Guide to Valentine's Day for New Husbands

Newly marrieds are frequently on opposite sides of the romance question during the first year of marriage. Women tend to view the first twelve months of wedded life as an extended honeymoon, while new husbands are quite happy to put the wedding behind them and just get on with life. This inequality can be touchy for newlyweds so taking advantage of Valentine's Day as proof of the existence of a romantic streak, is good strategy.

While there is nothing wrong with a dozen roses and a nice dinner out as Valentine's Day gifts, they are without a doubt, uninspired. If that is what is comfortable in your relationship, great, but if something a bit more imaginative is what you are after, read on.

Tell It Like It Is

In our current age of instant communication, receiving a real letter has become an exotic rarity. This Valentine's Day revive the art of the love letter and send your new wife a heartfelt and romantic letter. Not an email or Hallmark card, but a real, handwritten letter telling her what she means to you. If you need some assistance getting started try starting with, "My life is better with you because..." or "When I think of you..." You get the picture.

Embrace Your Fun Side

Romance doesn't have to be hearts and flowers or even serious, for that matter. This year, instead of celebrating in a purely grown-up fashion, borrow a few ideas from your 5^th grade field trip and go for a bit of lighthearted fun. Your daytime entertainment choice can be anything that's fun, from an afternoon play (no tear-jerker dramas, please) to the local aquarium or planetarium, a tour of your city, or weather permitting, a trip to the zoo. Whatever you decide to do for your outing, be sure to make good use of the kid in you. Buy cotton candy or a silly T-shirt, ooh and aah at everything, and laugh a lot. You'll find that the memory of a day together will last much longer than dinner in a crowded restaurant.

Surprise Her with a Day In

For most of us, life is a jumble of rushing here and there, deadlines and phone calls, email and text messages. Take a break from all of that and surprise your wife with a day in without distractions. If you have kids, make arrangements for them to stay overnight with friends or relatives and spend Valentine's Day snug in jammies and slippers. For an extra special surprise, make her breakfast complete with champagne Mimosa's and your favorite music playing in the background. With a morning like that, who knows what the afternoon might bring.

Revisit Your First Date

The first date is a touchstone moment for most women. We know what we were wearing, what you said, how cute you were and what you did that made the time so special. This Valentine's Day show her that you remember how special it was too. If you are no longer living where you were when you had your first date, improvise by choosing a setting that is similar. Pick her up just the way you did back then, even if you have to go out the back door to knock on the front. She might think you are nuts at first but when you tell her the story of your first date and how much it meant to you, she'll think that you are the most romantic bloke on the planet.

There are as many romantic gestures as there are couples. All you have to do is pick something that fits your relationship and expresses the feelings that you have for your bride and go for it. Everything else is just details.