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Couples Reveal 45 Weird Things They Do That Keep Their Relationship Strong And Fun
Interview With Expert
There’s a myth in Greek mythology that tells a story in which humans were originally created with four arms and legs and had a head with two faces. Punishing them for their pride and fearing their power, Zeus split them into two, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves. And when they finally find someone they can be completely themselves with (aka someone who matches their weird), they know they’ve found their other half.
This myth might just be the cold truth, as these couples who shared the strangest things they do together prove that when you find someone whose weird matches yours, that's love! Scroll down to find things these lovebirds do that are a bit weird but totally wholesome, and don’t forget to share some of your own stories below.
While you're at it, make sure to check out a conversation with a couples therapist Erin Thomas and Kristal DeSantis, LMFT, and author of STRONG: A Relationship Field Guide for the Modern Man, who kindly agreed to share their insights on being completely yourself in a romantic relationship.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Before we had a kid, we used to strip to avoid running out for anything. It started with "you run out, I don't have any shoes on". Then one day I mentioned we were out of milk, and neither of us had shoes on. My husband immediately dropped his pants around his ankles and declared "I don't have pants on either". After that, every time one of us would say "oh, we're all out of *blank*..." we would exchange a quick glance and immediately start stripping to see who could be the farthest from "ready to leave the house". Good times.
ETA: This got way more attention than I thought it would! Thanks for the awards!
Also, yeah, we used to wear shoes in the house back when we lived in grimy apartments. Even now, since we got a dog, we have "in-house shoes" and "outside-shoes" to avoid stepping in water-slobber-drool spots in socks.
I'm seriously considering starting this up again...our son is 8, so as long as we dont go beyond underwear, it should be just the right amount of embarrassing. 😉.
Leah Brown 2 weeks ago
so... instead of going out for milk, you dropped your clothes and it resulted in a child? I'm guessing you had WAY more fun than eating a bowl of cereal!
RELATED:
#2
I used to mess up the name of the month on our dry erase calendar and now it has turned into us constantly doing it wrong on purpose to see who notices. Right now it is apparently Septemble.
#3
We'll cape each other. I'll be doing the dishes for example and my fiancée will come up and hug me from behind all cute-like. Then if I have to walk she'll shuffle her feet really quickly to match me, and I'll have to move around cleaning the kitchen with this quick-stepping weirdo on me like a cape.
Both our interviewed relationship experts agree that truly being yourself is essential in romantic relationships, but the comfort levels at first can depend on how long the couple has been together.
"If your relationship is newer, you probably haven't had the time to create a secure attachment bond, so you might feel a little less able to be yourself. It's almost like you're still in the job interview phase. If you have been with your partner for longer, feeling like you can be yourself is a sign that you feel truly seen, loved, and accepted for who you actually are," explains couples therapist Erin Thomas.
#4
The f*****g goofing voices in public. It’s made worse by the fact I’m 60 and she’s 50. Grocery aisle or any other store and one of us sees something cool, boom. Fake a*s, exaggerated semi-aristocratic whatever the f**k accent we can contrive and, “Ooooh! So verah fanceh!” Then the other chimes in, “So verah fanceh! What does it do?”
And off we go. Insufferable, really.
Bamamom2boys 1 week ago
My husband (59) and I (52) still go through stores yelling "Marco" "Polo" when we can't find each other. Been married almost 30 years.
#5
We make up lore for our cat. One of us will say something stupid and random like "he's a stone cold businessman" and the other will build on it, and we'll just keep escalating until one of us dies of laughter. And now that same cat is a chicken sauce businessman, a celebrated figure in Japan, and a renowned soccer player, complete with a fleshed out backstory...
EDIT: holy s**t!! Didnt expect this to get as many replies as it did!! Im having a blast reading through everything and its awesome we're not the only ones LOL. To all those asking about a children's book. I actually made a magazine, in the style of "Forbes", about my cat and gifted to my SO for Christmas, but now I'm really keen on commissioning a children's book down the line for sure
EDIT EDIT: Also forgot to mention my SO has made a collection of magazine covers for our cats LOL we are way too dedicated.
#6
We merge and shorten words at random. We sit at the tabe for example while eating bossages (as oppose to burnt sausages).
