Valentine's don'ts

You might think that standing under the balcony of your beloved's apartment holding a boombox over your head  à la John Cusack in the film 'Say Anything' is the epitome of romance, but the families sharing that apartment building may beg to differ, especially after hearing you sing along to Savage Garden's "I Knew I Loved You" for the thirteenth time. Talk about unlucky. 

Living in a digital world means we don't really have to resort to physical gestures of romance when it comes to Valentine's Day (or any other day, come to think of it). But please, for the love of all that is scared and holy on this planet, don't feel the need to spam your significant other's Facebook wall with professions of your undying love and commitment. 

A picture may be worth a thousand words but a simple "I love you" doesn't mean a thousand emojis.  

Valentine's Day seems like the perfect opportunity to go all out, reserve a table at the best restaurant in the city and dress to the nines but Murphy's Law dictates that the more effort you put into something, the more chance there is of something going wrong. 

Seriously, just keep it simple. A homemade dinner is worth more than spending thousands on a meal. It's more special when it comes from the heart instead of from the wallet. Set a table up on your rooftop, have candles, light jazz and your favourite food -- far from the generic restaurant route, no?

Films and television shows gave us the idea of having a bouquet of flowers delivered to your other half's house or workplace, and sure, it can be a really sweet gesture but again, don't go overboard. 

A dozen red roses, for example, is cute, albeit a bit boring, especially when there are so many other types of flowers to choose from. What isn't cute is having a dozen red roses, a giant teddy bear, a massive card and balloons delivered to your boyfriend or girlfriend's office when all they want to do is get through another Sunday at work. 

Public displays of affection are a big no-no anyway, and even more so on Valentine's Day. You want to go for a romantic walk in the park with your other half? Enjoy doing so with about 30 other couples who had the exact same idea, unless that's your idea of spending quality time. 

You might think that writing a poem declaring your love is another good idea for Valentine's Day but chances are -- and I'm sorry to have to break this to you -- it'll be more cringe than cute. 

Don't try and do things you aren't good at. You can fill up a little photo album with photos of you two taken over the course of your relationship but if you're not an artist, perhaps refrain from attempting to sketch your girlfriend or boyfriend lest they end up offended that you think they look more like a melting snowman than a human being. Stick to your strengths.

There's that big old argument of Valentine's Day just being another commercialised celebration and it's just a way for Hallmark to sell cards, and then there are people who insist that you should treat your other half for the other 364 days of the year. Ignore all that. Do what makes you happy, but do remember that there are a lot of don'ts to bear in mind too.

By Zahrah Haider
Photo: Sazzad Ibne Sayed
Model: Arpita
Wardrobe: Z and Z Collection
Make-up: Farzana Shakil
Photo shoot coordinator: Tabassum Anila Hridi