Tips from two lovebirds: a Valentine’s Day Q & A
We all want to make our partners feel special on Valentine’s Day. And while grand gestures are great, the most head-over-heels, happily-ever-after couples know that true love is in the little things. So we sat down with Stacey and Gill Donovan, one of Hallmark’s own adorable duos (she’s even a romance novelist), and asked them to help us make the most of Valentine’s Day. Read on for little ways to rev up your romance.
Inspired? Create and share by tagging @hallmarkstores.
How do you give a Valentine's Day gift your sweetheart will love?
Stacey: Give something that relates to his or her passion. Years ago, when I was still trying to figure out how to write a novel with little success, Mr. Donovan gave me a fancy fountain pen. It came with a note that said, “You can write our favorite books with this.” It meant so much to me—I’ll never forget it.
Any ideas for turning a romantic moment into an all-day affair?
Gill: Shower them with cards! Sometimes on my birthday or Valentine’s Day, Stace will get a bunch of cards and leave them in different places—taped to the bathroom mirror, on the seat of the car, on my computer and so on. It can take me a couple of days to find them all, and every time I find a new one, it makes me smile.
What if you're going for a low-key or inexpensive celebration? Any suggestions?
Gill: Cook a romantic meal at home. We usually go out for a nice dinner like most people do, but the time I remember best is when we just stayed in and watched a romantic movie and Stacey made a heart-shaped pizza. It was probably the cheapest Valentine’s Day dinner we ever had but also one of the best.
What if you want to do something really over-the-top sweet and sentimental?
Stacey: Write a love letter—or even a poem. Gill and I met in a graduate writing program. After our first date, he gave me all these poems he had recently written. OK, it was about a hundred poems, and they were all really good. Most of them were love poems, and I don’t know if they were about me or not, but I was swooning! Not everybody can write a hundred beautiful poems, but I think a heartfelt love letter is an amazing thing, especially if it’s handwritten. I think the fact that you’re willing to put your feelings out there is what makes it so great.
Gill: For the record, of course the love poems were about you! I could hardly stop thinking about you, and nearly all my writing then was either directed to you or about you in some way.
What do you consider the "classic" Valentine's Day gift?
Gill: I like to buy her favorite dark chocolates at her favorite local candy store and give them to her with her favorite multicolored or red and white roses, and I set aside some time to find just the right Valentine’s Day card. If I’m on my game, I tie these three traditional gifts together with a short and sincere closing message in the card.
Stacey: He doesn’t just do chocolate on Valentine’s Day, to be clear. Not too long ago, I mentioned late at night that I had a craving and he went out and got some for me!
What about after Valentine's Day? Is there a way to keep the romance alive all year?
Stacey: There are lots of ways, but one of my favorites is to find a great term of endearment. Mr. Donovan never addresses me as “Stacey.” He almost always calls me “Pie.” It started out as “Wild Honey Pie” but quickly became abbreviated. I love it, and whenever I leave him a note, I sign it with a pi symbol. He’ll also sometimes address me as “Beautiful” or “Gorgeous.” And every day when I see him after work, I say, “Hi, Handsome!”

Photo courtesy of Gill & Stacey Donovan
You may also like
See more-
Spring History of Administrative Professionals Day
Three people led the effort to create Administrative Professionals Day/Week: Mary Barrett, a past president of the...
-
Easter Easter Eggs-travaganza: Our Favorite Easter Egg Ideas
When it comes to Easter, we think both adults AND kids deserve to have some fun and make fabulous, way-too-pretty-to-...
-
St. Patrick's Day Free Printable St. Patrick’s Day Coloring Pages for Your Little Leprechauns
If you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, then you know it’s all about sharing love, luck and fun. And what could be more f...
-
Easter Free Printable Easter Coloring Pages to Brighten Up Your Celebration
One of the best things about Easter—in addition to faith, family and food—is all the colors. So we figured we’d throw...
-
Spring History of Teacher Appreciation Week
People in the United States started celebrating National Teacher Day in 1953 when Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Cong...
-
Spring History of Nurses Day
In 1953, an official with the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare proposed that President Dwight D. E...
-
Congratulations Rewards for Kids: 10 Parents Share Their Tips for Celebrating Achievements
One of the most important tools parents have to shape their kids’ behavior is the power of positive feedback. But as ...
-
Congratulations How to Give a Toast from the Heart
At some point in your life, you’ll need to give a toast. You might get advance notice as a Maid of Honor or host o...
-
Congratulations How to Say Congratulations (Even When You'd Really Rather Not)
Congratulating others is easy and fun, right? Like when your friend worked really hard and got that awesome job ma...
-
New Year's Guilt-Free New Year's Resolutions
“New Year’s resolutions.” To some, those words are filled with pure possibility...an invitation to start anew, comple...
-
New Year's New Year's Resolution Ideas for Groups
New Year’s resolutions are pretty lonely deals. It’s just you and that thing you have to live up to. Ack! No wonde...
-
Christmas A Christmas tribute: meaningful ways to weave memories of lost loved ones into new holiday traditions
For many of us, Christmas is the time of year when we miss our lost loved ones the most. Finding ways to memoriali...
-
Thanksgiving The History of Thanksgiving and Alternative Ideas for Celebrating Gratitude
Many of us in the United States have celebrated Thanksgiving through the years without knowing its origins, perhaps h...
-
Christmas Baby’s First Christmas Ideas
Baby's first Christmas means more fun, more cuteness, more joy...and definitely more wonder as you see the holiday se...
-
Mother's Day What to Write in a Mother's Day Card
Tell her just how much she means using this guide from Hallmark writers.
-
Thank You What to write in a thank-you card
Express your gratitude with these thank you messages and ideas from Hallmark card writers.
-
Gift Wrapping Giftology: how to wrap a Mother's Day gift
Make Mom’s day with these simply stunning Mother’s Day gift-wrapping ideas. Watch our video tutorials ...
-
Mother's Day How to Write an Appreciation Letter for Mom
No one has loved you (or put up with you) like Mom has. Or let’s say it wasn’t “Mom”—maybe it’s been a stepmom, grand...
-
Valentine's Day Free Printable Valentine’s Day Coloring Pages You'll Love
Valentine’s Day is all about love. Not just the romantic kind, either. More and more, people are using Valentine’s Da...
-
Valentine's Day What to Write in a Valentine's Day Card
Hallmark writers offer up inspiration to help you find just the right loving words to add when you sign a valentine.