October 14 – National I Love You Day

National I Love You Day is Today!

Download the 38 Hertz Celebration Book with 365 days of celebrations!

HOW TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL I LOVE YOU DAY STEP-BY-STEP

•  Write a heartfelt love letter or poem to someone.
•  Make a homemade gift for someone – check out 100 Homemade Gifts.
•  Reach out to someone you haven’t seen or talked to lately.
•  Send red roses, the flower of love!  Give love gifts.
•  If you love the article image, purchase it on these fun products on Zazzle!

FEATURED GIFT OF NATIONAL I LOVE YOU DAY

“I love you” is perhaps the most memorable phrase in the English language. It’s also one of the shortest, consisting of just three little words. But don’t let its brevity fool you – those three words can pack a mighty punch. They can convey everything from the deepest feelings of love and devotion to the simplest expressions of affection. And they can be spoken in many different ways, from a declaration of undying love to a casual goodnight kiss. No matter how it’s said, “I love you” is always a special moment.

NATIONAL I LOVE YOU DAY:  A BRIEF HISTORY OF I LOVE YOU

It’s estimated that “I love you” is said around the world 8 million times a day. But where did this phrase come from? The answer may surprise you. Contrary to popular belief, “I love you” didn’t originate with the Romans or the Greeks. In fact, the first recorded instance of “I love you” comes from a medieval English text called The Parlement of Foules. Published in 1382, the poem tells the story of two birds who search for a mate and eventually find each other.

At the end of the poem, one bird says to the other, “I love thee so that, without thee, / My life is but a winter’s day; / When night is dark and has no dawning, / Life is but dead that living is not loving.” While the precise origins of “I love you” are unknown, it’s clear that this powerful phrase has been used to express affection for centuries. Today, it remains one of the most popular ways to say “I care about you” – no matter what language you speak.

