupboard door fixed or changing the light bulbs. Treat him like you're the mommy and he's your little boy, who needs constant reminders or threats.
Or... you could smile warmly and openly consider his ideas for what would make a great day together. You could let him lead and trust his judgement. But let me warn you... if you keep this up, he'll think you're making passes at him. (wink)
So, there you have it. 5 Easy Ways to Ruin Valentine's Day. Or not.
Shannon Popkin is the best-selling author of Control Girl: Lessons on Surrendering Your Burden of Control from Seven Women in the Bible. This article is reprinted by permission from her blog on shannonpopkin.com; click here to read the original.
Or not. It's your choice.
1. Create a secret checklist.
You might consider putting several things on your list that your friend says her husband does on Valentine's Day. Or curate your list from romantic scenes of movies. Consider including long stem roses and candle-light dinners. Stuff like that.
But make sure you keep your list secret. Don't let your husband in on it. Keep it tucked away in your mind where he can't see, then be bitter and angry when he doesn't do the thing son your list. Keep score and deduct points--and make sure your transfer that negative score over to next year.
Or... why not talk to your man and give him a couple of hints? Grin at him in a flirtatious way, and say, "You know what might be sweet on Valentine's Day?"
2. Make rigid demands.
Say something like, "You better be taking me someplace really nice tomorrow. And I sure hope you made reservations." Let him know that you have high expectations. He married a classy girl. Make sure he feels all kinds of pressure to surprise you with something big. Crack the whip. It's Valentine's Day, for crying out loud. He better have thought ahead.
Or... you could let him surprise you. Rather than demanding he meet your standards, you could let him decide how best to say, "I love you."
3. Be hard to please.
Can you picture a child, with wonder in her eyes on Christmas morning? Be exactly the opposite of this. Fold your arms across your chest and give your husband a sullen expression. Dare him to try to please you. Sigh and roll your eyes if he tries anything remotely romantic. Be critical of any gift that he places before you. Tell him all the ways he has failed to please you, both in the past and today.
Or... you could go with the wonder-filled child-on-Christmas-morning expression. You could treasure any token of your husband's love, and let him know how much it means to you that he thought of you.
4. Doubt his intentions.
If your husband fails to take you out or get you a gift, be fully convinced that this is because he doesn't love you. It's impossible for a man to forget or overlook planning for Valentine's Day. Men are never busy or preoccupied with other things in early February.
If your husband does try to pursue you with a romantic gesture, you should question his motives. If he tries to pull you close or kiss you, resist him; he's obviously just selfishly trying to meet his own needs. If he gives up at the end of the day and goes to bed facing the other direction, It's clearly because he no longer thinks you're pretty. You have every right to be angry, sullen, and sad all day on Valentine's Day.
Or... you could believe that your husband truly wants to please you. You could give him the gift of trusting that he does truly love you and wants to crawl into bed each night with the beautiful woman he chose.
5. Be completely disrespectful.
Your husband spells love r-e-s-p-e-c-t, so make sure that you spend the day rolling your eyes, sighing, arguing, shooting holes in his ideas, and putting him down. Nag at him for the way he picks at his toes or leaves whiskers in the sink. Criticize him for not getting the cupboard door fixed or changing the light bulbs. Treat him like you're the mommy and he's your little boy, who needs constant reminders or threats.
Or... you could smile warmly and openly consider his ideas for what would make a great day together. You could let him lead and trust his judgement. But let me warn you... if you keep this up, he'll think you're making passes at him. (wink)
So, there you have it. 5 Easy Ways to Ruin Valentine's Day. Or not.
Shannon Popkin is the best-selling author of Control Girl: Lessons on Surrendering Your Burden of Control from Seven Women in the Bible. This article is reprinted by permission from her blog on shannonpopkin.com; click here to read the original.
