Romantic Holiday Traditions for Couples

The holidays are a hectic time for every couple, and the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, cooking and parties can sometimes get in the way of romance. But if a couple has a romantic holiday tradition, they seem to find time for each other and every private memory they create during the holidays can make their Christmas more special and love stronger. It's never too early or too late in your relationship to create a romantic holiday tradition that you'll look forward to year after year.

Use the Concept of "Anchoring" to Create a Romantic Holiday Tradition

Tracy Cabot explains the philosophy of anchoring in her book, How to Make a Man Fall in Love with You. She writes that a special touch, a scent, or a song during happy moments together can create a bond that triggers a europhic, loving feeling between two lovers when repeated.

Using this concept during the holiday season in a romantic tradition can create what feels like pure Christmas magic for a couple that will also strengthen their relationship.

Romantic Memories Rekindled by Tradition

Every couple has a story. Establishing a holiday tradition that tags onto the story of how you met can rekindle the initial sparks you felt for one another. For example, the relationship between my ex-husband and I began when he offered to buy me a drink at a local club. That night, I learned he was a romantic guy when, to my surprise, an ice bucket with a bottle of champagne arrived at our table, where we ended up sitting for hours getting to know each other.

That bubbly became the symbol of the start of our love for one another and the basis for our romantic holiday tradition. Every Christmas we were together, we had a shopping day with a single-minded mission; he sat on a chair outside various dressing rooms, as I modeled outfits he had selected for me to try on. He would then send me shopping on my own, while he returned to one of the stores to buy the outfit he liked best. Christmas day, I opened his beautifully wrapped package that contained the outfit he had chosen. That outfit always felt very romantic and sensual to me, and was the one I wore on our New Year's Eve date that included our favorite bubbly. To this day, I think about this romantic tradition that was so special.

Romantic Christmas Ornament Traditon

The best romance is 50% sweet and 50% naughty, since too much of either makes it hard to sustain the spark factor. I know a married couple with this ratio, who, like most couples, can read each other's thoughts and have a certain "look" that only the two of them can decipher.

One Christmas, the female half of this couple shared with me a secret tradition she and her husband had. She smiled as she explained that every year they exchange ornaments, and each bauble they gift to each other is accompanied by a naughty, private note. She whispered that she gave him the cute little Hula Dancer ornament, hanging front and center, with a note that read, "Remember that night after the luau in Hawaii during our Honeymoon?" Then she pointed to a cherubic angel which she said was accompanied by a playful note written by her husband. According to her, It said (and this might have been cleaned up a bit), "You are my angel, but I fell in love with that little devil that propositioned me after we watched Body Heat back in 1981!" Ever since she shared their holiday tradition with me, I can't help but wonder what some of the other ornaments represent!

I found my friends' holiday tradition both sweet and sexy. I now know that there are over thirty years' worth of romantic memories hanging on their tree, a love-filled anchor added each year! This idea would be easy to adopt as your own since it's possible to find an ornament to represent almost any memory if you just look for it.

Personalize Romantic Holiday Traditions

A romantic holiday tradition can include anything personal between the two of you, and need not be expensive or complex. It might be an annual, holiday get-away ski-trip. It might be filling your bedroom each December with the Christmas romance of red silk sheets, candles and a naughty Ms. Claus negligee and Reindeer Antlers! Dancing to a romantic holiday song under the mistletoe might become tradition and bring back memories of Christmas past. Or maybe your advent calendar becomes a countdown to a hot tub party for two that ends up in front of the fireplace toasting marshmallows and drinking cranberry wine. It could even be as simple as a romantic drive to that cozy, candle-lit Italian bistro on the outskirts of town, for their signature Fettuccine Alfredo and garlic bread that you shared on your first date!

With a little thought, most lovebirds will probably think of several romantic ideas to adopt as their tradition. And with the right romantic holiday tradition to celebrate your love during the Christmas holidays, romance might fill up the other eleven months as well!

References:
Tracy Cabot, How to Make a Man Fall in Love With You (St. Martin's Press 1984)