Why are mini love letters effective? Well, if you think about it, mini love letters are a multi-billion dollar industry already ? your greeting cards are mini love letters! Notice how many words or phrases are there in the cards which you will easily pay $3 dollars to as much as $15 per card? Those cards are mini love letters written for you and you just have to pick one out. Although, it is a nice gesture, the problem with those is that your recipient knows that you bought it. So, the best mini love letters are those that come from your thoughts, your heart and those you created yourself. If you use a very unconventional medium, the mini love letter becomes even more pleasurable to the recipient. With an unconventional medium, your mini love letters ?reeks of effort? which will automatically radiate from it, and the recipient will recognize that instantly.

The best type of mini love letters must invoke positive emotion. Of course mini love letters can be used to express apology or regret but never to express disappointment or anger. So, two pointers in writing a mini love letter are:

• The best one is those thought up by yourself,
• It must be funny, romantic, a positive thought.

There is an easier way to write mini love letters i.e. to take some hints from other well written ones. But a word of caution, never copy it wholesale. The recipient will know and sometimes can become damaging. Even if the mini love letter turns out not very well written, you mini love letter will ?reek of effort?, which is more important than the actual words itself. If you chose to copy the words, state where you get it and it will better. Honesty is the best policy here.

Before you go and find some ideas, think about your feelings which you want to express. There may be several, pick one or two which you like to express now. By narrowing down your wants, it will make your search a little easier. Then look at places where you can get some ideas and here are some sample places where you can get some interesting ideas.

• Greeting cards.
• Poems
• Songs
• Famous sayings (be sure that you cite the author, if taken wholesale)
• Samples letters
• Love story books
• Love websites.
• Books especially those that deal with relationships.
• Book titles.

Pick out a few sentences from a variety of sources which express your feelings. You then have to rewrite them in your own words. Take out phrases from those sentences and combine them and play around with them until the final mini love letter expresses what you feel.

The final part is the most important ? where to write them. Traditionally and conventionally, you would write them on a card or a piece of paper. Even on a card or a piece of paper, you can make it your very own to ?reek of effort?. Another very interesting thought is why not write it on unconventional medium?

Don’t you fret. In this modern age of animated e-mail greeting cards,
24-hour flower delivery, and special interest groups creating their own
holidays, Hallmark be damned, there’s bound to be an occasion worth
celebrating right around the corner. (And if there’s not, then celebrate
anyway!) Here are some tips to make romance possible any day of the year.

+ Create Your Own Holiday

+ Don’t Forget the Little Guys

+ Happy Tuesday

+ Surprise!

Create Your Own Holiday

Why does Hallmark get to decide when you can send flowers, give sappy
cards, and feed your lover candy? Go them one better when you take out a
sheet or two of scratch paper and create your very own holiday. But where to start? Look to your lover for inspiration, of course.

Perhaps your four-month anniversary is in the offing. Maybe tomorrow is
exactly one hundred days until his birthday. Or it could be that she just
came back from the dentist with a clean bill of dental health? Who cares
about the occasion, it’s the celebration that matters!

Use your computer or pick up some poster board (you still remember where
it is from your junior high school days, don’t you?) and create a sign or
banner for your brand new holiday: “Happy Fifteenth Day Without a
Cigarette!”. Fold some construction paper in half and design a fancy greeting
on the front, followed by some sentimental or romantic words inside: “Your
breath has never smelled better!” Wrap an inexpensive but thoughtful gift,
such as a chocolate cigar or those bubble gum cigarettes, and whip up or
order a fancy dinner to celebrate the occasion.

Don’t Forget the Little Guys

St. Patrick’s Day and the 4th of July aren’t the only holidays on the
calendar these days. What about the “little” holidays? To find out what they
are, subscribe to one of those free e-mail holiday reminders out there (you
can’t miss em) or do an Internet search for “holidays” to discover one of
the many sites that track down a holiday for (almost) every day of the year.
Check out something fun or funky to celebrate in the coming week, such as
The Day Tissue Was Invented and go to town.

Buy a blank card and write a lovingly clever message inside, such as “If
you ever left me they’d have to invent the world’s biggest tissue”, and present it
with a themed gift, such as something sexy wrapped in tissue or a corkscrew
sticking out of her favorite bottle of wine.

Happy Tuesday!

It’s a well-known fact that Mondays suck, Wednesdays are hump day,
Thursday is Must See TV, TGIF starts the weekend, a quiet rock band named
KISS taught us all that S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y NIGHT spells Saturday night, and
Sunday is for cuddling up with fancy coffee and a big, fat newspaper under
the covers. But what about poor old Tuesday?

