It is one week to one of the most anticipated revelry seasons; yes, you guessed right, it is almost Valentine’s Day! As expected, everyone is talking about the season already, vibe, hype, anticipations, expectations, expression of love, beautiful memories, giftings, and lots of fun.
The hype is real, Valentine’s Day is the talk of the moment on all social media platforms; WhatsApp statuses, Instagram stories and even radio talk shows are already buzzing with countdowns and offerings for your significant other. This frenzy shows that love is an expression that commands shared global excitement.
According to Fortune Magazine, love birds spent a whopping $20.7 billion (N11.7 trillion) on Valentine’s Day merrymaking and giftings in 2019. Incredible right? Even more astonishing is the $1.8 billion (about N1 Trillion) spent on candies! The more sophisticated ones splurged $5billion (N2.8 trillion) on pieces of jewelry, while 69% of those who bought flowers chose rose – no surprise on that one, right? Violets are blue, and roses are red, so we bought flowers for Valentine’s cred!
In Nigeria, it seems everyone has suddenly become a gift vendor or knows a gift vendor who is willing to offer the best “For Him” or “For Her” package. Some have it on their to-do list to show self-love, others have gone as far as keeping part of their January salary to gift their loved ones this Valentine; and others fall under the “God when” category as you plan to read, surf the internet observing and gathering lessons on what lovers did on this symbolic day.
While we believe that buying roses, candies, pieces of jewelry, planning a vacation, or ‘baecation’ are beautiful and appreciated; we think they are the regular. So, we dare everyone to think outside the box this year and not be predictable or pedestrian. By being daring, we don’t mean buying a pack of boxers and a popular bleaching agent to complete the love package, as a lover girl did to celebrate her significant years back. We mean gifting what is not easily perishable or forgotten, something that should last the test of time, as love should be.
Avoid the regular and say no to the cliches as you prepare to serenade your significant other this season. To help you, we thought to share a couple of ideas:
Read also: What’s love got to do with valentine?
1. Switch up the moment; say no to the usual
With the work and hustle of the year, we know that spending quality time is much needed, and you might have craved sharing moments at a favourite restaurant or going to the cinema to see a much-anticipated movie. We believe this is expected as restaurants and malls will be filled with numbers, so why not switch up the moment. Plan an indoor dinner together, or you could order your favourite meal and drink, binge on Netflix movies, avoid the noise and still have a memorable time. Then notch it higher with a surprise video call from an influencer for a divine serenade. Do not be predictable, do the unusual and build beautiful moments together.
2. Have an appraisal moment
The truth is that when we think of appraisal, it is usually professional or work-related. However, it should not be a part of our everyday life to engage in self-assessment. Seize the moment to reassess yourselves in a fun atmosphere, asking what values or actions you should ‘loud’, ‘trash’ and carry over. After that, you and your loved one can take a long night drive around town to see your vicinity and appreciate it better. It is fondly said that “communication is the secret of any good relationship and is very cost-effective”.
3. Gift the Unusual
Rather than get flowers, wine, cookies, cakes that will be devoured and forgotten, you can decide to gift the unusual since it is not how much you spend on a gift that matters but the love and thoughtfulness behind the gift. What can be more thoughtful and proactive than a gift that is not only appreciated now but relevant in the future and saves you stress. Imagine planning for a date on Valentine’s Day, and your car gets hit by another person rushing to meet up with their date; this can ruin a perfectly planned date.
What can be more thoughtful than getting a life insurance policy for the love of your life? What can be more resounding than a gift that loudly says, I got your back now, or whatever life serves us? How about insurance that secures that piece of expensive jewelry or valuable that you gifted the last Valentine? You are simply saying, and this time meaning every word of it, that diamonds are forever. There is now an assurance that nothing will take them away from you without guaranteed replacement by your insurer.
Tell you what, flowers are beautiful and memorable, personalized cards and frames will make anyone feel special, cookies and cake will satisfy with all its deliciousness, but it ends with the euphoria of the moment. This year go the extra mile, do not just get physical gifts but also get what will last the test of time. Get something that speaks to life and a gift that keeps giving rather than taking away from you.
Therefore, no matter what your plans are this Valentine, ensure to gift yourself and/or your loved ones an insurance policy, have a savings plan or a motor insurance cover at the very least to help give sanity and ultimately an assurance of being compensated no matter what happens as the year goes by. Leadway Assurance Company Limited, Nigeria’s leading insurer, is ready to help you package your policy in a creatively unique way that expresses the reason for the season.
For more information on the array of products you can buy, please visit www.leadway.com or scan the QR Code at the top right or call the Leadway Assurance Financial Management Experts on 01-2800-70 or email [email protected] for professional advice. You call also request a call back by visiting www.leadway.com/call-me.
We are also within your reach on WhatsApp via our virtual assistant support on 08129997044 or any of our social media outlets – @leadwayassurance on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. You can also send a DM, and we will revert with all the information you require.
