Ever forgotten an anniversary date with your sweetheart? We’re looking at 8 relationship dates you must remember, and how to remember them.
Everyone can be a little forgetful sometimes, but when it comes to forgetting your wedding anniversary, you’d better have a damn good reason for dropping the ball.
It wasn’t until I hit about 11 or 12 years old that I witnessed my dad’s first “uh-oh” moment as a husband. He’d taken on a new job and was busier than ever, and that particular day happened to be my parents’ wedding anniversary. My mother had decided that this year, she wouldn’t serve him up any helpful reminders for their day of love, but instead, as women do, she would test him to see if he would remember their special day amidst new work obligations.
Spoiler alert? He didn’t. He came home, and at some point realized his folly, and to this day more than 15 years later, he still asks why I didn’t call him and give him a heads up! They laugh about it now, but at the time there was nothing funny about that day. Needless to say, he’s never forgotten since.
Relationship dates men must always remember
Being forgotten sucks, especially when your special day is forgotten by someone who’s supposed to love you more than anyone else. Keep yourself out of the doghouse by remembering the following special relationship dates, and celebrating appropriately with your lady love.
#1 Your wedding anniversary. This is The Big One. You can’t forget your wedding anniversary! This one requires not only a gift, but also some kind of dinner, whether you cook at home, she cooks for you, or you make it a fancy night out at a restaurant – food must be had!
Your wedding is the biggest step you took together as a couple, and should have been one of the most important, special days that you shared together. You forgetting this day will surely cause trouble in the relationship and will make her feel like she doesn’t matter to you. Avoid this costly marriage mistake by staying reminded!
#2 Your dating anniversary. It’s weird how once you get married your “dating” anniversary is suddenly thrown to the wind. Now when people ask the duration of your relationship, they only want to know married years, instead of your total time together. This can kind of suck when you have to go down to “a year” from “three years together!” Or suddenly you’re making differentiations like, “Three years together, one year married.” What a bummer!
Show your partner that the date you first claimed each other as your own still matters to you by offering a sweet kiss and a “happy anniversary” on the anniversary of the day you started dating. How romantic!
#3 The month you proposed. Your proposal meant everything to her, and odds are, it was no easy feat for you, either! You made the decision to make her yours, agonized over what ring to buy, and then went through painstaking plans to make sure you had your speech and venue picked out just right.
The excitement you felt? Multiply that by about 100 and you have the feeling your girlfriend had when you popped the question. If this isn’t at least a month worth remembering, I don’t know what is!
#4 Your first time. The first time you had sex was… well, it probably wasn’t that great for you or her. It was probably awkward, and a bit too quick for everybody’s liking. Regardless, this is the day you decided to have sex, which led to more frequent *and WAY better* sex in the future!
This is definitely a fun one to remember. For an anniversary both of you will always look forward to, tell her you have to celebrate by making love all day, and take turns picking the positions!
#5 Your children’s birthdates. Probably not something you’d want to forget anytime soon. Not only will this royally piss off you partner, who painfully birthed your offspring, risking birth-related defecation, and a hell of a vaginal display as she did so, but it’ll also bum your kids out.
This was a personal journey you both went through as a couple. You don’t have to remember the hour, how long the labor lasted, or what you were wearing, just be sure to remember the actual date. I mean, you brought life into the world, for Pete’s sake. Come on dad, keep it together!
Little extras for those with a fantastic memory
If you feel you have a memory that could give Jeopardy veterans a run for their money, or if you’re just looking for a couple of extra brownie points with your woman, here are a few more dates to keep in the back on your mind.
#6 The time she told you she liked you… Or vice versa. Okay, this one is a bit more obscure, but if you can remember it, then you’re a sentimental genius. The day she said she liked you or the day you spilled the beans about your feelings for her was definitely an important one.
After all, if nobody said anything, you wouldn’t be in a relationship today! While you don’t have to bring this one up every year, you’ll definitely win the sweetheart award if you mention that you still remember it.
#7 Your first kiss. Alright, this one isn’t so monumental, but it’s definitely sweet if you remember the anniversary of your first smooch. Beat her to the punch, and mention this special date before she does. Bring it up in a cute way, such as saying: “We’d better do a lot of kissing this Tuesday,” and then remind her of your first ever peck on the lips.
#8 Her parents’ anniversary. Nothing takes her off the daughter hook like you remembering to pick up an anniversary card for her parents! Remembering this anniversary will mean a lot to her, because it means her parent’s marriage is *at least somewhat* important to you. Plus, your in-laws will love you for it, and will be certain to return the favor on your own anniversary!
How to stay reminded of these special dates
If your girlfriend isn’t to be trusted to give you a friendly reminder of your upcoming relationship celebrations, here are three great ways to keep up to date about pending anniversaries!
#1 The calendar is your best friend. Do you have a calendar that hangs on the wall or fridge? Do yourself a favor, and mark off your important anniversary dates with a big marker, or colored pen. Anything that will make this day stand out from the other squares on the page. This is a definite lifesaver for the forgetful!
#2 Set phone reminders. Much like a real calendar, make sure you make notes in your phone’s calendar every time the New Year starts! Starting January 1, go through your phone calendar, and start marking off important dates – and make sure you have an alarm set to go off on these specific days.
For your wedding or dating anniversary, you may want to set an alarm at least a week in advance, so that you’ll know to make reservations somewhere, or get out there and secure her a present.
#3 Call a friend. Do you have a very close friend with an impeccable memory? You can ask your friend to remind you of some of these dates, so that when your calendar suddenly disappears or you’ve accidentally wiped out your phone’s reminders, you can rely on your friend to help you out.
You get bonus points if those dates also happen to be meaningful to your friend. For instance, your wedding anniversary may be the same date as your friend’s birthday.
Bringing up special occasions you’ve shared together as a couple will tickle your woman’s heartstrings, but treating her special every day is what really makes a difference in your relationship. That being said, you’re totally a dead man if you forget your anniversary, so keep it written down!