We know when the other is having a bad day as we stick our heads in the fridge and scream at the broccoli if so.
We message each other through out the day trying to be as formal as possible, rewording mundayne questions into very important business proposals.
We rate each others fart sounds comparing them to movie sound FX (the wilhelm scream is 10/10 but has never been achieved).
We say each others full names over and over again to the rhythm of old trains while chugging through the house.
We speak french to our cat as much as possible as her previous house human was French and it seems to make her happy. We also pretend to be scary french monsters and chase her around the house.
We often burst into song, replacing words to see what happens. Usually either about the cat or her brother in law. Some times just drop in and out of song. "Wiggle wiggle wiggle wiggle.... yeah?" My highlight was a variation of slipknots-duality "I push my fingers into my b*m".
...this has highlighted to me that I am unlikely to find a replacement.
"Being yourself in a romantic relationship isn't just important, it's absolutely essential for building what I call a connection-based relationship! Here's the thing: if you're not being authentic, you're setting yourself up for a function-based relationship where you're valued for what you do rather than who you are," says Kristal DeSantis, LMFT, and author of STRONG: A Relationship Field Guide for the Modern Man.
"When you hide parts of yourself or perform a version of yourself that you think your partner wants, you're robbing both of you of the opportunity for genuine connection. Your partner falls in love with a performance, not with you. And you end up exhausted from maintaining a performance, a facade, constantly worried that if they see the "real" you, they'll leave.
Real relational safety comes from knowing you are WANTED as a person, not just NEEDED to fulfill a function. That's what creates the foundation for a strong relationship, where both people can show up authentically and build something lasting together."
#7
We name our stuff, like house plants and cars. My car is Bessie and hers is Moana. Biggest houseplant we have is named Clyde Jr. because he looked like a small version of a tree at our old place that we had named Clyde. Lisa is a small houseplant. We have a portable charcoal grill called Melissa.
Her family knows these names and uses them as if it’s completely normal.
#8
Play hide and seek. He’ll randomly disappear and I’ll find him hiding in my closet or in the bath tub waiting to jump out and scare me. Once he tried hiding under the bed and fell asleep…I found him only because of his snore.
#9
I text him pretending to be tech support for his Wifebot robot. I’m old so I’m a Classic model, and there are often problems with annoying downloads (our children) causing malfunctions.
I guess you had to be there….
That said, relationship experts reassure that feeling self-conscious or hesitant about doing certain things around your partner is completely normal in long-term relationships.
"Our relationships go in phases, and different life events can make us have to re-work our relationships. Major life events like moving, having kids, getting pets, dealing with in-laws, getting a different job, and more, can bring out different aspects of ourselves that impact how we interact with our partners.
Being in a relationship means regularly paying attention to what is working and what isn't and making necessary changes. If self-doubt or hesitation starts creeping into a long-term relationship where it wasn't there before, it's a signal worth exploring," says Thomas.
#10
If my wife and I are holding hands and we somehow end up in a handshake position we shake vigorously and say hyperbolic business jargon like "good business deal, business partner." Or "production is hitting our KPIs this quarter."
Done it for years and we do actually own a business together now but we still do this.
#11
Secretly put pegs on each other’s clothes as we go about our day and wait to see how long it takes for one another to notice.
Michael Largey 1 week ago (edited)
But you've got to be careful about telling people "I really enjoy pegging my husband."
#12
We howl at the moon like wolves. But at totally random times across the house. And if one of us does it, the other is obligated to join in.
Chewie Baron 2 weeks ago
Well duh. Everyone knows that if one wolf starts howling, everyone has to as well. Did you not watch Zootopia?
"You have a nervous system that's constantly scanning for safety, and vulnerability always activates our danger sensors to some degree. Even in the healthiest relationships, opening yourself up (whether that's sharing a difficult emotion, trying something new, or being physically intimate) requires you to step outside your comfort zone," adds DeSantis.
"Discomfort with vulnerability can show up as self-consciousness, but can often come from old patterns and triggers that predate your current relationship ie, maybe you were shamed for being emotional as a kid, or criticized for not being "good enough" at something in a past relationship. These experiences create triggers that can show up even when you're with a safe, loving partner.
