photo by erix

Are you ready for Valentine’s Day? Don’t wait until the last minute. Desperation leads to cliche gifts gone wrong, like a half-dead rose or driving all over town trying to find a table at a restaurant. If you goofed on Christmas, you’ve got a golden opportunity to make up for it. Don’t blow it! The day doesn’t have to be fancy. But think of the other person and not yourself. While you might like pink cupcakes or fishing rods, it doesn’t mean they do.
Here are a few things you might not want to do.

TIE A BOW: Wrapping ribbon around your waist isn’t a wise choice. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. Rethink your options. No, lotion isn’t an option.

LINGERIE OR UNDERWEAR: Unless it’s requested and you have all the specifics, don’t do it. He can do without the cupid pink and red boxers, and she can go without lingerie that’s too big, too small or unwanted.

STUFFED ANIMALS AND BALLOONS: We’re adults, right? Save your money. Most men don’t want these delivered to their job. Most women would prefer something more thoughtful.

FAT-FREE ANYTHING: Don’t buy fat-free candy or low-calorie anything. Bad idea. Along these lines, pass on fitness equipment, workout videos, a bathroom scale or anything to do with weight loss. Even if she wants a Wii Fit, give it another time. So maybe she likes cows, pigs or hippos. Walk right by these items on Valentine’s Day.

VACUUM: Even if it’s deluxe. The day before or the day after, but not the day of. While many women will love a practical gift, very few want to think about cleaning on a romantic day.

RAZOR: Don’t give anything that has to do with hair removal.

LOW-VALUE GIFT CARD: There’s a difference between spending five bucks and giving five bucks to your sweetie and telling them to get something nice. Unless you know there’s something they want, don’t give a low-value gift card. They ‘ll be disappointed and will end up spending more when they go to use it.

SAME GIFT OR REGIFT: Do not give your loved one the same gift you gave to others. For example, if you gave your mom, sister and daughter a mum plant, don’t give your wife a mum plant. Along these lines, don’t give others a better gift than you give her. If you had a work party, a napkin-wrapped leftover treat isn’t going to go over well. Leftover Christmas candy isn’t a good idea, either.

CARD JUST SIGNED: Put some thought into it. At least write a sentence or two.

FAST FOOD: Unless you’re re-creating your first date, avoid fast-food joints. They truly don’t want fries with that.

PETS: Don’t ever give a pet without permission. Pets don’t make the perfect surprise. They need good homes with someone who can care for them properly.

See also:
Romance on a budget
Show her love not the money

If you have a funny worst Valentine’s Day story, let me know.

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