What odd-but-lovely habits / rituals do you and your DP have?

[whatsinmypockets]

Inspired by a chat I had with a friend last night – she mentioned that she and her DP turn on 80s power ballads whenever they have to do house chores they don't enjoy, so they can play air guitar / sing into the antibac spray / throw armfuls of laundry in the air dramatically / hold the bathroom bin above their heads triumphantly while they get things done. Makes the job more fun and they get to feel connected.

It made me smile so much – and made me think of how DP and I, whenever we do something very mundane but do it well (like unpack the online shop delivery quickly or get eyedrops into the dog successfully) will put on overenthusiastic American accents and compliment one another like sports commentators: "Did you see the SPEED of that?" "This man is a true CHAMPION" "Ladies and gentlemen, I think we just witnessed history being made" "I've never seen talent like it"...

I love how couples often develop these weird little rituals that are totally unique to that specific relationship...

Given there's (understandably) so much "something's wrong with my relationship" on MN, I'd love to read some more examples of things like this - what do you and your DP do that's a quirk of your relationship?

Doesn't have to be as 'significant' as my friend and her power ballads – might just be a sweet how-we-make-coffee-in-the-morning routine or a specific way you hold hands...

Whoever says at bedtime - sleep well, says- I mean eat well, aka the butler on the Aristocats. Doesn't make any sense but for some reason we always do it. Garlic bread cannot be said without- garlic, garlic bread?! And - stay out of woolworth ! from Oh brother where are thou, whenever the moment calls for fuck off basically.

If one of us says Tell me what you think about this the other goes Full Beyoncé Destinys Child and says I buy my own Diamonds I buy my own jeans

We have a full on romantic dance in the kitchen every night cooking dinner. This is because neither of us can dance, and while it's romantic, we also like to see who can step on toes first.

Funnily as a pp mentioned League of Gentlemen, we quote it to each other all the time! (DH is Norwegian and while he'd lived here a while before we got together, he didn't fully "get" our humour. LoG, Fawlty Towers, Allo Allo, and Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em were the things I had him watching!). On our wedding day, he whispered to me "you're myyyyyy wife nooowwwww", and I dissolved into hysterics. The photographer captured it and I cherish that photo!

We give people we don't know well (shop keepers, DCs teachers) weird names. Armpits for the stinky shopkeeper, Miss SuckedALemon for a snooty teacher. We make up absurd stories about them.

We speak in made up languages and have to guess what the other is trying to convey.

We fence together as a hobby, and break into a fight with kitchen utensils.

We try to be the last one to say "I love you" as we're falling asleep. It can go on for some time.

He had an accident a few years back, and sometimes limps. Occasionally needs a cane if it's really bad. I try to fake limp worse than him and he absolutely cracks up laughing when he realises I'm doing it.

When it’s just us in the car, we do our radio announcer voices. ‘You’ve won a..BRAND NEW CAR’ etc. We’ve got really good actually, might have to see if Radio 1 are taking on 😜

We cheers with our snacks, like chocolate, biscuits or crisps. Just at the beginning without saying a word.

We often hoot to get the other’s attention around the house rather than shout names, I think it might have started when we spotted an owl flying over the garden one night, as owls are “hoot hoots” so now we hoot but could be for some other random reason, I can’t really remember. Sounds weird when I type it but is sweet IRL, honest!

Sorry if this is really corny but we always have to have a little kiss (like a peck) be the last thing we do before sleeping. We’ll say, Sleep well, I love you and then a quick kiss, but if one of us says something again after that, then we have to have a last quick kiss again otherwise it feels weird and wrong somehow.

DS2 and I have our own evolved language, which greatly annoys DS1 and probably DH 😂
It’s a mix of very formal, Shakespearean language interspersed with our own adaptations of words.
My phone has learned some of our spellings 😂

We like to incorporate Laurel and Hardy quotes and gestures/mannerisms.

We also like to make up songs about each other.

And we pretend to be cats. Usually forlorn kittens in a storm.

In the morning, when he’s moaning about having to go to school, I will offer words of wisdom, such as,
The path of the righteous kitten is beset on all sides.

In the car, when he’s being really grumpy, I will offer a Paw of Solidarity. Or Friendship.

Sometimes, it’s a Hovering Paw as he won’t let me pat him, grumpy wee fucker 😂

He’s always smiling when I get him at home time and we laugh all the way home. He makes me laugh so much, it hurts my back, not just my ribs 😂

These are very cute!

Ahh my teenage son and I also communicate in a weird way... By whale song. @InsolentNoise just reminded me, glad we're not the only ones 🤣 my DH doesn't do it but I think that's because he's just jealous he's not as good as us. No matter where in the house one of us are, one of us will do the whale noise and the other will do it back! Anyone wanting to try it, kind of push the back of your tongue up and, well, make a whale sound, loud and long! 🤣 there's no reason to do it but I love how it's just became a thing over the years 🥰🐋

We've been known to say "Good morning, city!" when opening the curtains, like in the Lego movie.

While my DH wraps my presents in front of me, I like to be blindfolded and in the same room. It feels as exciting as opening them on the day.

We kiss before we get in the car and before we get out.
When we were on holiday in Mexico there were lots of Americans saying floaties in very strong accents, it's now a call of the house if someone shouts floaties everyone else has to shout it back, DS thinks it's hilarious and often starts it. If someone doesn't then it starts again
We call each other lovey in a taking the piss way, no idea why.

DD and I love a bit of 70s disco and like to play it loud in the car while we bust a few moves. We have perfected a full on routine to 'You Should Be Dancing' by the Bee Gees. God knows what other drivers must think!