The key is recognizing when you're bumping up against a growth edge, versus when you're actually unsafe. If your partner has consistently shown themselves to be trustworthy and accepting, but you still feel hesitant to be vulnerable, that could be your old safety-seeking system trying to protect you from past wounds. Learning to self-regulate and communicate about these triggers is part of building emotional safety in your relationship."
#13
Sometimes, we take the t-shirt we’re wearing, and trap the other persons head under it, holding them to our stomachs and telling them that they are now safe.
#14
We play rock, paper, scissors for the bill whenever we are at restaurants or grocery shopping etc.
#15
Whenever we drive somewhere for a weekend, we try to guess the time we'll get there down to the minute. Last time, our ten year old joined in and on a drive that is a little over two hours, she was only one minute off!
Since a little discomfort is normal in relationships, feeling self-conscious around your partner isn't a straightforward sign of incompatibility. To feel more at ease with each other, there are steps couples can take, like practicing vulnerability, setting boundaries, and engaging in activities that promote intimacy, like open conversations or therapy, suggests DeSantis.
Thomas also recommends trying out the following:
- Try not to figure out the disconnection when you're escalated (think heart rate in a workout zone). Come back when you're calmer, and see if you can figure out where things went off the rails.
- Increase positive moments together. Try some of these: sitting together on the couch and watching a show, asking each other what the high and low of your day was, or just sending a positive lunchtime text.
- In the same vein as a gratitude list, see if you can come up with a couple of appreciations for your partner each day (your choice whether you keep it to yourself or share with them).
"In my line of work, the only time I genuinely think a couple is incompatible is if one person is not willing to make any changes or they're not motivated to make the relationship better. If you find it really difficult to repair conflicts or increase your level of comfort with your partner, it is probably time to consider couples therapy," she additionally advises.
#16
Whenever either of us take off our ring for any reason (shower, washing dishes, gardening, etc) the other will grab it and put it back on them while “proposing”. We have probably proposed to each other several thousand times by now.
#17
My wife and I have an unspoken thing we've done to each other for 10+ years where we sneak up behind each other, grab the other's butt, and if the grabee's butt tenses up the grabber will whisper "Fear..." If the grabee goes without tensing up, then it's usually "OH?! NO FEAR FOR YOU?!"
I have no idea where it came from or how it started, but it's a joke that's endured almost as long as our marriage and made for some funny moments over the years.
Edit: Wow!! Thank you for the Gold, awards, and up votes! Y'all are too kind. For those who asked, the voice has varied. It's been like that "Fear" scene from Super Troopers, but also like Jafar or other movies. It varies. The "NO FEAR FOR YOU" has definitely come out like the Soup N**i.
#18
We get bark box for our dog, and a few months back the theme was space jam. So we ended up with this tiny stuffed LeBron that our dog couldn’t care less about.
So now we try to prank each other with LeBron. We have gotten multiple pics of each other sleeping with LeBron just chilling there. It’s quite entertaining, if not bizarre.
Karl 2 weeks ago
My wife and her sister have this hideous family nick-nack (a tacky miniature ship's wheel) that neither will lay claim to. As a result, this has turned into an elaborate game i.e. when one visits the other they will secrete it somewhere in the house (e.g. behind a mirror, in a cupboard, etc.) and, when they're travelling home, will call the other telling them to look in that location - prompting a reply of faux outrage. This has been going for the last 25 years and shows no sign of stopping anytime soon. (Her sister currently is lumbered with it so will be watching her carefully next time she visits)
"Both people have to be willing to do this work. If one person is committed to growth and the other refuses to acknowledge their impact or work on their patterns, that's when you might have a compatibility issue," agrees DeSantis.
"Sometimes, persistent discomfort is a sign that someone is not safe to be vulnerable with. If your partner consistently dismisses your feelings, violates your boundaries, or responds to your vulnerability with criticism or attack, that's not a skills issue–that's a safety issue. Trust your body. If someone makes you feel like you have to walk on eggshells or constantly perform to earn their love, that's not the foundation for a safe, strong relationship."
#19
My boyfriend and I believe in an alternate reality where we exist as beans so whenever we’re having an awkward moment one of us will mention what our bean versions are probably doing.
