[Blondie]

BUSINESS WIRE
Posted: 2008-02-11 10:08:02
TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)----It's a well known fact - most men hate shopping. But mostly men really hate not knowing what is considered a "romantic" gesture and what is considered a "fumble". This can make it difficult to shop for that perfect Valentines Day surprise. Learn from your mistakes gentlemen.

With a little help from the girls at RedFlagDeals.com here is a list of tips that will help men everywhere stay sane, minimize mistakes and have the best possible success on Valentines Day. A few short stories are also included that come from submissions from the annual Valentines Day contest asking for interesting and funny romantic stories of the day.

1. Plan Your Attack. If you choose to go the gift route - decide in advance what is appropriate. If you've just started dating - you may want to save the jewelry for next year. HINT: If you decide on jewelry, make sure you check it BEFORE you leave the store. Don't make the same mistake as John, one of the contest entrants and have it wrapped at the store without checking it over. When his Valentine opened the gift - it had the wrong initials. She thought he gave her the wrong pendant - and had several girls on the go. They broke up.

2. Flowers - hmmm. Decision time guys. Do you really want to spend a few hundred dollars on roses? It's an individual decision. There are a few tips here: First - make sure if you are giving roses - they are RED. Red is the colour of love. Don't make the same mistake as RedFladDeals.com entrant Chad who gave yellow roses to his new girlfriend. Yellow is the sign of friendship and she thought he was trying to tell her he only thought of her as a friend. Tip: Think about pre-Valentines Day flowers. Save yourself a lot of money!

3. Plan ahead. Think about doing an early Valentines Day. Flowers will be less expensive and the romantic restaurant you want to take her to will have better service. Ever tried to get a servers attention quickly on Valentines Day? If you do an early celebration, make plans to have a romantic night in. A few candles, some wine, some food and a chick flick will go a long way.

4. Let your mouse do the walking. The fourth tip is the BEST tip and is the most obvious, shop online! You'll save money and find multiple gift ideas with the click of a button. But best of all - you can ask for advice from other shoppers on the forum.

5. Mechanical Mishaps. Okay guys - listen up. If you are trying to impress your date by taking her out to a restaurant for dinner - make sure your car has: 1. Gas 2. Oil. 3. Coolant. And most important of all - know which one goes where. Contest entrant Frank took his date out for a romantic dinner and just barely managed to get his overheating car to a gas station. He thought he could fix the problem by putting oil in the car - instead of coolant in the radiator - not good. Yep - that's a true story. They broke down in a very questionable part of town and had to be rescued by the Police.

6. Skip it? Really? Beware.

Beware of women who agree to skip Valentines Day. It may be a trap. Have something just in case. And guys - no matter what...get her a card. It's always the card that counts.

The Man's Guide to Surviving Valentines Day - AOL Money & Finance

[cassiusclay]

where was this article 3 days ago....ur killing me lol!!!

[Blondie]

Originally Posted by cassiusclay

where was this article 3 days ago....ur killing me lol!!!

Sorry about that. Just saw the link for it this morning.

I take it you have already done your shopping?

[cassiusclay]

nope, looks like cash in a card for me this year....

[Blondie]

Gift Ideas broken for specific relationships

casual date

You've gone out with her a few times, the level of commitment is low, and you're simply having a lot of fun. What do you buy her? This situation is the trickiest of them all because the wrong gift can take the relationship from casual dating to a full-fledged commitment.

Buying her the usual card and flowers is acceptable for this early stage in a relationship, or when your involvement is relatively weak.

On the other hand, if the relationship is strong and its future seems bright, opt for a more original present. For example, a sexy blouse or any form of eveningwear is classy enough to show her that you put some effort into selecting her gift.

Women generally appreciate that you spent some time selecting a gift. So it's a good idea to listen to what she says, pick up on a hint she may mention in passing, and then surprise her with it.

occasional romance

Every man, at one point in his life, will hook up with a woman simply for sex -- and amazing sex at that. This type of relationship is particularly exciting when Valentine's Day comes around, and selecting her gift can be amusing in itself. Choosing the right gift will hopefully guide the intensity of the evening and make it a night to remember.

Most of the time, guys will opt to buy her sexy lingerie. Purchasing lingerie is a little clich, but it's generally well-received by women. Another fashionable gift is a sexy dress she can wear for the Valentine's Day dinner. Keep it sexual by insisting that she leave her underwear at home.

However, instead of buying her these conventional gifts, a suggestion would be to get her a basket of sex toys. If you want to go all the way (in more ways than one), then rent a nice room and try to incorporate all these gifts into your evening.

married man

The married man will probably run out of original gift ideas sooner or later. He doesn't necessarily need to show commitment with his gifts, but he needs to set the mood for the upcoming passionate evening. In this situation, buy her an unconventional set of silk sheets, which can be purchased at any high-end department store. This gift will likely be expensive (which most women appreciate ) and surely has a sexual connotation (which most men love ).

The more conventional alternative for a married man is getting his wife some jewelry. This gift idea will please any woman, married or not...

