Valentine’s Day is a holiday associated with loving, committed relationships, romance, and sex. The idea of having a first date with someone on this day might be less than appealing to you, but it is possible to have a great first date on Valentine’s Day without all the pressure and with little fuss.

Here are a few helpful tips on how to mix Valentines and first dates:

Agree not to make a big deal of it. It’s important to make your expectations clear before meeting up on Valentine’s Day. One person might have the romantic notion of going big—getting flowers and chocolate, maybe reserving a table at a fancy restaurant. The other person might think it’s best to just ignore the fact that it’s February 14th altogether. My advice? Instead of allowing the pressure of such a romantic day ruin what could be a great date, agree before heading out that this date should be treated like any other. You can certainly acknowledge the fact that it’s Valentine’s Day, but you don’t have to get caught up in the hype and pressure of what that means.

Plan a fun, unconventional Valentine’s Day date. In order to avoid feeling uncomfortable by the hoards of couples in love on Valentine’s Day, plan an unconventional date that will set you apart from the rest. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Plan a daytime date, pack a picnic, and hike to a beautiful spot to enjoy your meal together.
• Go to a museum or an art gallery and then grab a coffee after to share what you thought of the exhibits.
• Research what tourists do when they visit your hometown and then be a tourist for a day and book one of those activities.
• Go see a band together. If there’s nothing good coming to town, see if there is a good jazz club or a lighthearted cover band playing somewhere.
• Hit the bowling alley. Bowling is always a fun way to break the ice (even if you’re terrible at it).
• See a non-Valentine’s Day movie (think horror flick, action movie, or even a documentary), then go out to a casual dinner (avoid places where you might be surrounded by Valentine’s daters) to critique it afterward.

Keep gestures and gifts simple. You might decide you want to get your date a little something because it is Valentine’s Day after all. If you do decide to do so, keep it simple. A small package of your favorite chocolates, a funny gift, or a single flower makes a great, simple, and thoughtful gift that won’t freak your date out.

Some people will claim that having a first date on Valentine’s Day is too much pressure for two people just starting to get to know each other, but you can approach it from another angle. By following the advice in this article, you can have a successful, fun date… and who knows? Maybe it will develop into something more serious. Think about what a great story that would make!

[photo: via mammashealth.com]