Wednesday, December 05, 2007

Romantic Welcome Home Ideas: Part 2 Attract the Senses


two pumpkin pies
Originally uploaded by strph


This is the third in a series called Romantic Welcome Home Ideas.

The aroma of pies fills the house. Not just any pies, pumpkin pies. My wife makes wonderful pumpkin pie and she also knows that I am the original pumpkin pie fiend. Every once in a while, she will surprise me with fresh home-made pumpkin pies.

Making it Real talks about how the more senses you can involve, the more strongly the message is received. In brief, the human brain receives all its information from the 5 senses. Each sense contributes to a complete picture of what is real, true and sincere. If you say "I love you" with a frown on your face, the message is confused. What the eyes see does not match what the ears hear, diminishing the intensity of the message. This is where the pumpkin pie comes into play.

The simple, if not time consuming, act of cooking pumpkin pies sends the message "welcome home" to all 5 senses. The first to get the message is the sense of smell as the nose smells the wonderful aroma. Then the eyes see both my wife's smiling face and the beautiful pies. Next the ears are treated with "Welcome home. Guess what I made." A welcome home hug and kiss are felt. Lastly, the eating. All five senses have received the same message and it really feels good to be home.

Of course, you do not need to bake a pie to attract all 5 senses. It is easy to send a welcome home that is seen, felt and heard. A simple "Hi sweetie" with a hug and kiss will do that. The trick is to address the remaining sense: smell and taste. Here are some ideas:

  • Leave a trail of Hershey Kisses, M&Ms or other favorite treat that lead to a rose.
  • Get dressed up and where that favorite perfume or cologne.
  • Prepare a favorite dish.
  • Fresh baked bread with honey
By making a little extra effort to attract all the senses, you can create a memorable welcome home.

No comments: