Dr. Phil Dembo, the director of St. Louis-based 1stDateSTL and a relationship counselor, says if couples court well throughout the year, Valentine’s Day can be that extra special day for even more expressions of love and romance.  Couples who tend to have no courtship in their relationship often find this holiday causes a great deal of pressure to create something they usually don’t do.  Dr. Dembo shares the top 5 mistakes new couples make on Valentine’s Day.

 1.       Don’t succumb to the pressure!  Newly dating or first date couples make the mistake of letting the pressure of the day alter their plans.  Until you are in a fully committed relationship, Valentines Day dates need to be light, fun, and easy.  Cards and small gifts need to be playful but not suggestive, serious or representative of something more.

2.       Don’t go too far, too soon.  Never alter the natural progression of the relationship by creating romance and expectations that are more intimate than the relationship is ready for.

3.       Put away the credit cards.  Try not to get caught up in the holiday spirit and spend a great deal on gifts or buy personal items (like that sexy lingerie) that the other person will be uncomfortable with.  You may not know the other person well enough yet for that type of gift.  If you are still together for future Valentine days, the gifts will graduate with the relationship.

4.       Be smart with your dating strategy.  Pick a dating experience that represents the relationship, not the holiday. First daters especially can get caught up in doing something bigger than what is appropriate or natural in the relationship.

5.       Be romantic all year.  Make every day Valentine’s Day in expressing your thoughts, feelings and kindness to the person you are interested in, dating or been with a long time.  Don’t make the mistake to wait for one day out of the year to be romantic.