There is nothing more memorable than your partner's smile.
Photograph: Kind courtesy freestocks.org/Unsplash
All of 2016, you kept complaining that you did not get enough 'us' time with your partner.
In 2017, we tell you how to keep the romance alive in your relationship.
Follow these simple tips and thank us when the results speak for themselves.
1. Start your day with a kiss
In the morning, surprise your partner with a kiss.
Did you know that, when you kiss, it causes our brains to create a chemical cocktail that gives you a natural high?
According to Emer Maguire, 'This chemical cocktail is made up of three chemicals, all designed to make us feel good and crave more.'
So crave more -- kisses we mean -- in 2017.
2. Treat your spouse to tea
Bed tea may not be directly related to love but it will tell your partner she or he is special.
Ditch the traditional chai for a tea with an exotic flavour so that your partner feels relaxed in the morning.
Besides, a hot cup of tea also makes you feel fresh and helps begin your day on good note.
3. Cut down the loo time
Most couples may not spell it out, but the time one spends in the washroom is a major daily squabble trigger.
Some men carry their newspapers along and park themselves in the loo for ages.
Thanks to their smartphones, the new generation either tries to reach the next level on their favourite game, listens to music or checks messages while taking a dump.
This year, give up this bad habit. Use the time thus saved to have breakfast with your partner.
4. Experiment with your breakfast
Move away from that boring bread and butter.
Try parathas, upma, poha, idlis, dosas... And if you are a non-vegetarian, have a chicken tikka or minced meat with chappatis.
A delicious breakfast is a sure way to win your spouse's heart.
5. Make a phone call
Remember those days when you hid under the blanket and made phone calls to your love when everyone else was fast asleep?
Post marriage, or when you reach a certain comfort zone in your relationship, you no longer call up your partner because you are too busy or you think they are too busy or because you both don't have anything interesting to talk about.
Let that change in 2017. Call your partner regularly, listen patiently, relive those wonderful memories and create new ones.
6. Pick up your partner from their workplace
When was the last time you surprised your partner by picking them up at their office after work hours?
It can be fun to drive back home together, even if the traffic is bad.
Try flirting on the way and don't forget to set the mood with the right music.
7. An unexpected dinner date
Surprise dinner dates a must-have item on your agenda in 2017.
It may not necessarily be a special day or occasion; at the end of a weekday, go out for a special dinner... it could even be a candle lit one.
It will make for a memorable evening.
8. Gift
Don't wait for birthdays and anniversaries to give your partner a gift. That's cliched and boring.
Add a 'surprise' factor to your mundane life in 2017.
Buy small gifts to make your partner happy through the year.
9. Meet the parents
Your spouse/partner's parents may be the last thing on your mind, but remember how much he/she loves them.
Even if you don't get along, ensure you visit them along with your spouse.
If your spouse is happy, it will naturally spice up your romance.
10. Plan a short vacation
Why wait for long vacations; use weekends to plan short trips.
Check your calendar and figure out the longer weekends when you can club those Fridays and Mondays together. That way, you get to spend three nights at your getaway.
In 2017, make your relationship your priority whenever and wherever you can.