After all, Monday’s long behind you and, if you think about it, come
Tuesday night the rest of the week is all downhill. Why not celebrate? As an
extra bonus, unlike Easter or Groundhog Day, Tuesday comes once a week.
Every week! Why not create a new tradition by making every Tuesday just a
little more memorable.

It doesn’t have to involve numerous shots of peach schnapps at some
all-night bar, naked skydiving, or even dinner at a fancy restaurant.
Instead, why not offer to pick up your lover and drive him to work on
Tuesday morning. Even if it’s out of your way, it’s worth getting up a
little early one day a week for the payoff after quitting time. When the
five o’clock whistle blows, pick your lover up and have “date night” a
little early in the week.

See an early movie and luxuriate by spreading (or making) out in a
mostly-empty theater. Enjoy an early bird dinner and use the savings to
splurge on a fancy coffee drink or a decadent dessert afterward. Become
regulars at a cozy little bistro halfway between your apartments or right
around the corner from home, if you?re lucky enough to be cohabiting.

Or just pick up a different nationality of take-out food on the way home
from work each Tuesday night and enjoy it over candlelight and appropriate
mood music. Don?t wait for Friday to show your lover that they light up any
night of the week.

Surpise!

If committing yourself to doing something special every Tuesday is a
little too oppressive (shame, shame), then why not sneak up on your lover
and surprise her when she least expects it. Morning, noon, or night, every
day is a wonderful opportunity to find the romance in unexpected places.

For instance, why wait until after work to bring romance into your life?
Be the early bird and sneak out of the house one morning for a surprise
breakfast in bed. Sure, it may just be powdered donuts and a plastic
container of orange juice form the 7-11 up the street, but what better way
to face the day than with something sweet. (And we?re not just talking about
the donuts).

If your average Sunday involves rearranging the battery drawer in your
boxer shorts, set the alarm and head out for a day at the park or her
favorite spa. Call in sick for each other one Monday morning and spend the
day recuperating (that?s what they call it, right?) in bed. Or simply stay
up late one Thursday night watching creepy stuff on the Sci-Fi channel and
feeding each other popcorn.

No matter what you do, your lover will appreciate your thoughtfulness,
as well as the surprise. Who knows, she might just up and surprise you
tomorrow? Or the next day? Or, better yet, when you least expect it?

1. While your love is cooking or washing the dishes go up behind him or her, and wrap your arms around their waist. Nuzzle your face into their neck and tell them how much you love them. If you’re lucky they will turn around to give you a kiss. :)
2. When walking past your love (around the house, in the yard, while shopping, while at a barbeque, etc.) make it a point to touch them. This could be a quick touch to the shoulder or waist, or a kiss on the cheek.
3. Snuggle together on the couch while watching TV. Hold hands, caress her hair or arms, kiss during commercials.
4. Take your sweetheart’s hand while driving in the car, or walking together.
5. When you arrive home, before doing anything else, approach your sweetheart for a hug and kiss.
6. If you sleep together, snuggle up to your partner when you go to bed tonight. If either of you need space to sleep you can break away after snuggling.
7. When your love arrives home from work take her hand and pull her towards you for a hug, kiss and “I missed you today”. – submitted by Richard P.
8. Offer to brush her hair.
9. While having dinner together (at a restaurant or at home) reach across the table and hold hands. You could also hold hands under the table.

The instant messengers (AOL, Yahoo, ICQ, etc.) are great for long distance relationships. If you both have Internet access and can download the software, I suggest that you download one of these free messengers. My girlfriend and I use two of the messenger services and we talk almost every night. – Submitted by Dvalcon

Personalized Puzzle

Write a letter or find a picture of something you two have shared. Paste the letter/picture to a piece of cardboard and cut it into puzzle pieces. Send your long distance love a few pieces every other day in the mail. – Submitted by David

Handmade Calendar

Have someone take pictures of you, develop them, and make a calendar. The way I did it was to get card paper and glue a rose border on each piece. I then color copied and enlarged the pictures and pasted them on the paper. Then I printed out boxes on the computer for the days and decorated each week (or month). I then tied them all together with ribbon and sent it to him in the mail as a countdown for when he moved here. He loved it. He got to see me everyday, and the fact that it took so much time and effort really touched him. – Submitted by Renee M.

