Our Valentines Tradition
Being broke can have benefits. Sometimes its a shortcut to the sweetest things.
On our very first Valentines day together, we were living in a tiny upstairs apartment in an old Victorian home in Cleveland, Ohio. We jokingly said our gift budget was a dollar but basically meant no gift exchange. Josh was flying a trip to NYC that weekend and so we celebrated right at the buzzer, around midnight when he got home. He surprised me with an "I heart NY" magnet and a fancy bar of chocolate (he broke the budget) and I surprised him with an mp3 that I downloaded for him for 99 cents.
The tradition stuck; we've "gotten" each other songs every year. And now we have a growing playlist of love songs that feel like ours.
In a cool way, they document the mood of the passing years. Our location, circumstances, struggles, joys, interests, and even our personalities keep changing and evolving and the playlist reflects that. And of course, it's sweet and nostalgic to listen to them again every year.
2008
me to him- Anyone Else But You by Michael Cera and Ellen Page
2009
(both picked the same song! Good thing it's a duet.)
Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
2010
me to him- You and I by Ingrid Michaelson
him to me- No One's Gonna Love You More Than I Do by Band of Horses
2011
me to him- Perfect in My Mind by Gold Motel
him to me- The Way You Do The Things You Do by UB40
2012
me to him- I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston (RIP Whitney)
him to me- Montana by Polydream
2013
me to him- Home by Phillip Phillips
2014
me to him- I Love You Always by Donna Lewis (this is worth it for the video alone)
him to me- Lets Be Still by The Head and the Heart
2015
me to him- I Got You by Jack Johnson
him to me- Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran
2016
me to him- Strangers by The Kinks
him to me- You and Me (Remix) by Disclosure
2017
me to him- My Heart is Set on You by Handsome and Gretyl
him to me- That's Us/Wild Combination by Arthur Russell
2018
me to him- Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton
him to me- Morning Light by Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys
2019
me to him- Butterflies by Kasey Musgraves
On our very first Valentines day together, we were living in a tiny upstairs apartment in an old Victorian home in Cleveland, Ohio. We jokingly said our gift budget was a dollar but basically meant no gift exchange. Josh was flying a trip to NYC that weekend and so we celebrated right at the buzzer, around midnight when he got home. He surprised me with an "I heart NY" magnet and a fancy bar of chocolate (he broke the budget) and I surprised him with an mp3 that I downloaded for him for 99 cents.
The tradition stuck; we've "gotten" each other songs every year. And now we have a growing playlist of love songs that feel like ours.
In a cool way, they document the mood of the passing years. Our location, circumstances, struggles, joys, interests, and even our personalities keep changing and evolving and the playlist reflects that. And of course, it's sweet and nostalgic to listen to them again every year.
2008
me to him- Anyone Else But You by Michael Cera and Ellen Page
2009
(both picked the same song! Good thing it's a duet.)
Lucky by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
2010
me to him- You and I by Ingrid Michaelson
him to me- No One's Gonna Love You More Than I Do by Band of Horses
2011
me to him- Perfect in My Mind by Gold Motel
him to me- The Way You Do The Things You Do by UB40
2012
me to him- I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston (RIP Whitney)
him to me- Montana by Polydream
2013
me to him- Home by Phillip Phillips
him to me- Ho Hey ("the Sweetheart song") by The Lumineers
2014
me to him- I Love You Always by Donna Lewis (this is worth it for the video alone)
him to me- Lets Be Still by The Head and the Heart
2015
me to him- I Got You by Jack Johnson
him to me- Thinking Out Loud by Ed Sheeran
2016
me to him- Strangers by The Kinks
him to me- You and Me (Remix) by Disclosure
2017
me to him- My Heart is Set on You by Handsome and Gretyl
him to me- That's Us/Wild Combination by Arthur Russell
2018
me to him- Tennessee Whiskey by Chris Stapleton
him to me- Morning Light by Justin Timberlake and Alicia Keys
2019
me to him- Butterflies by Kasey Musgraves
him to me- Beyond by Leon Bridges
(honorable mention: A Little Honey by Nathaniel Ratelife and the Night Sweats)
(honorable mention: A Little Honey by Nathaniel Ratelife and the Night Sweats)
2020
me to him- At Home by Jon Bryant
(honorable mention: Steady Love by India Arie)
him to me- You're Still the One by Shania Twain
2021
me to him- When You Come Back Down by Nickel Creek
What a fantastic idea!!!! I have never heard of some of those songs, but now I have to check them out! Family traditions seem like something this generation has lost....thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteBritney, I am curious about your reaction to Josh's pick this year!! Interesting! Is there a story you care to share with us regarding this one? LOL
ReplyDeleteYeah, there is a story! haha. We watched her on SNL and couldn't stop joking about her weird performance but then I ended up really getting stuck on the song and liking it a lot :)
ReplyDeleteJosh picked a good one in 2010
ReplyDelete