Healthy relationships need equal amounts of respect and appreciation for each other. Married people and those who’ve been together long enough might sometimes do things for each other without thinking about it. But it never hurts to intentionally shower your wife with extra love and affection on special occasions.
Wife Appreciation Day falls on the third Sunday in September. It’s a time to celebrate the lady who keeps you grounded and centered throughout everyday challenges and victories. It’s also a time to give back to the woman who inspires you to do better and be better every day.
Although this particular observance also honors married women with children, it focuses on couples who don’t have children, either by chance or by choice. So if this applies to you, mark this annual observance on your calendar and start brainstorming.
Here are some ideas based on the five love languages:
Acts of Service
Actions oftentimes speak louder than words. This might be your wife’s love language if you notice that they light up when you offer to run errands and do things for her. It might also be her love language if you’ve been on the receiving end of nagging about laziness and broken commitments.
Well, if you want to make your wife feel truly loved and valued, here are some things you can do:
- Make her a cup of coffee or her favorite meal the way they like it
- Take care of their chores or run her errands, especially when you know she’s busy
- Help her with a project she’s working on, whether it’s a personal project or something else
Receiving Gifts
Some people feel most loved when they receive heartfelt gifts. This love language isn’t the same as materialism, though. If it’s your wife’s love language, a hasty gift still won’t connote appreciation. Rather, her happiness with the gift is centered on the love, effort and thoughtfulness that you put behind the gift.
For people with this love language, gifts don’t have to cost a lot. They should just come from the heart.
So while you’re considering personalised high-end earrings as a gift for your woman — which you can never go wrong with, by the way — you can also explore other options that you know she’ll enjoy:
- Plan a personalised gift that has a hidden meaning or inside joke
- Surprise her with something that she’s been eyeing or saving up for
- Get her “just because” gifts for no other reason than it made you think of her
Quality Time
If your wife’s love language is quality time, then Wife Appreciation Day should be all about giving her your undivided attention. Nothing says “I love you” louder to her than really being there and spending uninterrupted time with her. That means no gadgets, chores done and work forgotten temporarily.
Take a look at the different ways you can spend quality time with your lady:
- Take her out on a special date somewhere she’s been wanting to go
- Dedicate one day that you can spend together doing anything or nothing
- Spend a distraction-free night at home — that means no phones and gadgets
Words of Affirmation
To people whose love language is words of affirmation, actions don’t speak louder than words. This means showering your wife with random “I love you” remarks and unsolicited compliments. This also means that careless remarks could inwardly shatter them and stay on their minds for a long time.
If this is her love language, your wife would appreciate kind and encouraging words more than you know.
Here are things you can do for a spouse who values words of affirmation above other love languages:
- Go old school and write her a love letter
- Leave sticky notes around the house for her to find
- Verbally remind her that you love her; share the reasons why
Physical Touch
People whose primary love language is physical touch are, unsurprisingly, very touchy. This means they love snuggling up to you on slow days and giving you random hugs throughout the day. They might also have a habit of patting you on the back or thoughtfully touching your arm to show love, care, concern, and excitement. If this is your wife’s love language, they greatly value appropriate and timely touches.
Keep in mind that physical presence and accessibility are important in making your wife feel safe and loved if physical touch is her love language. Otherwise, she might feel neglected or unsafe.
These ideas could make Wife Appreciation Day more meaningful for her:
- Be generous with your hugs and kisses
- Give her a massage and a thorough foot rub
- Be extra attentive to what she likes in the bedroom
Make her feel loved and appreciated every day
Wife Appreciation Day isn’t the only time you can spoil your missus. If some people say that every day is Valentine’s Day, married people might argue that every day is Wife Appreciation Day. You don’t have to limit your loving gestures to her during this one day every year. Communication aside, the secret to a lasting relationship is to always make an effort to show love, respect, and appreciation for each other.
And while you can use this guide to plan the perfect Wife Appreciation Day for your special lady, keep in mind that your plans don’t have to be limited to one category. You can combine these tips into making her feel more special than you usually do.