Scented Letters

When I was in a long distance relationship I used to send my boyfriend letters sprayed with my perfume. I would also soak pieces of material with my perfume because it lasted longer than the perfume on my letters. He loved it! – Submitted by Chelsea

Long Distance Dinner

Send your long distance love dinner by calling a restaurant where he/she lives and having them deliver his or her favorite meal. – Submitted by LO

Record a Message

Instead of sending your love a hand-written letter this week, get a blank tape and microphone, and talk to him/her. This is great if you don’t get to talk over the phone much…they can listen to the tape whenever they want to hear your voice. – Submitted by Laura

Care Packages

Send a care package with a tape of songs you listened the last time you were together, some of his favorite candy, and something silly – like a little stuffed toy or a rock you picked up on a walk. Tell your sweetie that you wish they’d been with you when you were shopping, or on your walk because you couldn’t stop thinking about them. It’s a great way to let your love know you’re thinking about them. – Submitted by Leah

Clever Flower Idea

Find out her house address, and the phone number for a florist where she lives. Then some day, when you know she’ll be home, call the florist, order the flowers and have them delivered to her house. You will have to pay with your credit card, and everything will be done over the phone, seeing as you don’t live in her city. Don’t tell her that you are going to send her flowers, this is really a great surprise! She’ll be very impressed that you went to all that effort, and what a great surprise! Also, tell the florist what you want written on the little card, and they’ll write it for you. – Submitted H.A.F

Long Distance Love Song Dedication

This is an excellent twist to the usual ‘dedicate a song on the radio’ for those of you in a long distance relationship. First, find out what radio station he/she listens to, and what time of day they listen to it most often (such as in the car on the way to work, or in the morning as they get ready). You’ll probably have to ask your love these questions, but try to do it as casually as possible…if you’re lucky it’ll just come up in conversation sometime. Once you find this out, track down the phone number for that radio station (call directory assistance, look on the internet, peek at a phone book while you are visiting).

Now you have the phone number, call the radio station and ask if they would play a request…beg! If they agree, pick a sentimental song and have them play it at the time when you know your love be listening, they will most likely give a little message before playing the song so tell them what you want them to say [ie: "This next song is for (insert their name here), from (insert your name here)].” WOW! What a great surprise! – Submitted by Sasha

Webpage of Love

Make a webpage in your love’s honor. Include poety, thoughts, pictures, romantic messages, the story of how you met, etc). – Submitted by Pietro

eCards

Send your partner a virtual love card. We have lots of cards and topics, you should have no problem finding the perfect card! – Submitted by Sara

Book or Memories

I saved every email my boyfriend and I sent each other since the day we met. On our one year anniversary I printed them all out and separated them by month. For every month, I made a cover page that summarized all of the important and sentimental things we did that month. I also included pictures of us that we took during these times. I had all of the pages bound into a hard-covered book, and had “Forever Love” inscribed on the cover. It was really cool to be able to go through our emails and remember all of the thoughts and feelings we were experiencing day by day, and we could actually see our love growing stronger each day. It was almost like reading a fairy-tale. I’m already working on next year’s book. – Submitted by Michelle

• Leave a lovenote for your partner to find during the day. Try: in their briefcase, on the driver’s seat of their car, in a pocket, in their lunch, on the receiver of the phone, by their computer, on a doorknob.
• When you arrive home from work (or being out) seek out your wife as soon as you get home. Give her a kiss, tell her you love her and ask her about her day. Make this a new habit.
• When your husband arrives home from work, or running an errand, take his hand and pull him towards you for a hug, kiss and “I missed you today”. Make this a new welcome home tradition.

Day 2:

• While your partner is in the shower, warm up his or her towel in the dryer.
• Have flowers delivered to her at work.
• Surprise your love by arriving home with their favorite candy, snack, or icecream.

Day 3:

• Have a lunch date with your sweetheart.
• Send your love a virtual card. Tell them how much you enjoyed lunch together.

 Day 4:

• Call your partner at work or home in the middle of the day just to chat for a few minutes
• Print some love coupons and present them to your sweetheart.

 

Day 5:

• Buy a box of multi-colored, sidewalk chalk. Draw a BIG heart in red and write “I love you” in the middle. Make sure it’s in a prominent place on the driveway so when your partner comes home he or she will see it.
• Cook dinner for your partner and eat it by candlelite.

 

Day 6:

• If the weather is appropriate, take a walk through a nature trail with your love.
• If the weather is not approriate, spend the afternoon inside playing board games and talking.
• Cuddle on the couch and watch a romantic movie together

 

Day 7:

• If you live together, spend extra time in bed just talking.
• Make a list of 50 or 100 reasons why you love your partner and present it to him or her.
• Call your boy or girlfriend just to say goodnight.

