down-to-earth advice about beauty, love, fashion, & life.

“I want to do something romantic for my 5 year anniversary…”

July 01st, 2009

dear apricot,

My boyfriend and I are about to celebrate our 5 year anniversary. Unfortunately, our actual anniversary falls right in the middle of the week on a Wednesday. We both work full time (I’m also a full-time graduate student) so we don’t have tons of free time at the moment. I want to make this anniversary really special, since it’s a pretty big one, but time and money are definitely big factors.

We live in Florida, right on the Bay, so something outdoorsy is certainly not out of the question, but I’d really prefer to do something really romantic — and I don’t want to get sucked into the “dinner and a movie” pattern, regardless of what day of the week we will be celebrating.

Any suggestions?

— Marisa.

______________________________

Marisa,

Firstly, happy anniversary! Five years is such a milestone. I am very happy for you both!

I love that you said that something outdoorsy is not out of the question, because doing something involving nature has the potential to be very romantic, not to mention inexpensive.

Here are some ideas for you:

  • Have a picnic in a beautiful park close by. Pack up some cheeses, wine, & chocolates, & feed each other underneath a shady tree. Try to pick a spot that is away from the hustle & bustle, so that you too can relax with each other without screaming kids or barking dogs.  Extra bonus: bring some mementos of your courtship together, & reminisce. Talk about your very first date. Relive those moments, both from your point of view & his. It’s amazing what a little reminiscing can do to spark some romance between you two — no matter where you are.
  • Find a botanical garden or an arboretum near by, & walk through it together, relishing in every aspect of the nature around you. The flowers & greenery are absolutely beautiful there, & it would be a great backdrop for pictures.

  • Bring your favorite dessert to the beach near dusk, & watch the sunset together.
  • Or… watch the sunrise together! Knowing that you both work during the day, it would be nice to start your day off together. So wake up right before the sun is about to come up, get some coffee brewing, bring some breakfast munchies to your bedroom (or perhaps your porch), & hold each other close as you watch the day begin.
  • Lock yourselves up for the night. Unplug your computer, turn off your phone & all the lights, & use candlelight for your entire evening in. The soft glow of the flame is very romantic, & with everything unplugged & turned off, you’ll have nothing else to do but snuggle up to each other & focus on your time together. You can watch movies, read poetry to each other, play board games or cards (perhaps strip poker to spice things up a bit!); just have a genuinely good time with each other.
  • Take a bath! I’ve said this before many, many times, but baths are quite simply the most sexiest, intimate, & inexpensive thing a couple can do for each other. Buy some yummy-smelling bathsalts, rose petals, & incense, & turn your entire bathroom into your very own Love Spa. Extra bonus: after the two of you are done soaking, take the spa into the bedroom & give each other massages. Whatever happens after that is solely up to you.
  • Go for a hike. There are lots of trails to choose from, even for those who live in the city. Wear comfortable clothing, pack some bottled water & some sandwiches, & spend part of the day playing with nature. Don’t want to do something that vigorous? Go to a wealthy neighborhood, park your car, & take a walk through their streets. It’s often much more interesting than your usual neighborhood because you’re gazing at mansions, & it’s fun to sort of dream that those could be your houses someday.
  • Play hooky. I know both of you have work & school, but why not call off on your anniversary? Give your work enough notice & let them know that you’ll be going on a day trip out of town, & won’t be able to make it in. With school, make sure you’ve got everything you need to get done so that you won’t have to play catch up. There is no shame in calling the day off, especially if it’s 100% devoted to the two of you, doing whatever makes you both happy.

There are so many things the two of you can do together to make your anniversary special & memorable. & it often has little to do with what you guys are doing. The most important thing is that you are both able to find magic in your moments together.

I hope these tips have helped you. Have fun, & happy anniversary!

— apricot.


Fatal error: Call to undefined function: buymebeer_content() in /nfs/c03/h05/mnt/52044/domains/askapricot.com/html/wp-content/themes/askapricot/single.php on line 21