#20
Years ago, me and her shared our first kiss and it was this intimate, overdue moment because we'd been friends for so long and there was always a palpable tension. And so when we kissed she let out this little moan. I thought it was cute so I mentioned it to her and she got so embarrassed she started scream-laughing.
Now sometimes when she kisses me, even a peck on the cheek or something innocent/innocuous, I let out an exaggerated moan and it's always met with either her hitting me or blushing and laughing depending on her mood.
Binky Melnik 2 weeks ago
When people do something in an exaggerated way that they’ve seen us do, it makes us feel seen, and it’s always wonderful! I miss that about being around people.
#21
Me and my wife randomly greet each other with “hi”, even if we’re just sitting on the sofa watching TV.
#22
We'll squawk "mine" like the seagulls from finding nemo. Usually while holding each other.
#23
Sometimes when we sit opposite of eachother, we interlock our toes. It's as if we're holding hands but instead it's our feet. It's genuinely one of the things that makes me laugh so hard I cry.
#24
My wife likes to pants me (pull down my pants from behind) when I'm doing things where both hands are occupied, like cooking or carrying things. I put up with it because she get really great belly laughs every time she is successful, and I love it when she laughs like that.
Michael Largey 1 week ago
It was a real crowd pleaser during their First Dance at the wedding reception.
#25
I was living above a childrens daycare before I moved in with her. I would pretend to miss the crying and screaming every day when they got to play outside.
She then promised to fix that for me and at the same time some kid outside started jammering. So now every time a kid cries in our vicinity I'll lean in and say 'Thanks dear'.
It's a bit of schadenfreude as we probably wont have any of our own, and both ok with that.
#26
I think I might have commented this somewhere before, but my husband and I have a de-escalation phrase we use with each other. If we are having a disagreement and can't quite seem to get it resolved, one of us will say a line from Breaking Bad: "Could you, just this once, climb down out of my a*****e?" Works every time to immediately reset and come back to the conversation later.
#27
We squeeze each other’s forearms to try to get the fingers to contract to pick stuff up. (My partner uses my arm as if it’s a human claw crane machine.).
#28
Entire concepts have been replaced with nonsense/bastadized words.
eg. A bath is exclusively known as a splosh. Ie. "I'm going to go and have a splosh"
Last weekend we were camping with friends, I'd helped cook the breakfast and caught myself asking people if they wanted any more sosig...
Binky Melnik 2 weeks ago (edited)
My ex-husband and I had nonsense words for everything. They were always nouns. The strange part is that we made ‘em up on the fly and the other always understood immediately. He could be sitting on the hox in his slifocos, with his ashtrevite and litigant, smoking a septafloat (it eventually became a “float” for shot), and if I suddenly asked whether he’d seen my harpetoid, he’d know exactly what I meant. It was the same in reverse. I have no idea why we understood instantly when a new word was made up, but we did. The embarrassing thing was accidentally using one of the words around other people, like when I was at work and would announce I needed to go outside for a float. It was usually upon my return when I’d get weird looks from people, apparently trying to see the results of the “float.”
#29
Me and my wife used to dance as we sang each other Disney's princess songs, no matter where we were. We'd also spent hours singing until our voice went dry, even if there was work at the next day, it could be 4 a.m. and we'd still be thinking of another song to add to the mix (not only Disney, of course). Her voice was that of an Angel.
#30
One day about 25 years ago I left a silly & random message on our answering machine for my wife (I used to put a lot of things for sale in the Buy & Sell ad paper). It went like this:
“I’m calling about the froggy. That I’ve touched. I touched the frog! Don’t tell anyone!!”
To this day if anyone mentions a frog, we look at each other and say quietly, “The froggy that I’ve touched…”
It’s so stupid, but makes us laugh.
#31
Where to begin? If we are close enough when the other person starts yawning, we try to get as much of our hand in their mouth as possible.
#32
We have entire conversations with our cat. Except one of us is being their self, and the other is acting out the cat’s side of the conversation.
#33
He pretends to be the ghost of Carol Channing, telling me all about his thoughts, friendships, and past plays/movies - with a spot-on mimic of her voice. Usually once I’m half-asleep and it’s completely dark.
