By : Fazmina Samat

The day of love is here, and it is a day when grand gestures, extravagant gifts and perfectly curated Instagram posts will be flooded on social media. But let’s be real for a moment, behind those flawless filters and carefully staged scenes lies the messy imperfect reality of these ‘love gestures’.

Here are a few Instagram-worthy V-day gestures vs its hilariously honest real-life comparisons.

Idea #1 : Write a love note and leave it somewhere your spouse can find it.

Reality: Realizing you forgot to buy a card and hurriedly scribbled “Happy V-day” on a Post-it note, and stick it to the bathroom mirror next to a toothpaste-splattered sink!

Idea #2 : Cook their favourite meal or some homemade treats together.

Reality : Burning the first batch of cookies because you got distracted by a notification in your phone and frantically doing a last-minute scramble to order takeout and navigate the delivery driver who got lost for the third time!

Idea #3 : Plan a movie night at home with their favourite movie and snacks.

Reality : An hour-long debate over which movie to watch, followed by another 30 minutes trying to agree on a Netflix show, only to end up rewatching old episodes of “Friends” for the millionth time.

Idea #4 : Take a leisure walk together, hand in hand, enjoying each other’s company

Reality : Dodging children in roller skates, or cycle rides, getting lost on the way and wasting time searching for a golf cart, and arriving just in time for sunset – which you almost missed because you were busy bickering.

Idea #5 : Create a scrapbook, photo album, or your favourite memories together.

Reality : An empty scrapbook that’s collecting dust on the shelf because you never quite had the time to print those photos from your last year’s vacation.

Idea #6 : Offer to give your loved one a relaxing massage or foot rub.

Reality : Attempting to give your partner a massage and only to realize halfway through that your hands are cramping and you have no idea what you’re doing.

Idea #7 : Have a cosy picnic in your living room with blankets and candles.

Reality : Sitting cross-legged on the floor, spilling crumbs of food everywhere and accidentally knocking over the drinks..twice!

Idea #8 : Simply spend quality time together, unplugged from screens, talking and listening to each other.

Reality : Constantly checking your phone for notifications, and getting sucked into a black hole of Instagram scrolling while your partner rambles about their day!   

So there you have it! – The vivid contrast between the picture-perfect world of Instagram ideas and the messy, chaotic, but undeniably real experience of simple love gestures on V-day. In the age of social media, it’s easy to get caught up in the pressure to portray a picture-perfect relationship. But the reality is far-fetched. Remember it’s the thought that counts even if it is scribbled on Post-it notes next to a sink full of dirty dishes. So this ‘day of love’, whether you’re in Qatar or anywhere else in the world, remember to celebrate love in all its authentic unfiltered glory.

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