Valentine's Day Guide

Valentine’s Day is a time to show affection and appreciation to your loved ones around you. It’s the time of the year when you see boxed chocolates filling the aisles in your local stores, hearts fluttering all over and splashes of red covering anything and everything. It has become so commercialized that flowers, chocolates, cards and jewelry are to Valentine’s Day as Santa Claus and colored lights are to Christmas. This year, if you’re going to make it a good one and want to be remembered, you will need to know a few things.

To begin with, be original. Don’t just buy a bouquet of flowers and some chocolates and leave it at that. Put some effort into your idea. Really think about what goes on in your relationship taking into consideration your partner’s likes and dislikes.

• Is your loved one always stressed? Do they need to really relax? Maybe a couples’ massage is a good idea. 
• Do you guys get to spend a lot of time together? If not, maybe a day at home watching movies together and ordering food delivered is exactly what the doctor ordered.
• Does your man love sports? If so, check the local sporting venues and see what events are going on.
• Does he love clothes? A gift certificate to his favorite store might be nice or consider a shirt from his favorite label's current collection — Gucci, D&G, Coach.
• Does he love food? Pick your partner’s favorite meals from his top-five favorite restaurants and order them all. Arrange it as dinner at home and spend some time with each other enjoying it all — maybe by candlelight.
• Have you guys been together a while and reached a new point in your relationship? Maybe it’s time to take on a new puppy.
• Is he a tech-geek? If so, go out to several electronics stores together and act as if you’re shopping for something you need and pay attention to what he ogles. Then you can surprise him by getting it for him.
• Is he a club junkie? Get a VIP booth or table at his favorite club for a night.
• Remember, it’s about the small things you do, too. 
• When he’s in the shower, grab a towel and throw it in the dryer and when he gets out wrap it around him. Who wouldn’t enjoy a warm towel coming out of the shower?
• Make a heart on a mirror or wall using Post-It notes and, on each one, write what you adore about him. 
• Be spontaneous! Give him a dose of good lovin' in the middle of the kitchen when he least expects it. 
• Want to be cute? Buy a disposable camera and a photo album with a note attached that says, “let’s make memories.”
• Regardless if you have money or not, it’s about being creative and having fun.

Whatever you decide to do for your partner on Valentines Day, remember, don’t set out to do something with your beau that you wouldn't want to do normally. If you do, your partner will know if you’re forcing yourself and neither one of you will have a good time. For instance, if he wants to go to a sports game and you hate sports, you’re only going to make it boring for him.