Tips for Valentine's Day

I found this online and thought I might repost it to help you guys out - I hate to see a guy think he is doing everything right and have the best of intentions only to land himself in the doghouse! Yes. It is "just another Hallmark Holiday." But guess what? It matters to her.

How to Pick the Right Gift for Valentine's Day
Posted by Dr. Laura Berman

Hey, guys: Looking for the
perfect gift this Valentine's Day?
I've got some "hot" and "not" gift ideas
to make sure you end up in her good graces, not the doghouse, this Valentine's
Day. Romance doesn't have to be a dirty word. Trust me, it's the way to her
heart...and a great night for you, too. A little effort and a personal touch
goes a long way.

Here's a gift guide to help you speak her language of love.

HOT: A bouquet of her favorite
flowers or red roses...delivered to the office, so she is the envy of all her
co-workers! (This last part was the idea of one of our regular posters.)Women
want to be that woman who is getting romanced for everyone else to see. Sending
flowers to work is a great surprise (unless you do it all the time) and creates
some heavy anticipation for when you get home!

NOT: A bouquet of yellow roses.This is
the ultimate "friend" present. In fact, it's what you might send your
grandmother when she's in the hospital or your best friend when he's had a baby
with his wife. Yellow = no passion.

HOT: A coupon for a backrub from you
or drawing her the ultimate sensual bath, with no expectations!Get versed in the
art of massage if you're not up to speed. There are plenty of videos and books
out there. To do a sensual bath, all you need is candles, a pile of soft towels
and some lavender oil, with relaxing music in the background. Pour the lavender
oil under hot running water and tell her she can take as much time as she wants
enjoying herself, while you make dinner or do something else that keeps you busy
elsewhere. For an added touch, place some wine or champagne next to the bath for
her (cold, of course).

NOT: Disgusting toys or movies.This is
the ultimate gift-with-an-ulterior-motive. It's not actually about her, it's
about what you want to do with her. Same goes for really skimpy lingerie. Giving
a gift like this creates a sense of pressure. It's not enjoyable or romantic.
Better to pick out toys and movies together, when you're both feeling
it.

HOT: A home-cooked meal by
you...where you really do it all from start to finish. Or, a privately cooked
meal at your home with a chef for one night is a special treat for both of you.
There are tons of chefs out there who specialize in on-site cooking, and take
you from menu conception to preparation to clean-up afterwards.

NOT: Cooking lessons.This gift will only
be taken two ways: one, she is not a good enough cook or, two, you are looking
for someone to do more cooking for you. Either way, you lose.

HOT: A handwritten love note or a
poem on fresh tree bark.Don't be scared to be vulnerable! You don't have to be
Shakespeare to write a love note to your one-and-only.

NOT: A gift message written on the
wrapping paper.You can ruin a perfectly good, romantic gift by failing to
include a card. Women do not understand this. Why is a card so difficult? It
feels impersonal to get a gift without a card. Just get one. Trust me, it means
the world, whatever it says, as long as it's from the heart.

Well there you have it, and if it helps one of my friends to at least have a special Valentine's Day then it will be well worth it!