100 WAYS TO CELEBRATE NATIONAL I LOVE YOU DAY

1. Stargazing Picnic: Enjoy a romantic evening under the stars with a cozy picnic spread.
2. Love Letter Exchange: Write heartfelt letters to each other, expressing your deepest feelings and appreciation.
3. Couples Cooking Class: Learn new culinary skills together in a fun and interactive cooking class.
4. Scenic Hike: Embark on a scenic hike hand in hand, enjoying nature’s beauty and each other’s company.
5. Movie Marathon: Snuggle up for a movie marathon featuring your favorite romantic films.
6. DIY Spa Night: Create a relaxing spa experience at home with massages, facials, and pampering treatments.
7. Wine Tasting Tour: Explore local wineries and indulge in a romantic wine tasting tour.
8. Couple’s Dance Lesson: Take a dance lesson together and learn new moves while enjoying each other’s company.
9. Beach Day: Spend a day at the beach, soaking up the sun, swimming, and building sandcastles together.
10. Love Notes Scavenger Hunt: Plan a scavenger hunt with love notes hidden in meaningful places.
11. Couples Yoga Session: Practice yoga together to promote relaxation, flexibility, and intimacy.
12. Romantic Dinner Cruise: Dine in style aboard a romantic dinner cruise, enjoying delicious food and stunning views.
13. Sunset Sailing: Sail into the sunset on a romantic sailing excursion for two.
14. Love Song Karaoke: Belt out your favorite love songs together in a fun karaoke session.
15. Couples Painting Class: Unleash your creativity together in a couples painting class, creating beautiful artworks side by side.
16. Midnight Snack Adventure: Go on a spontaneous late-night snack run to your favorite eateries.
17. Couple’s Bike Ride: Take a leisurely bike ride together, exploring scenic routes and enjoying the fresh air.
18. Romantic Candlelit Dinner: Prepare a candlelit dinner at home or dine at a cozy restaurant for a romantic evening.
19. Memory Lane Walk: Take a walk down memory lane, reminiscing about cherished moments and milestones in your relationship.
20. DIY Photo Shoot: Have a fun photo shoot together, capturing candid moments and silly poses.
21. Poetry Reading: Share poems or love letters with each other, expressing your affection through heartfelt words.
22. Outdoor Adventure: Go on an outdoor adventure like zip-lining, rock climbing, or kayaking for an adrenaline-filled date.
23. Bed and Breakfast Getaway: Escape for a romantic weekend getaway at a charming bed and breakfast.
24. Couples Board Game Night: Enjoy a cozy night in with your favorite board games and snacks.
25. Renew Your Vows: Renew your vows in a private ceremony, reaffirming your love and commitment to each other.
26.  Love Letter Relay: Engage in a relay race where participants pass love letters to each other, adding a fun twist to expressing affection.
27. Heart Hunt: Hide heart-shaped objects or love notes around the house or yard for a romantic scavenger hunt.
28. Cupid’s Arrow Toss: Play a game of tossing arrows (such as darts) at heart-shaped targets to win points and declare your love.
29. Romantic Trivia: Test your knowledge of romantic movies, songs, and love stories with a trivia game designed for couples.
30. Love Bingo: Play a game of bingo with romantic themes, featuring phrases like “candlelit dinner” and “sweet kisses.”
31. Couple’s Charades: Act out romantic gestures, movie scenes, or famous love quotes in a game of charades designed for couples.
32. Heartfelt Pictionary: Draw pictures related to love and romance while your partner guesses the word in this classic guessing game.
33. Love Story Mad Libs: Fill in the blanks of a love story with silly or romantic words, creating hilarious or heartfelt tales.
34. Relationship Trivia Challenge: Test your knowledge of each other’s likes, dislikes, and quirks in a fun and lighthearted trivia challenge.
35. Kiss the Heart: Blindfolded participants try to kiss a heart-shaped target placed in different locations for a sweet and silly game.
36. Romantic Jenga: Customize a Jenga set with romantic prompts or dares to spice up this classic stacking game.
37. Love-themed Memory Game: Create a memory game with pairs of cards featuring romantic images or words, perfect for testing your memory and love.
38. Date Night Dice: Roll the dice to determine activities for your next date night, adding an element of surprise and spontaneity.
39. Romantic Truth or Dare: Play a game of truth or dare with a romantic twist, featuring questions and challenges focused on love and affection.
40. Love Scramble: Unscramble romantic words or phrases against the clock for a fast-paced and challenging game.
41. Heartbeat Challenge: Measure your heart rates before and after sharing sweet moments or compliments, seeing how love affects your physiology.
42. Love-themed Bingo: Customize a bingo card with romantic activities or gestures to complete, adding a playful element to expressing love.
43. Couple’s Word Search: Search for romantic words hidden in a grid of letters, competing to find the most words in a limited time.
44. Love-themed Card Games: Play card games like “Hearts” or “Crazy Eights” with a romantic twist, adding love-themed rules or challenges.
45. Romantic Riddles: Take turns sharing romantic riddles or clues for your partner to guess, testing their wits and love.
46. Love Song Karaoke: Sing duets or serenade each other with love songs in a karaoke showdown filled with heartfelt tunes.
47. Heart-to-Heart Conversation Cards: Use conversation cards with prompts to spark meaningful discussions about love, dreams, and aspirations.
48. Sweetheart Trivia: Test your knowledge of each other’s favorite things, from movies and music to food and hobbies, in a friendly trivia competition.
49. Love-themed Board Games: Choose board games with romantic themes or storylines, immersing yourselves in love-filled adventures together.
50. Romantic Puzzle Race: Race against each other to complete romantic jigsaw puzzles, celebrating your love piece by piece.
51. Heartfelt Handprint Art: Create personalized handprint art using paint or clay, capturing your love in a tangible form.
52. Love Note Jar: Decorate a jar and fill it with handwritten love notes, to be exchanged and cherished throughout the day.
53. Couple’s Memory Book: Craft a scrapbook filled with photos, mementos, and memories of your time together as a couple.
