How to Write the Best Love Letter this Valentine's Day

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Skip the store bought cards! Let’s get personal and write a love letter straight from the heart! Writing coach Taslim Jaffer shares the steps for writing a great love letter, along with some tips for tapping into emotionally poignant prose!

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Editor’s Note: On the eve of Valentine’s Day it seemed like the perfect time to republish this amazing article from Taslim Jaffer on how to write a love letter. There is no better gift than one that’s straight from the heart. Who wouldn’t want to be reminded of all of the reasons they are loved? This year let’s skip the boxed chocolate, the roses (ok… maybe pair the love letter with some gorgeous flowers) and the teddy bears and let’s get personal! You can do it! Writing a love letter is an art and with Taslim’s help you will master it! Make sure you tell us in the comments about how they were received! Happy Valentine’s Day!

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Ah, it’s that time of year again! It’s time to walk the aisles of your local drug store in search of the perfect valentine.

You choose a sweet, sappy or funny message and with a big whoosh of your signature, you will have fulfilled one of the valentine requirements for your true love.

Wait – really?

This year, you can do better.

In fact, this year, you can do AMAZING.

You can honour your significant other in a way that is personal, romantic and totally unique. Here are 5 simple tips to help you craft the perfect love letter.

First of all, write it in pen.

I know, many of us have lost the muscle tone required to hold a writing utensil for an extended period of time, but trust me: your own handwriting is so much more personal and an incredible touch in this digital age.

Take your time – you do want it to be legible. And just know that it will be received with much appreciation. If you want to get really fun, add some hearts in pretty ink around the border of the page, and definitely use a nice big one where you sign your name!

Choose a greeting that reels them in and makes them feel special right off the bat.

‘Dear’ is a bit overdone and can feel arms-lengthish. I mean, we use ‘dear’ before ‘sir’ and ‘madam’ when we have no idea who we are really writing to. Why not: “My sweetheart” or “To the loveliest man I know”? Play around with it. Use adjectives that aren’t always used for people. What about scrumptious? I’d like to be called scrumptious. Maybe your lover would too.

Talk about a shared personal experience.

Remind them of a moment when you looked at them holding your kid’s puke bucket and fell in love with them again. Or maybe don’t use the word ‘puke’ – up to you. (When you’ve been married almost 13 years, love shows itself in the strangest and sometimes most disgusting situations). Or relive that fun adventure you went on to celebrate your 30th birthdays. Was there a moment when your partner had you laughing so hard you got kicked out of the movie theatre? OR Tell them again about the moment you first knew you had to be with them. Was it something they said or did? Was it when you were with them in the same room or miles apart? Describe that moment with as much detail as you can remember. Bring them right there with you. It’s such a lovely place to be and we don’t always go back there enough.

Include a hope or desire that you have for you and your partner.

Maybe there’s a restaurant you want to try together, or a city you want to travel to. Throw something in that shows you want to keep the spark alive by doing something as a couple. If you are parents, it’s especially important to keep the core of your family strong, and if it’s been awhile since you’ve shared alone time or ticked something off your nothing-to-do-with-the-kids list then proposing to do so in your love letter is perfect.

Describe a quality of theirs that you admire, perhaps one that they don’t get recognized enough for.

Are they exceptionally awesome at making people feel welcome in your home? Do they do this thing that always makes you feel cared for? Acknowledge that. Acknowledge them. There is nothing that fills the heart more than being appreciated, and that’s what Valentine’s Day really is all about: loving and appreciating the one who has chosen to love and appreciate you for all their days.