77 ways to say 'I Love you'

When Valentine’s Day, that big, annual event they call "Christmas of the heart" comes, we all go crazy looking for cards, flowers, chocolates and special, impressive and memorable gifts to show our loved one that we care. We book a table for two at some fancy (and trés expensive, especially on the red-letter day itself!) restaurant, queue up for a romantic movie, even have musicians serenade your precious Juliet.

After Valentine’s Day, everything becomes quiet like the calm after the storm. You wonder where all the professed love, the frenzy, and the maddening Valentine traffic went. It is amazing how commercialism and advertisement shake, sway and move us, and rule and dictate over our minds, emotions and actions! Like a mindless herd, we are agitated into a wild stampede willing to be taken advantage of emotionally and financially.

People do become less demonstrative of their love after February 14. Maybe it is because they get immersed in day-to-day realities such as work, bills to pay, and incessant life problems. But this need not be so. Love should not be a February 14 exclusive.

Looking for fun, saucy, sexy, unique and practical ideas with which to show, rekindle and spice up your love on the remaining 364 days of the year? Here are 77 ways!

1. Reaffirm your love daily by giving your loved one a loving kiss upon waking up and before going to sleep.

2. Send little "thinking-of-you" notes.

3. Make frequent "how-are-you-doing" phone calls or send text messages.

4. Buy her silky, sexy, naughty lingerie; get him those slinky Calvins.

5. Feed him/her well. The easy way to the heart is through the stomach.

6. Surprise her with no-occasion chocolates and flowers; get him his favorite whisky or wine.

7. Touch and caress your lover’s skin. Hold hands every chance you get.

8. Whisper sweet nothings.

9. Tell her she is beautiful; tell him he is macho and good-looking.

10. Write him/her a sweet, sentimental love poem.

11. Be adventurous together.

12. Give him/her a sensuous body massage.

13. Hug, hug, hug!

14. Kiss, kiss, kiss!

15. Call each other secret, sexy names. Have secret codes, signs and language.

16. Flirt with him/her in public.

17. Always be on the lookout for what’s different about him/her and compliment it.

18. Write him/her a passionate handwritten love letter.

19. Blow him/her flying kisses.

20. Have an intimate candle-lit dinner.

21. Write a love message on the mirror with her lipstick or his shaving cream.

22. Give him/her a plant or pet.

23. Dance cheek to cheek under the stars.

24. Take a trip to Paris together.

25. Dedicate a song to him/her at his/her favorite radio station.

26. Announce "I love you, (his/her name)" through a public paging system.

27. Leave clues around that will lead to a "treasure" – a ring or box of chocolates.

28. Give to his/her favorite charity in his/her name.

29. Look into his/her eyes when he/she talks to you.

30. Cuddle to sleep.

31. Plan something naughty for the weekend and do it!

32. Rent a Titanic or Moulin Rouge-type video and watch it together.

33. Give him/her a good backrub – this always melts anyone to putty in your hands.

34. Write him/her a seductive, tempestuous, erotic love letter.

35. Rent a sexy video and watch it together in bed.

36. Hold on to him/her tight whenever crossing a street.

37. Remind him/her to fasten his/her seatbelt.

38. Take a relaxing shower or a sensuous bubble bath together.

39. Fantasize together that you have an ongoing illicit love affair.

40. Make wishes and envision dreams together.

41. Strive to keep romance alive in your relationship daily.

42. Laugh together.

43. Learn "I love you" in different languages and surprise him/her each time.

44. Stay overnight at a charming little hotel.

45. Praise your loved one within hearing distance of other people.

46. Say a little prayer for him/her daily.

47. Go to church and worship together.

48. Get involved in charity and community affairs together.

49. Go to concerts, theater presentations, museums and art exhibits often.

50. Snuggle in a loveseat at the neighborhood cinema.

51. Exercise together. Bike, jog or walk together.

52. Take a cruise or a second honeymoon.

53. Say "I’m sorry" more and mean it.

54. Be supportive of all his/her dreams and activities.

55. Always speak to your loved one in a modulated, sexy voice.

56. Do household chores together while dancing to disco music.

57. Chat and share jokes and anecdotes.

58. Update him/her with what’s going on at the office.

59. Give your loved one the gift of space – don’t be overly jealous!

60. Commit to personal improvement as a couple – learn new things.

61. Embrace, embrace, embrace.

62. Remember important dates – birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

63. Tell and show him/her how much you care always.

64. Renew your vows to each other often.

65. Be chivalrous to her, act like a lady to him.

66. Give him/her personal love coupons that entitle him to a sensuous massage, a special home cooked dinner, etc.

67. Gift him/her with a CD compilation of his/her favorite songs.

68. Blindfold him/her and make love.

69. Work out to have a sexier body for him/her to adore.

70. Don’t be a NAG!

71. Gift him/her with cold cash that must be spent immediately on something sexy and wonderful.

72. Make love slowly and passionately.

73. Keep mementos of things you did together – tickets to a movie, press-dried roses he sent you, etc., and reminisce.

74. Give him/her the same number of gifts as his/her birthday.

75. Visit the place where you first met or kissed.

76. Have an airplane write his/her name in the sky.

77. Make each day of the year a day full of love!

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* * *

I’d love to hear from you! E-mail deeperdoor@yahoo.com. Should you want to forward this article, be sure to mention Living Alive, the author Dero Pedero and acknowledge he Philippine STAR. The reprinting, recording or publishing of this article in any form including the Web requires copyright permission from the author.