7 ways to make a friend feel special on Valentine's Day

7 ways to make a friend feel special on Valentine's Day
This post was published on the now-closed HuffPost Contributor platform. Contributors control their own work and posted freely to our site. If you need to flag this entry as abusive, send us an email.

For many women, Valentine's Day means much more than hearts, chocolates, and roses. The affection they feel on that day extends beyond lovers to their close friends and relatives, too.

Whether you celebrate Valentine's Day or the Día del amor y la Amistad (Day of Love and Friendship)---as do many Latin Americans---February 14th offers a perfect opportunity to show affection for close friends, who add so much to our lives.

Since even the strongest of friendships needs to be nurtured, here are 7 ways to let your closet friends know how important they are to you on Valentine's Day (or any other day of your choosing):

1) Say it in words. Call her or write her a card, note or email telling her just how much her friendship means to you. After all, Valentine's Day gives everyone license to act a bit more affectionate than usual.

2) Remind her visually. Send her a photo of a wonderful time you had together in the past and tell her how happy it makes you feel that you're still friends after all those years.

3) Give her the gift of time. Instead of continually saying, "We have to get together," make concrete plans. Get out your electronic calendar or datebook and set a time when you can spend quality time together---even if it's just over a cup of coffee.

4) Plan a girlfriend's getaway. Perhaps you've both been busy and haven't seen each other for a while. Your lives have diverged yet you still feel like you're kindred spirits. Make a relaxed spa date or commit to a weekend when you have uninterrupted time to make new memories.

5) Weave her into the fabric of your life. If she's single and you're married with children, invite her to join one or more of your family traditions. If you think she might enjoy the company of another close friend of yours, introduce them to each other. Introduce her to your mother, sister or cousin.

6) Suggest that you both read the same book or go to a movie so you can talk about it afterwards. It can be a great springboard for discussing feelings and values.

7) If something has recently gotten in the way of your friendship and you believe you may have been at fault, don't be too big to apologize.


Have you recently shown a friend how much you care? What did you do?

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE