Because it’s Valentine’s Day, this week’s Huddle is all about romantic gestures. What’s the sweetest thing someone has ever done for you, or that you’ve done for someone? Or maybe it’s something you would love to happen for you, or has happened to someone else, even a character on TV? Let’s get romantic, people!
Chloe: I would like to waltz to Khachaturian’s “Masquerade Suite: Waltz” in a cavernous, elegantly decorated ballroom with a dashing woman in a fitted tuxedo.
Dana Piccoli: I think the most romantic thing a person can do is to put you first. My wife always makes me a priority. She takes the drafty seat at the restaurant because she knows I get cold, she sits in divey bars so I can sing karaoke, she always gives me the last bite of dessert. Just knowing I’m cared for and at the forefront of her mind is incredibly romantic to me.
Chelsea Steiner: This isn’t really a thing one person can do for another, but I absolutely love it when my fiancee and I finish each other’s jokes. It’s basically just us finishing each other’s sentences, but there’s such an easy delight in recognizing that you’re both on the same wavelength, and you know exactly what will make the other person laugh. A cynic would say that we’re just two empty minds with the same shared thought rattling back and forth, but in my experience, the couple that puns together funs together.
Emily McGaughy: My wife is what I call an “unconventional romantic.” She’s not the type to write a love letter or poem. She expresses love through her actions. For example, she knows I am terrible at taking car of my car, and she’s a former mechanic, so taking care of car stuff is one of her strengths. A romantic gesture for her is to borrow my car, have the oil changed, clean and detail it, and do any necessary repairs-all as a surprise to me. When we first started dating, I didn’t quite get that this was her way of showing love. But, after six years together, I understand this is one of the ways she says “I love you” to me. She is one of the most thoughtful and generous people I’ve ever met.
Kim Hoffman: My girlfriend and I were in a photo booth at our old favorite bar, and The Smiths started playing, and before I knew it we were making out in a photo booth to The Smiths. That is the most romantic thing on the face of the planet. Or maybe this is: A couple years later that bar closed down for good. It was like a death in this city, this bar had seen some shit, it was home for a lot of people. It’s the first place she took me to when I moved to Portland, and we started dating. It’s where we had our first kiss, in raggedy red vinyl chairs on wheels. When the place closed down I raced downtown after getting a text from my friend to get there quick if I wanted anything; he knew the owner. And he knew I wanted one of those red chairs. 20 bucks and an hour later I had one of the red chairs on wheels we’d first kissed on. Not ashamed to say it: My name is Kim Hoffman, and I’m a total romantic.
Erin Faith Wilson: There have been so many romantic things that my wife has done over the last 10 years, it’s hard to pick just one! However, one of my favorite things is when she brings me coffee in bed on Sunday mornings. The fact that not only does she know exactly how I like my coffee, but that she gets up and lets me sleep in while she prepares it and sets it next to me so when I wake up, it’s right there.
Grace Chu: We’re both so busy, so I appreciate those rare weekends when we can just say “nope” to the alarm clock, snuggle, and not get out of bed til noon. Just the little things.
Elaine Atwell: I find so much romance in the little day to day things my girlfriend does for me. I was hanging out with her recently, and I felt sick and miserable, and she bought me soup and ginger ale and looked at pictures of brightly colored birds with me because that was all I could deal with in that moment. I’ve had other loves make grand romantic gestures, and I loved them, but I also love the quiet, gorgeous way this one just shows the fuck up with soup.
Lindsay King-Miller: I’m not that into the big spectacles. Like Elaine said, it’s the little day-to-day displays of affection that really bring me joy. I feel super lovey-dovey when my partner makes me a home-cooked meal, or when we go for a walk with our daughter. Actually, now that I think about it, growing a small human for us to raise together is probably the most romantic thing anyone has ever done for me.
Miranda Meyer: I have a proud streak a mile wide and also a terror of being a burden, so when someone sincerely wants to go out of their way to take care of something for me, or take a task off my plate, just because they want me to be happy-and I actually feel like I can acquiesce to the offer without feeling like I’m somehow failing-that’s really special to me.
Lucy Hallowell: It’s impossible to pick the most romantic thing my wife has ever done for me over the course of our 17 years together. We met when we were teenagers and spent a long time making sure no one knew we were together. So, I get a thrill and that swoopy tummy feeling when my wife reaches out to hold my hand in public.
Caitlin Bergh: My fantasy is for a woman to get me pregnant accidentally somehow. So romantic.
Valerie Anne: Kneel before them and swear fealty.
Trish Bendix: I love any kind of surprise, whether it be a sweet text message out of nowhere, or my girlfriend cooking me dinner, or even cleaning the house before I get home. Anything that lets me know she was thinking about me is romantic. But of course, I also relish the truly romance-based gestures, like the time she went out of town and left secret notes in all of the cabinets and drawers she’d knew I’d have to go into while she was gone. Each note read something cute or special and reminded me that she loved me, even if she wasn’t there to say it.
What is the most romantic gesture you can think of?
