And at what cost? U.S. retailers’ infatuation with Valentine’s Day has been on display in nearly every store window and newspaper ad for weeks. Such sentiments are certainly heartfelt and pocket felt. In 2006, in the US alone, consumers expressed their affection to the tune of $13.7 billion. In 2007, the number increased to almost $17 billion.

Many people today are busy and their marriage slips down the list of priorities. Valentine’s Day is a buying opportunity to redeem some grace and let them know we love them. I don’t want to be lavished with gifts, JUST because it’s Valentine’s Day. I would much rather be shown a small token of love every day. Romance doesn’t have to mean fancy dinners and expensive gifts. Even the smallest gesture can be romantic. In fact, the smallest gestures done with love, last an awful lot longer than a dozen roses.

Ø Find old cards and letters you have sent to each other, wrap them in ribbon, making sure that you have added a new one to the bottom. Give them to your Valentine as a gift and spend the evening reading and reminiscing together.

Ø Make a list of what you love most about your partner and share it with them: Call it, ‘I Love you because….’ You might want to add, ‘And even when…’

Ø Think about way back when you were in that lust phase, and what did you do then that you aren’t doing now? Recreate one of those scenes; run a bath, set up a massage, or a picnic in the living room.

For more tips and strategies, buy tickets for you both to attend our ‘How’s your Love Life?’ workshop on Sunday, March 2^nd, at the Coast Bastion Inn in Nanaimo. (Click Here for Details)

Or you can listen to the Bill Good Show on NW980 AM radio on Valentine’s Day between 10:00 & 11:00, as we discuss Valentine’s and our book, ‘Olive Juice Forever: Confessions of a Love Junkie.’

I think I will ask Bill Good if he can help me out with a little research I am doing. I will ask him, and any of you, if you have ever seen or heard Snow White, Cinderella or Sleeping Beauty on Oprah, Jerry Springer or even the Bill Good show? If you have, please let me know… (Click Here to Read More!)