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What You Can Do for Your Valentine.

Updated on January 19, 2020
cherylone profile image

Ever since my children were young, I've helped them handmake gifts. Now they're grown up, and they do the same thing with their kids.

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Are You Ready for Valentine's Day

Okay, we have stuffed ourselves for Thanksgiving; opened our presents for Christmas; and made resolutions for New Year’s; now what? Well, the next big holiday is Valentine’s Day. The romantic, lovey-dovey (sickening), cutsie, I wuv you holiday that makes all ladies wonder what they will be getting from their spouse/boyfriend/significant other and all men wonder what the heck they can get this year that will be different, romantic, exciting, and better than the drooping roses and heart box of chocolates they got last year. By the same token, men are skeptical for their gifts, expecting a tie or a 'stupid' stuffed animal while the ladies think that the cute little teddy bear that says “I love you ” is perfect to give their special guy.

The first thing you must remember is to shop early, make plans ahead of time, and don't forget to get them something. Going out at the last minute for something is really not the way to go since anything you might chose has already been picked over by those who thought a little further ahead than you and went out the day before Valentine's Day.

I have composed a list of things that you guys can get for your ladies and you ladies can get for your guys. If, for some reason, you can’t possibly do the things listed below, I have added a small section on the end for inexpensive ideas that would make any romantic partner smile. I have also given you a list of dos and don’ts that will help keep you out of hot water.

A Few Simple and Fairly Inexpensive Ideas

These ideas can be for either partner and save the wallet:

  1. Give your special Valentine a handmade card; supplies are easy to get and generally inexpensive depending on where you go. The best thing to remember is that they will love it more if you put in the effort to make it yourself. Word of caution, ladies would like the homemade card more than guys because they like the romantic idea of it, but guys usually like the fact that you got them a card. (For leftover supplies, you might want to consider using the remaining supplies to make birthday cards, Christmas cards, etc.)
  2. Give your Valentine a romantic evening at home. Soft candle-light, romantic music, their favorite food and drink……I don’t think I need to go on. You don't even have to cook, if that's not your thing, since most restaurants have access to delivery services.
  3. Write out a list of things you are willing to do for your Valentine (whether it is naughty or nice) and let them pick the one they would like for their gift.
  4. Make your Valentine breakfast in bed.
  5. Take a moment to let your Valentine know how much you love them. No matter what you get them for Valentine’s Day, if you don’t express your love, they may think you are trying to ‘buy them off’.
  6. Write a poem or draw a picture for your Valentine. Something that comes from your hands and your heart will mean more to them.

Expensive doesn't always mean the best. Try giving from the heart instead of from your wallet.

For The Guys

Top Five Romantic Things To Do

  1. Take her to a nice restaurant, order her favorite wine and then get down on one knee and propose (or if you are married re-propose) to her (let your words be heard by all around you guys) with a ring.
  2. Not ready for the big question yet? Then take her to her favorite restaurant for dinner, offer her a single red rose (as a corsage or long stemmed - thorns removed of course) when you pick her up, and have a cute stuffed animal that says “I love you” waiting for her in the car along with a (truly) romantic card telling her how much you love her. After the meal take her to a place you know she has wanted to go and hasn’t been due to various reasons (special movie, a store, a distant mall, outlet shopping, or anything else you know she would like).
  3. Don’t have the money for such an elaborate romantic evening? Then invite her to your place for dinner. Have candles lit on the table, her favorite wine chilling and a meal you prepared yourself (or maybe had a little help). Place a romantic card on her plate along with a box of chocolates (or her favorite treat). Afterwards you can cuddle up on the couch and watch her favorite movie(s).
  4. Still not do-able you say? Then perhaps you could pick up a dozen of her favorite colored roses (or whatever flowers she likes including potted ones if she prefers it--just one of the potted ones, of course) and give her a romantic card along with her favorite perfume.
  5. Still think you can’t do it? Then woe your partner with something she would never expect. Offer to do something for her that she hates doing herself (or that she might enjoy):O
  • Offer to do her laundry one day
  • Offer to do her dishes
  • Offer to paint her nails (along with toe nails-no skimping now)
  • Offer to pay for her to get her hair done at her favorite salon
  • Offer to go to that unisex salon she had been wanting to try
  • Offer to give her a massage (get your minds out of the gutter guys that comes later, maybe)
  • Offer to go with her someplace that she has wanted to go but you did not. With this one you need to be creative, thoughtful, and have complete follow-through (that means you do not get her hopes up and then conveniently forget the offer). Couple your offer with a nice card and one of her favorite flowers or chocolates (flowers are usually better especially if she is trying to lose weight).

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Ladies Its Your Turn

The best thing you can do for your man is to remember that he has likes that you do not have and might prefer something other than that cuddly-wuddly little stuffed bear that holds a heart saying “I love you ”. The top thing you could do for your man is remember they aren’t naturally romantic, so don’t expect him to be the kind of guy that will melt when you make him a candle-lit dinner with wine and his favorite food.

