I’ve had a few people write asking me about how to spoil their special Prince or Princess on February 14th, so I thought it would be fun to talk about some ways to make this holiday a little more special

We all have a pretty clear idea of the typical St Valentine’s Day fare. Chocolates, Roses, Dinner at a nice restaurant, Jewelery, Champagne. They can be lovely with a touch of sincerity, but they aren’t very exciting and tend to lack personality. In fact romance is something sadly lacking in many relationships these days. Girls have given up expecting it, and boys never have. I think being a little romantic now and then is a lovely way to show someone how much they mean to you, and it doesn’t have to cost money either. Princesses should learn to be romantic sometimes, as well as enjoying the attentions of their suitors, because everyone deserves to know they are loved.

Being romantic is not difficult, there are three things to keep in mind. The first is spontaneity. Creating a surprise for your loved one, something they would not expect. Whether its coming home to a house full of pink and red balloons or being stolen away for a little vacation you planned without their knowing. If you go to a restaurant or the beach every year, try and think of something new and different that your Prince or Princess would not expect. Tuck a love note into his shoe or lunch bag, slip a little bracelet around her wrist while she’s sleeping or plan a treasure hunt! The look of unexpected happiness on their face will be worth all your planning.

The second is sincerity. A lot of people have difficulty expressing their emotions, and although they may love someone very much it can be hard for them to show it. It’s nothing to be ashamed of, but sometimes it can leave your partner feeling a little unappreciated, because sadly most human beings can’t read minds! Find a way to show your loved one just how much you care, maybe you could write them a letter or a poem, create a hand made card or learn the lyrics of their favourite song and sing it out loud! If you’re unsure where to begin, try writing down all the things you love about them, from the colour of their hair to the way they sing in the shower. They will be really touched by how much you actually notice and appreciate.

The last, and most important part is your personal touch. This is where roses and chocolates often fail, however well meant. Ponder carefully on what makes your beloved happy, what would really make them feel understood and cherished. If you’ve known eachother a while you should have a pretty good idea to begin with, what is their favourite colour, favourite food, favourite band, author, show etc. If you’ve only just met, time to do some investigating! Perhaps you could cook them their favourite dish or find a signed copy of their favourite book or CD. If you’ve been together for a while, you might be able to include something that is special to both of you. Blindfold them and take them on a mystery trip to the place you first kissed, rent the movie you watched on your first date (even if its awful! Laugh together) Do something that is unique to them, unique to you as a couple and it will become another treasured memory.

Here’s a few different ideas for ways to spend your Valentine’s; have a picnic, at a nice park or indoors if the weather doesn’t permit. Go to see a romantic play, Opera or Ballet, if there is a performing arts school near you they often have great performances for cheaper tickets. Go to a gaming arcade, play silly games and win prizes and take purikura, race eachother and shoot zombies! Find a hill and go sledding, if you don’t have snow grab a cardboard box and go grass sledding (if you’ve never tried this you’re missing out.) Go Ice skating or Rollerskating, this is best if at least one of you can’t skate! Spend the day at a museum or art gallery holding hands. Go in to a bookstore, split up and find something funny or sweet for eachother, buy it and then exchange. Bake a valentines day cake and eat it together, strawberries are a must. Play board games, make up new rules. Fly a kite! Rent a Karaoke room and sing love songs to eachother. Watch a sunrise together, instead of a sunset, I think they’re far more beautiful.

I hope you all have a lovely Saint Valentines Day and spend it with your friends or beloveds. I’ll be writing more about how to enjoy Valentines day as a single Princess later on!

Usually when I write about literary inspirations I write about a book, or possibly a series. However I don’t believe it would be fair to do that for the works of Robin McKinley because then I would have to choose a favourite, which seems too difficult a task.

I first discovered her works through her first retelling of my favourite fairy tale, Beauty and the Beast - titled Beauty. I have already mentioned her second retelling - Rose Daughter on this blog. I think most of Robin McKinley’s stories read like fairy tales actually, even if they are original, but they are fairy tales with another dimension.

The only way I can describe it is thus, if you can imagine yourself reading a very old book of tales. Folk stories and epics, bound in a great leather tome with gilt edges and illuminated letters. The words are old fashioned and heavy, the story seems a little predictable (not because it isn’t good, but because you’ve heard similar ones before) then, suddenly, you find yourself inside the story, experiencing everything as the hero or heroine does, and you find its really not as simple a tale as you thought, but a story about real people who feel pain and love and joy and loss just as we do. They’re the stories behind the tales.

I was lucky enough to find two collections of her short stories at the library recently. I have finished ‘Water’ a collection of tales about spirits of the ocean, it also includes some stories by Peter Dickinson. I loved every one of them, but then I’m still on my Mermaid fascination I think. Now I am reading ‘A Knot in the Grain’ which is a very warm little book, I find it really grounding and wonderfully sweet in some parts with just a bit of wildness. She has also retold many other traditional tales including Donkeyskin and Sleeping Beauty.

I think any lover of fairy tales or fantasy should have a look at her works, each is a little treasure and I look forward to finding more!