#34
We have a codeword to determine if the other person is a shapeshifter. Randomly we will ask each to repeat it. Always causes a giggle or even a concerned “oh god…”.
#36
Not sure how it started but one of us will look at our dog and give him a thumbs-up. It must remain up until the other person sees this and does the same. When the dog looks confused enough we are allowed to continue with our lives.
#37
Tag, basically. I chase her around the house, furniture, etc. There have been both broken possessions and injuries. The worst was several years ago when I broke my toe trying to run past the fridge and kicked it at full speed.
We still do it, though.
#38
Atomic drops.
"Give or receive?" is the standard impetus for an Atomic drop.
The person receiving lays prone on the bed. The person giving assumes a plank / push-up posture above the receivee then proceeds to throw their arms out from under themselves dropping full force onto the other.
Our logic is that the drop forces love into the other more effectively than a standard hug / snuggle. 🤷♂️.
#39
In the early days, we were walking around outside and I saw a flock of geese flying in a V formation (something I’d only ever seen on TV). I gasped and quietly said “geese!” He kissed me. “What was that for?” “You said kees.”
Nearly 20 years later, if I say “geese” I still get a kiss.
#40
When the other person is not looking, we try to get in a karate chop. Combined with, "Hai-YA".
#41
When we're chatting (or even talking) and we have to remark the importance or the hilarity of a phrase or a fact, we say that in English. We're both Italian. That's pretty weird.
#42
We always say “don’t be gross” to each other at inopportune times and the other has to immediately stop what they’re doing and start drooling on themselves. Sounds dumb, but SO funny.
#43
Sometimes I say to him, "Oh David." But it sounds more like, "Mo David." And then he says, "Mo David more problems." And then sings the hook to that one song, "The more David we come across the more problems we see." And then one of us says, "Like diabetes." And sometimes it's reversed and he says it to me and I sing the song.
And he always gets me with little (joking) insults and then I punch him (softly) and no matter where I punch him he says, "Ah my kidneys!"
Also, anytime we hug or kiss infront of our youngest (two) she gets jealous and runs over and pushes us apart and then we have to pick her up and squeeze her in a hug sandwich. We did it with our older two when they went through jealousy at this age too.
#44
If we’re holding hands while watching tv one of us will start smacking the others hand to clap and then we go faster and faster like that until it’s too much.
#45
We speak in meme at each other. During the storm this week, the entire state was under tornado watch so I told him it was “real heckin wimdy out.“. We also will howl at our dog until we are all howling together at the ceiling.
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Auntriarch 2 weeks ago
This has renewed my faith in human nature. I'm pleased to discover that there are people out there just as loony as me and Mr Auntriarch.
Karl 2 weeks ago (edited)
We used to play a game late on weekends. We lived opposite a rather lively social club and late at night there were always taxis honking their horns to remind whoever had called them they were outside (this shows how long ago this was...). When we heard the first horn, the quickest one would say "Right, you'd best go now. Your taxi's here". Of course we were usually blind drunk at this point so we'd make it really elaborate to the point of getting coat and shoes, helping them into it saying stuff like "It's been a nice evening but some of us need to get some sleep. Can't you take a hint? Off you go - that cab isn't going to wait all night for you", etc.
Bec 1 week ago
We pretend the loud motorcycles and trucks going by are the other persons bodily functions. Oh my! Are you ok?!
Load More Replies... Auntriarch 2 weeks ago
This has renewed my faith in human nature. I'm pleased to discover that there are people out there just as loony as me and Mr Auntriarch.
Karl 2 weeks ago (edited)
We used to play a game late on weekends. We lived opposite a rather lively social club and late at night there were always taxis honking their horns to remind whoever had called them they were outside (this shows how long ago this was...). When we heard the first horn, the quickest one would say "Right, you'd best go now. Your taxi's here". Of course we were usually blind drunk at this point so we'd make it really elaborate to the point of getting coat and shoes, helping them into it saying stuff like "It's been a nice evening but some of us need to get some sleep. Can't you take a hint? Off you go - that cab isn't going to wait all night for you", etc.
Bec 1 week ago
We pretend the loud motorcycles and trucks going by are the other persons bodily functions. Oh my! Are you ok?!
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