Remember; these are only suggestions and none of these gifts represent the perfect choice. Each man knows what his woman enjoys, so my advice is to think about what she appreciates the most and use that as a guide.

Good luck and have a great Valentine's Day.

AskMen.com - Valentine's Day gifts

[Blondie]

Ten Gift Ideas

	10. Jewelry Diamonds may be a girl's best friend, but other valuable gems and metals come pretty damn close for the wallet-conscious romantic. Sleek rings and bracelets with precious stones will surely please your lady and complement the sparkle in her eye (can I get an "awwwww"?). There are great selections out there, some even offering unisex designs so that you can get matching pieces. Go the extra mile: Present it to her in a jewelry box.
	9. Lingerie Sexy intimate wear is always a good choice that never gets old. It's a perfect way to add some spice to your sex life, as lingerie is clearly meant to be taken off. Make sure you find her size in a style you know she'll love. Go the extra mile: Have it delivered to her house, with a note instructing that she wear it on your Valentine's date.
	8. Weekend Getaway While bed and breakfasts will remain a female favorite (it's just some stranger's house to us guys), a carefully chosen one can prove to be an enjoyable getaway for the two of you. Out in the country away from the bustle of the city, but not lacking in comfort, it's one of the best ways to spend intimate time together. Go the extra mile: Visit a spa where you can both get the full-body treatment, on the way to the B&B.
	7. Body Care Basket Women never seem to have enough beauty products, so feed her vanity a little and get her a set of every lotion, toner, soap, and bath salt she can use. You'll thank me later when her skin is all soft and sweet for you. Go the extra mile: Include her favorite perfume in the basket and give her a rubdown with the body cream.
	6. Purse Another fashion accessory that's very popular with the female persuasion, most women can always use another purse to match their shoes, belt, coat, etc. Go the extra mile: Initialize the purse and/or stuff it with little gifts like a wallet, or a scarf with a pair of gloves.

	5. Sex Toys Make it a great night for the two of you by hitting the local sex shop. Sex toy manufacturers are getting more creative each year, and there's no end to the variety of bedroom accessories you can find, from board games and body paint to flavored massage oils. Go the extra mile: Get something you can enjoy together, again and again.
	4. A Special Date There's no going wrong here. Take your woman out on a romantic date. It can be lunch, brunch or dinner, depending on what day Valentine's falls on. Or you can recreate your first date and relive the thrill of the honeymoon phase. Spare no expense here. Go the extra mile: Send her an invitation via snail mail and tell her to wear the dress you bought her for the occasion.
	3. Flowers These are classics that work like magic if you put a little extra effort into the deed (read: don't get her a single rose wrapped in gift paper). Talk to your florist about an intricate arrangement: each flower signifies something else, like romance, loyalty or purity, so pick the ones that match your woman most. Go the extra mile: Give her the flowers in a vase.
	2. Chocolate Show her how much you care by giving her the closest thing to sex (at least that's what women claim). If you came here in search of the perfect gift, she likely deserves it. Go the extra mile: Get a custom selection of her favorite flavors and fillings, and feed them to her while you share champagne and strawberries.
	1. Picture & Frame Here's a good way to immortalize your love: give her a portrait of the happy couple in a high-quality cube frame. You can blow up that great set of pictures of the two of you or hire a professional photographer to do the job. Go the extra mile: Make one for yourself also, so that you both have the same pictures and frame.

[Blondie]

Originally Posted by cassiusclay

nope, looks like cash in a card for me this year....

Well let me just say it was nice knowing you

[cassiusclay]

Originally Posted by Blondie

Well let me just say it was nice knowing you

well you were right about that, looks like i am off to the mall in a couple of hours....

[Blondie]

Originally Posted by cassiusclay

well you were right about that, looks like i am off to the mall in a couple of hours....

Not surprised. and now that you have stated this is better be something really good or it will still be nice knowing you

[Blondie]

A quick way to surprise her today would be to send her an ecard like the ones found here (especially if she works on a computer all day) what better way to set the tone of the day than surprise her in a way she is not expecting!

Valentine's Day Cards, Free Valentine's Day Ecards, Valentine's Day Greetings From 123Greetings.com


and for the ladies of the group, you can send him one as well:

They have both funny lighthearted ones or more serious ones such as this:

Love You More Than Words Can Say..., Valentine's Day Couples Card For Him

[yummy06]

Very good advice Blondie!

[Blondie]

Originally Posted by yummy06

Very good advice Blondie!

Thank you honey! Spicey and I were looking at these cards the other day and I was amazed at how beautiful some of them were!

Happy Valentine's Day!

[yummy06]

Happy Valentine's Day to you Honey!

[Blondie]

Originally Posted by yummy06

Happy Valentine's Day to you Honey!

Thanks, the optimism is fading fast. Tired of trying to convince myself I am a happy ray of sunshine. Thinking it is time to go watch my sappy movies and hide for a while.

Got some good movies though.

[yummy06]

No I have no idea which one's you could watch. Remember I don't watch movies or TV a lot so I am not going to be much help in that area.