A Man's Guide To Valentine's Day

Although every day of the year should be used to express your love and appreciation to people who are important to you, Valentine's Day is the one day when we are highly encouraged to express our love through thoughtful gifts of flowers and candy, and plenty of hugs and kisses.

While women greatly appreciate the traditional gifts of roses and chocolates on Valentine's Day, it is always nice to receive a unique and memorable gift on this special day. Rather than just handing your loved one a bouquet of flowers and giving her a kiss on the cheek, surprise her this year with something different, something that she will remember for years. Now is the time to start planning for the special day and here are a few helpful tips and romantic ideas that are sure to take her breath away:

Choosing the Flowers:

Even though Valentine's Day seems like it's still a ways away, it is best to place your flower order now to ensure that the flowers will be in stock and delivered on time.




Color.
Instead of giving her the typical bouquet of one dozen red roses, try something new. Choose a different color or even a mixture of colors. If you are having trouble with picking a color, find out what her favorite color is, or try and match her personality. If she is spontaneous and care free, then choose a brighter color like a hot pink or orange. If she is quiet and gentle, choose a light pink or white. If she is strong and intense, choose a darker color like a deep red or burgundy. If she likes tradition and would prefer red roses, choose a bouquet that has other flowers mixed in, or display them in an elegant vase.

Flower.
Although roses are the number one flower for Valentine's Day, a variety of other flowers fit the occasion. If you are sending flowers to relatives, like a sister or mother, roses might not be appropriate. Instead, choose a less structured flower, like a nice bouquet of orchids or tulips. A mixed bouquet of roses and green leaves are a little less formal and appropriate for relatives and friends. If you are in a new relationship and this is your first Valentine's Day together, then a traditional bouquet of red roses would be appropriate, but if you have celebrated many Valentine's Days together, a break from tradition is a nice surprise. Splurge and show her that she is still the most important person in your life and send a large mixed bouquet, a large luxury bouquet of roses, or send her the same flowers you had at your wedding or the same flowers you gave her on your first date.

Price And Quantity.
It might seem silly to spend so much money on a bouquet of flowers, but remember that your loved one will greatly appreciate the gift. Valentine's Day only comes around once a year. Although it's tempting to cut your cost and just buy a bouquet from your local grocer, in doing so, you are choosing price over quality. The flowers might look okay when you purchase them, but they will quickly deteriorate once they are brought home. Buying flowers from a qualified delivery service will not only provide guaranteed quality, but it will also provide great customer service. If you're having trouble picking out a bouquet to send to your loved one, the qualified associates are always willing to provide answers and input. If price is an issue, there are always other options for less expensive bouquets. If you can't afford to purchase 100 roses, a smaller quantity will do. Remember, presentation is sometimes more important than what you are presenting.

Presentation.
If you want to have the flowers delivered directly to her, surprise her and have them sent to her workplace. Or if they are being sent to her home, don't forget to include a personal note expressing your love and appreciation. If you would really like to impress her, have the flowers sent to you. You can then remove the flowers from their packaging and place them in a nice vase. Show her your crafty side and present the flowers in a playful manner:

• Find two glass vases of similar shape (square or rectangle works best), one larger than the other.
• Place the flowers in the smaller vase with warm water.
• Place the smaller vase with the flowers in it, inside the larger vase.
• Fill in the empty space in the larger vase with some small conversational hearts.
• You now have a unique display for her Valentine flowers.

Additional Ideas:

• Send your loved one a unique valentine through the mail. Loveland, CO provides a unique service every Valentine's Day. If you enclose your pre-stamped, pre-addressed Valentine with return address in a large 1st class envelope to Loveland, they will stamp your envelope with a short poem and a small heart and send it on its way. Send to:

Postmaster
Attn: Valentines
Loveland, CO 80538-9998

• Surprise her in the morning by drawing a heart on top of her coffee with chocolate. Add some whipped cream or steamed milk to the top and squeeze some chocolate syrup in the shape of a heart on top and serve immediately.
• If you'd rather stay in for the night, rent some classic romantic movies, like 'Casablanca', 'Breakfast At Tiffany's' or 'When Harry Met Sally...' , and lay a blanket down on the floor and have a picnic basket filled with wine and cheese, and a small bouquet of flowers.
• If you want to bring her on a romantic date, but want to do something other than dinner and a movie, take her to a wine tasting event.

Please share your ideas by commenting to this post below.