When I was young (elementary school) I had a male next door neighbor who I spent a lot of time with. Well, one of his chores was mowing the lawn, he had a big back yard that was flat and full of lush, green, grass. I remember going over there one day and he had just finished mowing the lawn, he had a very proud look on his face and brought me up to his bedroom (on the second floor of the house) to look out his window. When I looked out that window, in big letters I saw the word: “BRENT”. He was very proud of his accomplishment of mowing his name in the lawn…maybe when he gets married he will think of better messages to mow. :)

Carve it in the Sand

Someone I know did this for his girlfriend. They live together in a house overlooking a long, sandy beach. One morning while she was sleeping, and the tide was out, he used a big stick to carve the words “I Love you Anna” in huge letters in the sand. The letters were so deep that they ended up staying there for several days even after the tide had washed over them many times. Needless to say, she did a lot of gushing over her boyfriend’s loving gesture. *Note: This could work in snow as well.

Leave your Mark on Rocks

Do you know the route your partner takes to work or school everyday? If you don’t, you will want to find out in a very unsuspicious way.

When you get some time alone, walk or drive that route and look for large rock faces along the side of the road, or cement embankments/pillars.

The next step is to go out early in the morning or late at night with a piece of sidewalk chalk and write a message on the rocks or cement in large letters (it will wash off the next time it rains).

Post it the Classifieds

This is an EXCELLENT idea if your partner reads the classified, think of how surprised they would be to see their name and look closer to realize that you had posted an ad in the personal section declaring your love.

Say it with Stars

Surprise your mate by sticking glow in the dark stars on his or her ceiling, just over their bed. The stars can be arranged to spell “I Love You”. Your partner should not notice them until they turn off the lights to go to bed…what a surprise that will be!

Say it on the Radio

Most radio stations will let you dedicate a song to someone, so why not take advantage of this. Plan it so that the radio station will play the dedication at a time when your love will be listening to the radio (ex. on their way to work). Pick a song that is meaningful to your rleationship and ask the DJ to say a special message, ie: “This next song goes out to Tracy P from Tom W”

Let Your Light Shine

This requires that you have a mid to large size window in your house/apartment that your sweetheart will see when they come home from a night out. Have large black garbage bags on hand and cut slits down either side so they can fold open. When folded open these bags will form a banner covering your window, so prepare enough to be roughly the same size as the window. Tape the bags together securely and make sure the final, very large black piece of plastic, will cover your window.

This will be your banner and on it you will need to cut out the letters:

Next, pin the banner to the inside of the window, as close to the glass as possible. Make sure your window has no obstructions in front or behind the banner (such as chimes, ladice or curtains). The banner should be facing so that the words can be read from the outside.

The final touch is to switch on the lights in the room containing the window and as soon as it gets dark outside the light from inside will shine through the letters and light up your message!

Grab Their Attention

If your sweetie reads the newspaper, or some magazine, get ahold of it before they have a chance to read it. Find a page they are likely to read (such as the sport’s section or funnies). On that page write in big letters: “I Love You (insert their name here)!”.

Write it On the Sidewalk

Buy a box of multi-colored, sidewalk chalk. Draw a BIG heart in red and write “I love you” in the middle. Make sure it’s in a prominent place on the driveway so when your partner comes home he or she will see it. (submitted by Larry James)

Post-It

Write “I Love You” on an entire pad of Post-It notes. Cover his/her desk, bedroom walls, bathroom mirror, front door or car with the notes.

1. Draw her a warm bubble bath. Wash her back (& everywhere else). Take your time. Then towel her dry and carry her off to bed.
2. Give her a full body massage without expecting anything in return. You’re sure to get your reward the next night!
3. Little things go a long way. Hold her hand, link her arm through yours while you’re walking together, place your palm on the small of her back when standing beside her. Those tender gestures won’t go unnoticed.
4. Brush her hair at night. This can be very sensual. Be sure to use a brush, not a comb. And don’t pull. Be gentle. If you encounter a tangle, hold the hair above the tangle, then work it out.
5. Tell her you love her. Seems obvious, but many men overlook this. Women like to hear it. Often. Make her an audio tape and secretly slip it into the cassette player for her to find.

Romantic Ideas for Women:

1. Do something different. Instead of a massage, graze your nails lightly down his bare back (if you have good nails). It will send shivers of pleasure through his body.
2. Let him pick one fantasy a month for you to fulfill. Make up a list for him to choose from (that way the fantasy will be something that you’re not opposed to). Then plan it out as an official “date.”
3. Have some sexy (but tasteful) pictures taken and give them to him as a gift. It’ll be something unexpected and special–meant for his eyes only.
4. Personally write him an erotic story. He’ll see a new and exciting dimension to you after that.
5. Put on some sexy clothes, turn on the music, then slowly strip the clothes off layer by layer while he watches.