Edmonton Journal

LOVE IS IN THE AIR

Show your sweetie you care with a Valentine’s Day gift

- JOANNE RICHARD

Skip the flowers and go for a couple’s chocolate massage. According to a new Valentine survey by Splender, an online shopping site, experienci­ng something together gets top V-Day billing from both genders, with chocolate coming second.

Put the two together and let the sparks fly. My favourite gift was a night at Ste. Anne’s Spa resort, just north of the village of Grafton, Ont. The Romance package delivered two love potions — an exciting experience and chocolate! Besides the chocolate-covered strawberri­es in your room, the warm Chocolate Swedish massage was to die for.

Relationsh­ips need to be massaged, nurtured and re-energized. Valentine’s is perfect for refocusing so be sure to wrap up the unexpected, something that’ll send dopamine levels up and fuel bonding — like axe-throwing lessons!

Bad Axe Throwing is, yes, about learning to throw an axe properly. The Canadian company is hosting a Valentine’s Day party for couples and singles alike.

“We’ve even had people bring in pictures of their exes to stick to the targets!” says Melanie St-Amour, of badaxethro­wing.com.

Don’t pull a hatchet job this Valentine’s Day. For the most part romance rules and love is in the air, as 70 per cent of Canadian singles believe Valentine’s Day is a romantic holiday, reports Match.com.

Forgetting or just not bothering to celebrate at all leaves an indelible mark on the relationsh­ip — and not a good one. It’s a barometer of what’s to come, says relationsh­ip therapist Dr. Bonnie Eaker Weil.

“We’re a society that loves to fall in love and to be in love, and celebratin­g Feb. 14 with your sweetie, accompanie­d by an appropriat­e token of affection, is a must.”

No need for anything big, but the more romantic you are, the more endorphins go up and this creates a connection. It’s the rituals and romantic gestures that create memories and bonds, said Eaker Weil, of doctorbonn­ie.com.

Talk is cheap — show you care with these ideas sure to bedazzle your sweetie.

 ??  ?? Forget the stuffed toy — how about a mug? Hallmark offers one with quite the tonguein-cheek message: You are so Falcon awesome ($12.95, Hallmark.com).
Forget the stuffed toy — how about a mug? Hallmark offers one with quite the tonguein-cheek message: You are so Falcon awesome ($12.95, Hallmark.com).
 ??  ?? From top: Always time for love with the Olivia Burton nude peach and rose gold hummingbir­d watch ($199, thebay.com); love sizzles with this wonderfull­y-scented bath bomb ($9, consonants­kincare.com); the Lips Mirror Compact fits the bill (Hallmark.com);...
From top: Always time for love with the Olivia Burton nude peach and rose gold hummingbir­d watch ($199, thebay.com); love sizzles with this wonderfull­y-scented bath bomb ($9, consonants­kincare.com); the Lips Mirror Compact fits the bill (Hallmark.com);...
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