54. Origami Love Birds: Fold colorful paper into intricate origami love birds, symbolizing your enduring bond.
55. DIY Love Coupons: Design and create custom love coupons redeemable for romantic gestures or acts of kindness.
56. Heart-shaped Dream Catcher: Weave a heart-shaped dream catcher using yarn and feathers, symbolizing protection and love.
57. Personalized Love Map: Create a map showcasing significant locations in your relationship journey, adding photos and anecdotes.
58. Romantic Mason Jar Lanterns: Decorate mason jars with heart cutouts and fairy lights to create enchanting lanterns for a cozy atmosphere.
59. Love-themed Candle Holders: Design candle holders adorned with romantic motifs or heartfelt messages, perfect for candlelit dinners.
60. DIY Love Rocks: Paint small rocks with loving messages or designs and scatter them in meaningful places for your partner to discover.
61. Couple’s Handmade Bracelets: Craft matching or complementary bracelets using beads, charms, or braided cords as a symbol of your connection.
62. Customized Couple’s Pillowcases: Decorate pillowcases with personalized designs or messages to adorn your shared bed.
63. Love-themed String Art: Create intricate string art designs featuring hearts, initials, or romantic quotes to hang on your walls.
64. DIY Love Planters: Paint and decorate plant pots with love-themed designs, then plant flowers or succulents together to nurture and grow.
65. Romantic Wall Art: Design and paint canvas wall art featuring meaningful quotes, lovebirds, or your initials intertwined.
66. Couple’s Photo Frame Collage: Arrange and display your favorite photos together in a collage-style photo frame, showcasing your love story.
67. Love-inspired Embroidery Hoops: Embroider heart designs or romantic phrases onto fabric hoops to hang as wall decor or give as gifts.
68. Date Night Jar: Decorate a jar and fill it with popsicle sticks labeled with different date night ideas for spontaneous adventures.
69. DIY Love Puzzle: Print a favorite photo onto puzzle pieces and assemble it together as a fun and romantic activity.
70. Heart-shaped Paper Garland: Cut out heart shapes from colored paper and string them together to create a whimsical garland for decoration.
71. Couple’s Memory Jar: Fill a jar with small mementos from special moments together, such as movie tickets or love letters, to reminisce.
72. Love-themed Cross-stitch Art: Create intricate cross-stitch designs featuring hearts, flowers, or romantic scenes to frame and display.
73. Personalized Love Rocks: Paint and decorate smooth rocks with initials, dates, or love symbols to scatter around your home or garden.
74. DIY Love Puzzle Box: Construct a puzzle box from cardboard or wood and decorate it with romantic designs, hiding a surprise inside.
75. Couple’s Vision Board: Create a vision board together filled with dreams, goals, and aspirations for your future as a couple.
76.  Heart-shaped Pancakes: Whip up fluffy pancakes in heart shapes, served with berries and maple syrup for a sweet breakfast treat.
77. Chocolate-covered Strawberries: Dip fresh strawberries in melted chocolate and let them set for a decadent and romantic dessert.
78. Homemade Pasta with Alfredo Sauce: Prepare fresh pasta from scratch and toss it in creamy Alfredo sauce for a cozy and indulgent dinner.
79. Candlelit Dinner: Cook a candlelit dinner featuring your partner’s favorite dishes, creating a romantic ambiance at home.
80. Red Velvet Cupcakes: Bake moist red velvet cupcakes topped with cream cheese frosting for a delightful sweet treat.
81. Heart-shaped Pizza: Make a heart-shaped pizza with your favorite toppings, adding a dash of romance to pizza night.
82. Strawberry Shortcake: Layer fluffy cake with fresh strawberries and whipped cream for a classic and romantic dessert.
83. Chocolate Fondue: Set up a chocolate fondue station with an assortment of fruits, marshmallows, and cookies for dipping.
84. Oysters on the Half Shell: Serve fresh oysters on the half shell with lemon wedges and mignonette sauce for an elegant and aphrodisiacal appetizer.
85. Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce: Prepare succulent beef tenderloin drizzled with a rich red wine sauce for a luxurious main course.
86. Raspberry White Chocolate Cheesecake: Bake a decadent cheesecake swirled with raspberry puree and white chocolate for a romantic dessert.
87. Chocolate Lava Cake: Bake individual chocolate lava cakes with gooey centers, served warm with vanilla ice cream.
88. Spaghetti Carbonara: Toss spaghetti in a creamy egg and Parmesan sauce with crispy bacon for a comforting and romantic pasta dish.
89. Champagne and Strawberries: Pair chilled champagne with fresh strawberries for a classic and elegant romantic indulgence.
90. Beet Risotto: Cook creamy beet risotto flavored with garlic, Parmesan, and a hint of balsamic vinegar for a vibrant and romantic dish.
91. Tiramisu: Layer espresso-soaked ladyfingers with mascarpone cheese and cocoa powder for a classic Italian dessert.
92. Filet Mignon with Blue Cheese Butter: Grill tender filet mignon steaks topped with a decadent blue cheese butter for a luxurious and romantic dinner.
93. Heart-shaped Waffles: Make crispy heart-shaped waffles topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit for a charming breakfast.
94. Salmon with Lemon Dill Sauce: Roast or grill salmon fillets and serve them with a tangy lemon dill sauce for a light and romantic seafood dish.
95. Coq au Vin: Slow-cook chicken in a rich red wine sauce with mushrooms and pearl onions for a comforting and romantic French dish.
96. Chocolate Truffles: Hand-roll chocolate truffles and coat them in cocoa powder, chopped nuts, or shredded coconut for a luxurious and romantic treat.
97. Shrimp Scampi: Sauté shrimp in garlic butter and white wine, served over pasta or with crusty bread for a simple yet elegant meal.
98. Berry Pavlova: Bake a light and airy pavlova topped with whipped cream and a medley of fresh berries for a stunning and romantic dessert.
99. Beet Salad with Goat Cheese: Toss roasted beets with tangy goat cheese, toasted walnuts, and balsamic vinaigrette for a vibrant and romantic salad.
100. Chocolate Mousse: Whip up silky chocolate mousse flavored with dark chocolate and espresso for a decadent and romantic dessert.

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Do you have any ideas about how to celebrate National I Love You Day?  Please share them!