  1. Offer to go with him to do something he likes (example--a football game or the latest gaming exhibition). If you know it is something he likes and has wanted to attend, you could purchase the tickets ahead of time and present them to him on Valentine’s Day with your card.
  2. Don’t think you could do this sort of thing, or perhaps don’t have that kind of money? Then offer to simply go with him during one of the events. You may not like them, but he does and it will mean the world to him if you at least attempt to be a part of it with him. Present the idea at dinner (one you made, one he makes, or at a restaurant) with a romantic (but not too gushy) card and perhaps a favorite trinket from his favorite past-time (example--a key chain from his favorite football team or a cup depicting one of his favorite sports events).
  3. Not what you had in mind? Then perhaps you could offer to cook his favorite meal for him and then sit and watch something he likes (sporting events, a specific movie, or a show he likes). Have a card sitting on his plate when he arrives along with a DVD of the movie or event (rented or otherwise). Don’t forget a bottle of his favorite wine.
  4. Still not quite what you had in mind? Then perhaps you could go to a sports bar with him so he can watch a favorite sport with his friends. Invite all of his friends and their lady friends to go as well. Make it a big event, even make sure the bar knows you will be coming so they can reserve an area for you. (This one can be worked out as you pay for him and the other ladies pay for their guys {up to a certain amount of course}). You can write it in the card you give him or set it up as a ‘surprise night’ shortly before Valentine’s Day. The only things I would caution on this one is: give the man a bit of notice and let him know your limit on spending. That way if he wants to get more he can have the money available himself.
  5. If your budget doesn’t allow for you to do any of the above items (or your heart really isn’t into such things), then perhaps you could do something a little closer to home that might be a bit nicer to your budget. Most men don’t like to get 'gussied-up' for anything. They like to hang around in jeans and t-shirt drinking their favorite drink (coffee, beer, soda, etc) and eating finger-foods (pizza, grinder, chicken strips, chicken wings, etc.). So tell them that you will give them ‘their’ night with their favorite drink, their favorite finger foods and they can dress like a bum if they want. Give them a card telling them all about it and tell them a day or two before you plan to do this so that they can enjoy the ‘dress like a bum’ part.

Don't

  1. Don't forget the day! If you don’t give him/her something they will think you don’t care and if you go out at the last minute, they will be able to tell. Droopy flowers and bent or broken boxes of chocolates do not impress.
  2. Don’t get them something you would like (example--don’t buy your gal a see-through night gown because you would like to see her in it. And don’t buy your guy a cologne you would like him to start wearing because you like the smell).
  3. Don’t send them a card--deliver it in person.
  4. Don’t buy the first card you see, look inside and see if it says how you feel (or if it says more than you wish to say). Buy a blank card and write out something yourself.
  5. Kittens and puppies are adorable, but your Valentine may not like them, may be allergic, or may not be able to care for them (or their landlord may say absolutely not), so don’t surprise them with an animal without first finding out the important details.
  6. Be careful about getting flowers. Many people have animals and the flowers might be dangerous to them. And flowers fade quickly. A thoughtful gift lasts well into the next year.
  7. Don’t get your Valentine something that they need. Valentine’s Day is all about love and romance. The last thing they want is a vacuum cleaner or a drill! Practical gifts are for birthdays and other celebrations, let Valentine's Day be romantic as the symbol suggests.

Romantic
Romantic | Source
Practical
Practical | Source

DO

  1. Put a little thought (or even a lot of thought) into your gifts. Don’t get the usual and expect them to be all excited about it. When you put thought into your gift you tell your Valentine that you care.
  2. Make sure that you are not buying something that is not appropriate (example--don’t get a box of chocolates for a person who is diabetic).
  3. Keep in mind who you are buying (or making) for and why. Make your gift unique to them. If you go out and get the same thing every year, you will be making a huge error (even if it is always a different Valentine).
  4. Ladies are usually on a diet, so candy is not necessarily the best thing to get for them (although some ladies would be heartbroken if you didn’t get them the big red heart filled with candy). Take a moment to feel out your lady and find out what they might like, especially if your relationship is relatively new. You could say something like “Valentine’s Day is coming up, are you a chocolate heart kinda gal or do you prefer something different? I’m just trying to get an idea on what to get for you.” This will also let her know that you haven’t forgotten that special day which will bring her that much closer to you.
  5. Guys usually do not like the sugary gushy kind of gifts that ladies tend to like. They are generally more sports oriented, or perhaps the ‘get down and dirty’ kind of guy. Keep that in mind, ladies, not only when getting your gifts but when getting or making your card.
  6. Do give your Valentine a gift of love, not a token that everybody recognizes.

I am certain that you can all come up with so many more that I have missed, but I didn’t want this hub to be too long so I will quit at this point. Feel free to comment below on any that you think of so we can be sure to share those thoughts as well.

Hope this Valentine’s Day is the best ever!

© 2012 Cheryl Simonds

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