Relationships come in all shapes and sizes, which is a beautiful thing. And whilst different personalities, trends, cultures, and even technologies have influenced how we behave in relationships, there are some simple relationship rituals and traditions that are well worth preserving.

So as Tinder, Grindr, Bumble and all sorts of other dating apps change how we approach relationships, let’s take a look at some of the more classic relationship rituals that you can explore to maintain and even improve your relationship.

Date nights

In a fast-paced world, it’s easy to forget about setting quality time aside for you and your significant other. But whilst having several date nights a week might simply not be possible for a number of logistical reasons, it is important to ensure that you allocate some time for regular dates, even if that’s just once a month.

Whether it’s going out to dinner, catching a movie or cooking a meal together at home, making an effort to set quality time for each other is key.

Having time to talk, enjoy each other’s company and catch up properly is essential to your relationship’s survival. Canceling, postponing or not making plans for date nights in the first place is essentially a way of telling yourself and your partner that your relationship is not important or even a priority to you.

Ditch your digital devices

It’s hard to remember a time when we didn’t have smartphones in our hands 24/7. But believe us, such a time did exist. Back in the day, people had to actually talk to each other, listen to each other and rely on each other’s company for entertainment.

Now we’re not saying you have to ditch all the digital devices forever. But how about giving yourself and your partner a chance to enjoy each other by putting your phones, tablets and everything else away for an hour or two on a regular basis? Aside from being good for your relationship, you’d be surprised at how beneficial it could be for your mental health too!

Buying flowers

Buying flowers may seem like a cliche, but cliches exist for a reason. And besides, flowers smell great, they look beautiful and are a simple and effective way to show someone that you care.

Of course, you don’t need to buy flowers for your significant other every day or every week to show your love and appreciation. But how about on special dates such as birthdays and anniversaries? Or what about some Valentine’s Day flowers or the occasional surprise bunch of flowers to brighten up a dreary Tuesday?

It’s the little things that tend to make the biggest difference!

Love letters

No, we are not talking about writing text messages. And don’t worry, we don’t expect you to suddenly outshine Shakespeare either. But writing down your feelings every now and again can be a wonderful way of helping you process your emotions as well as share those thoughts with the one you love.

We often end up blurting our feelings out in the middle of arguments or bottling them up altogether.

Writing letters to each other can help you reflect on the past and focus on the future.

Go to bed together

Going to bed at the same time as your partner every single night might not always be possible. After all, we all have different work schedules and social lives to juggle and balance. But generally speaking, making the effort to go to bed together at night helps to establish a healthy routine.

And a kiss, embrace or even some sexual connection before going to sleep helps to end the day on a positive note which is great for both your relationship and your own mental health.

So which relationship rituals will you adopt from this list?

If none of the above is in your current repertoire, don’t panic trying to start them all at once. Feel free to pick one or two that suits your relationship and try to stick with it. At the end of the day, it’s all about making the effort to prioritize each other and your relationship.

So whether it’s buying a bunch of flowers once a month or switching your phone off for one hour each night, going back to basics and setting time aside for your partner will help you build and maintain a strong, happy and healthy relationship.