DATING
Your Guide To Tackling Your First Valentine's Day With A New Partner
By STEPHANIE HARPER
Gauge Your New Relationship
Before you come up with any plans, you should know where you and your partner stand, so if you’ve only been dating a few days you might want to avoid the pressure of celebrating together. If you’ve been dating for a month to three months, you’ll have to decide if you want to celebrate as a couple.
Communicate Expectations
If you don’t want to be disappointed, proper communication is crucial because there is nothing wrong with expressing your needs and wants during the holiday. If you are expecting a bouquet of roses or a fancy dinner in the city, let your partner know or they might assume you are fine with staying home.
Avoid Comparing Partners
Just because your old partner forgot the holidays doesn’t mean your new partner will, and if your old partner went above and beyond on the holidays, don’t assume your new partner will match that energy. Comparing partners can put a lot of pressure on them, and it can be the downfall of your relationship.
Be Wary Of Social Media
Refrain from putting pressure on your new partner to create an evening that is “Instagram acceptable.” By that same token, seeing posts from other people shouldn't create tension between you and your partner either if you feel like other couples are having more fun than you are.
Don’t Be Excessive
Don’t go overboard and spend way too much on Valentine’s Day, especially if your partner isn’t expecting it. Talk to your new partner about how much you want to do for each other in terms of gifts and plans so you both avoid embarrassing yourselves by doing too much and spending too much.