5 Tips to Strengthening your Relationship with your Spouse this Season

The stress and busy-ness of the holiday season can cause a strain in many marriages, as it is often a time for major decisions: what to give the children, where to spend the holidays, his parents or yours, how to go about budgeting your finances, who to invitehow to squeeze in a reunion with friends and family in your already packed schedule, etc.

It’s ironic how the supposedly merry, magical season can also be a difficult time for couples. is the holidays are meant to be a season of love and joy for the entire family, but our tendency to focus too much on the things we need to do rather than the true spirit of the season can take the fun and meaning away from it.   

In the midst of juggling all the responsibilities and major decision-making, it is important for spouses to work together towards celebrating a meaningful season. Here are a few simple ways to do that:

1. Start your very own holiday tradition as a couple
Come up with a romantic tradition for you and your partner to enjoy together. For instance, give each other short but meaningful messages of love. Another way is to do special acts of service for one another, such as giving each other a massage.  

2. Plan a romantic “holi-date”
Set a special date for just the two of you every year. Have your kids stay with their grandparents for a night or a weekend so you could have a private moment to yourself.  

Explore new places, try new adventures or enjoy even simple inexpensive ways like staying at home to watch movies. Make the most of your time together and avoid discussing work-related matters or finances, which could start out well but end on a stressful note. It won’t hurt to focus these few moments of your time together on each other and affirm one another of your love.  

[previous|page|next]

3. Give a special D-I-Y gift to your spouse
Do remember that it’s not the gift that matters, but focus on the feeling and thought behind that special thing you can create.

Put your creative juices to good use by creating a special scrapbook for your spouse. These could be photos of your best times together your notes to each other, messages from friends, family and even the kids. If you can compose a poem or a song, knit or sew something, draw or paint, make a go for it!

4. Fulfill each other’s childhood dream
You and your spouse can list down all the things you wished for as a child but never actually got to receive. It doesn’t have to include only material items, but it can also be places or activities you never really got to visit or do as a child, such as celebrating the holidays at your province, watching a Christmas moving display, a stuffed teddy bear you’ve been fancying, etc. Share this to one another and help make each other’s childhood dreams come true.

5. Fill up your home with love
Be generous in your expression of love for one another. You don’t need moments alone to actually affirm one another of your love, but whenever possible, hold hands, give each other a hug, a kiss, an affectionate stroke of the hair. Say “I love you” every day. Especially when the kids are there, be affectionate to one another. Seeing how much love you have for one another will inspire them to appreciate that love is truly present in their homes.

With all the hustle and bustle of the holidays, our spouses tend to be left out in the cold as we focus on making the season special for other people. Christmas can also be the most romantic time of the year - the key is to keep the romance alive, make each other feel special and share that yuletide loving feeling with one another. No matter how imperfect you feel your relationship may be, the holidays are always the best time to rediscover your love and create meaningful, lasting memories together.

Image from womenzmag.com