If you are going to give a Valentine’s Day gift, you may as well do it right!  Don’t wait until the last possible second and grab chocolates and roses from the grocery store on your way home from work on February 14th.  Use this list for some great Valentine’s Day gift ideas that should be a little better received than the stereotypical chocolate and roses:

Show her you’ve been paying attention!  Whether she’s told you or not- a woman wants to know you are paying attention, and have consideration enough for her to know a few basic things.  Her favorite meal, favorite song, hobbies… in fact- this is the perfect Valentine’s Day gift.  Make or buy her favorite meal, have a candle lit dinner with her favorite music playing.  Have conversation and keep the television off (you can catch the scores on the game another time- it’s a day to appreciate the people you love, not the stuff you love!)  You can turn it up a notch with champagne or wine, and a chocolate fondue with strawberries for dessert.

The Love  Basket.  If you do the dinner thing regularly, or just really feel the need to give something PHYSICAL rather than time and a favorite meal; you could go with a basket of goodies.  This is a step above the heart shaped box of chocolate and long stemmed red roses- but you’ll want to select a gift basket that shows you put a little thought into it rather than grab the cheapest or closest one within reach.  Buying a ready-made gift basket is ok; creating your own is far better.

Grab a nice basket from Wal-mart or a craft store.  Then take some time to fill it with things you know she’ll love!  Candy is ok, and you could even dress it up with a flower or two- but be sure to include a few special things that you know she’ll love.  Does she enjoy  baths?  Get her some new bubble baths, candles to place around the tub, a relaxing CD, body lotion for when she gets out.  You could even include a bottle of champagne and a fancy champagne glass for her to enjoy it in!  Is your girl a bookworm?  Find out who her favorite authors are and fill up the basket with the newest releases.

The Gift of Time.  For many couples, the problem is there just isn’t much time to spend together.  If this is a complain you’re partner has, why not arrange for the afternoon off, and just spend some nice, quality time together?  If money is an issue, this is a good option also, as you can spend the day walking through a park, hiking in the mountains, or taking a scenic ride through the country.  Whatever you decide to do, the point is you’ll be enjoying the time together.

Gift Certificates.  Many women enjoy time at the local salon or spa; and probably don’t do these things as often as they might like.  If you know she is interested in this sort of thing; you could get a gift certificate that allows her to go and enjoy herself.  She will be amazed that you thought of such a thing and enjoy her time.  Be sure that if you give a gift certificate, you present it nicely though- perhaps over dinner, or delivered with a bouquet of her favorite flowers at work.

There are many things you can give for Valentine’s Day.  The best gifts are those that took just a little thought and creativity- especially when buying gifts for a woman.  Steer clear of the box of chocolates from the gas station and chances are, whatever gift you choose she will love it!

*picture of artwork from John P Metal Art Blog http://pozadzides.com/john/blog/2006/03/22/a-dozen-hearts/

Great Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas was created by and is property of American Consumer News.

To be truly successful at giving gifts to women, you just need to remember three things. 1) She wants to know you cared enough to put some thought into the gift. 2) She wants to know you are giving up some of your time to give her that gift. And 3), she wants to know you are willing to spend time with her (and only her) at least one evening a year. (Of course, you do get extra points by turning an evening into a full day.)

Since Valentines Day is the obligatory male-female day of connection that comes but once a year, it is especially important to prove your love on that day. If you “forget” or “just don’t want to give into another day created by Hallmark,” points will be deducted in a big way. However, going the extra mile doesn’t have to be expensive to curry favor…it simply has to fit within the three parameters above.

Now to be truly frugal this Valentines Day, and yet make it the best Valentines Day ever, consider turning Valentines Day into a week (or even two). Some of the ideas below can be done daily and will make the woman in your life feel like a queen without buying her the tiara. All women really want is what they see in the movies…an expression of passion and thoughtfulness.

1. GIVE HER ONE FLOWER A DAY FOR TWO WEEKS: Every day, deliver any kind of flower to her in a unique and thoughtful manner. Stick them under her windshield wiper, in the toothbrush holder, in the fridge (and so on) and you will delight her each time she finds it. That’s because you are going out of your way to 1) come up with ideas, and 2) get the flowers (even though you really just stole them from your neighbor’s garden). At the end of two weeks, she will have a lovely bouquet and fourteen days of enchanting memories.

FOR EXTRA POINTS: Put a flower under her windshield wiper when she’s at work or an appointment and she will know that you went way out of your way as soon as she sees it.

1. STICK POST-ITS DECLARING YOUR LOVE FOR HER ALL OVER THE HOUSE. Put one in her coat pocket, in her purse, on the visor in her car, in her planner, etc. This is something you can do all at once, yet she will find these notes over days and weeks. It’s free to do, but your “thoughtfulness” and the romantic sayings will get you two points per note…a win-win situation.

FOR EXTRA POINTS: Use flower-shaped or heart-shaped post-its for a little extra romance.

1. DRAW HER A BUBBLE BATH WITH CANDLES LIT ALL AROUND. I know…this is an old cliché…and yet it never grows old. Even though she may want to take the bath without you in it, you’ll get points for drawing the bath, the bubbles, and every candle you lit. Throw some rose petals on top of those bubbles, and you are bringing the magic of the movies into her life.

FOR EXTRA POINTS: Throw her towel in the dryer just before she’s ready to get out for that special spa treatment.

1. HAVE A MYSTERIOUS GIFT DELIVERED TO HER WORK. Make a special plan for the evening and deliver something that she will need for that event. For example, a pair of her comfortable boots for a nature hike, or one of her favorite sweaters for a night at the beach. She’ll be trying to guess all day what you have planned, which adds excitement to what may otherwise be an ordinary date. Always include a single rose.

FOR EXTRA POINTS: Make that a brand new gift and you’ll get extra points for that as well.

<!–[if !supportLists]–>5. <!–[endif]–>TAKE HER TO A ROMANTIC LOCATION FOR A PICNIC. You don’t have to be fancy with the picnic fare. Grab her favorite sandwich from Subway or some pre-made chicken and potato salad at your local grocery store. Take her someplace you might have taken her when you were teenagers…someplace where making out could be an option…and don’t forget the blanket to sit (or lay) on.

FOR EXTRA POINTS: Make that picnic occur at sunset. If the weather is cold, find an indoor location where you can watch the sunset in comfort.

Feel free to use these ideas without deviation, or brainstorm to think of a few of your own. Just remember, all the woman wants to know is that you are willing to go that extra mile…even if it is a requirement.

How to Be Cheap on Valentines Day Without Getting Your Butt Kicked was created by and is property of American Consumer News.