Couple Appreciation Day is celebrated on May 1. Whether you’ve just started dating or you’ve been married for many years, it’s important to appreciate your partner now and then. Celebrating the milestones you’ve passed and looking to more happy years in the future helps keep the romance alive. Even the smallest of gestures can make an impact. Do the chores, so your partner can relax, or prepare a nice meal when they come home exhausted from work. Romance doesn’t have to be elaborate and over the top. Unless of course, that’s what a couple is into.
History of Couple Appreciation Day
Courtship has changed a lot over the years. Today if you want to ask someone out, you can just use an app and get a response within minutes. You can boldly approach your crush in person or via social media and get the ball rolling. In the Shakespearean age of the 1500s, becoming a couple was a very formal and lengthy affair. Prospective lovers wrote flowery poems to each other. Men sometimes engaged in duels to the death to protect their lovers’ honor or to challenge other suitors. They were expected to be bold and passionate, while women were expected to be docile and reserved. Men were also expected to take the lead in pursuing a partner.In the 1800s, the Industrial Revolution brought with it a touch of modernity. Though the social norms were quite rigid compared to what we have now, couples were less formal than in years before. Marriage was more about affection than fulfilling social expectations. Love and compatibility slowly became more important than parental approval. Romance novels written by authors like Jane Austen fuelled these notions. People began traveling the world looking for their soulmate, not just settling for someone from the same small town.By the 20th century, almost all the old norms around dating had fallen away. The world was developing at a rapid pace on a social, economic, and political scale. Uncertainty about the future made people, especially young people, much more casual about relationships. One thing that has remained constant throughout history, is the role of couple appreciation. Gifts, kind words, and gestures big and small, have always been a part of courtship. That’s what Couple Appreciation Day is all about. Remind your partner that they hold a special place in your heart. Spend that time to make sure the flame is alive, not only on Couples Appreciation Day.
Couple Appreciation Day timeline
The advent of print media sees a rise in people placing ‘lonely hearts’ sections in newspapers.
During the 1800s women set out on ships sailing to British India in search of husbands.
Thanks to reforms in the postal service, it becomes much easier for courtship to take place via letters and mail correspondence.
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s America experiences a surge of sexual and romantic liberation among its youth, breaking down old rules of courtship.
Author of the book “Boy meets girl,” Joshua Harris, defines courtship as dating with a purpose.
Couple Appreciation Day FAQs
What do couples celebrate?
Couples celebrate many relationship milestones, like living together, their first date, or meeting each other’s parents.
What Is a romantic couple quote?
“Have enough courage to trust love one more time and always one more time.”
What makes a happy couple?
A happy couple practices honesty and good communication, and takes each other’s needs seriously.
Couple Appreciation Day Activities
-
Do something special
You can take them out on a date or watch their favorite movie together while snuggling on the couch. Take them somewhere they’ve always wanted to go. You know your partner best. All that matters is that they feel loved and appreciated.
-
Tell them how much you care
Sometimes we take our relationships for granted. We assume that our partners know how much they mean to us. But it never hurts to verbalize your feelings. Don’t be afraid to get mushy today and every day!
-
Share your goals for the future
A great way to appreciate your partner is by sharing your goals and dreams for the future and how they fit into them. You get to communicate – always a brilliant idea. This way you can plan your future together.
5 Heartwarming Facts About Couples
-
Love Is a drug
Couples in love release adrenaline, dopamine, and oxytocin, which gives them a healthy, natural high.
-
Couples are healthier
Married couples are 12% less likely to experience cardiovascular disease compared to single and divorced people.
-
Couples have synchronized heartbeats
Scientists at the University of California observed that couples’ heartbeats synchronized with each other after prolonged eye contact.
-
Long distances make stronger relationships
Long-distance relationships are just as successful as conventional ones, and they’re more effective at building satisfaction and trust between partners.
-
Couples heal faster
In a study by Ohio State University, researchers noted that couples with strong bonds healed from blister wounds twice as fast.
Why We Love Couple Appreciation Day
-
Everyone likes to feel appreciated
It feels nice to be appreciated. It feels even better when it's coming from a partner who sticks with you despite your flaws. Relationships take work on both sides. It’s only fitting that we should recognize and appreciate that effort.
-
It reignites romance
When you’ve been together for a while, it's easy to get comfortable and slide into a routine. Couple Appreciation Day helps reignite that spark of romance that made the early days of the relationship such a heady rush.
-
It’s an excuse for some pampering
Let’s face it, one of the main reasons why we love Couples Appreciation Day is because it's an excuse for us to spoil our partners and be spoiled in return. And there’s nothing wrong with admitting that. We could all use some T.L.C. now and then.
Couple Appreciation Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 1 | Monday |
| 2024 | May 1 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | May 1 | Thursday |
| 2026 | May 1 | Friday |
| 2027 | May 1 | Saturday |
