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As the hours slip away, the opportunity for you to acquire the perfect gift for Valentine’s Day is fading fast. Sure, you can spring something on that special someone late in the day tomorrow, but having a plan for your Valentine is something you might want to work on — right now!
There is something about wanting to get everything "just right" that leaves me feeling at a loss when it comes to showing my Valentines how much I care. In an effort to find just the right Valentine’s gift, I asked some friends what gifts were "go" and "no-go" in their book. Who knew I had so many softhearted, romantic people in my life?
Homemade treats, a handwritten letter or homemade card, heartfelt hugs, and even sushi all topped the list for go-to winners. Kelsey even suggested giving a gift the day before Valentine’s Day was a good idea. Dawn said it best when she said the perfect romantic gift was, "Anything they put thought into, and nothing from the gas station."
But what if your Valentine just loves scratch-off lottery tickets?
In the no-go category? Store-bought cards, heart-shaped anything and overly romantic fluff movies were all thumped as bad choices. The funny thing was that some of the things considered as cliche gifts, such as a dozen red roses, fell into both categories. For instance, my cousin looks forward to roses being delivered to her office every year, which proves knowing your audience is ultimately the most important rule on Valentine’s Day.
My aunt says "showing each other the cards we would have given each other while standing in the card aisle and then putting them back" is also no-go, but I think it’s brilliant. Plus, if you’re not actually buying the card, you can afford to splurge and go for the fancy high-end ones. At this point in our busy lives, being in the card aisle at the same time as my husband would be the bigger surprise.
Quite a few girlfriends asked that I include a public service announcement they believe should be emphasized at this time each year, so please stand by for an important announcement: "Gentlemen, may I have your attention! Lingerie is NOT a gift for your wife, it is a gift for you!" However, I do have to hand it to the man who has the guts to undertake this daunting task. One sizing mistake and your holiday will be ruined for years to come.
Why am I such a curmudgeon when it comes to Valentine’s Day? I suppose being told we "have" to be romantic makes me feel anything but. The truth is, I was not raised in an overly emotional or sentimental family, so a holiday that is dedicated to that tends to leave me at a loss.
But I’m trying.
Luckily, I’m married to a wonderful guy who puts up with my curmudgeonly ways and treats me like I’m the best girl in the world. And that’s better than winning the lottery any day.
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