Man needs help with Valentine's Day

terry1156 · #1 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 09:55 AM

I've never been good with the Valentine gifts. I'm going to try and make this year different. Besides, if you can help me get the perfect gift, I bet she won't mind me spending so much time on this site

Let me know what would be the perfect Valentine gift for you to receive and let's see if I can really sweep my wife off her feet this year!!

PrincessPerky · #2 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 12:14 PM

THat sort of depends on you and your wife.

Some of my favorites:

1. Home cooked meal with you doing the dishes before and after (the dishes being a true gift)

2. Poem, simple but heartfelt - I have no talent with this, but several of my favorite gifts were poems from my husband.

3. 100 things that make her wonderful, I did this for my husband, since he knows I am no good at writing he thought it was pretty cool, I printed it in the shape of a heart, which was actually the hardest part!

4. Stuff from kids, pictures or the silly LOVE thing where the kid thinks of a word for each letter of Love, or mom or dad. or both. Since my kids are young they don't do this on their own so it is really a gift of time form me too.

5. a designated pajama day, since I do not drive it is a real treat for him if I do not make my husband go outside on his day off.

6. Homemade cake, agian you do the dishes.

7. day of going where you have been putting off for ages, the zoo, the mall, the store to buy the watchamacalet needed to finish the project of yours, and then a follow up with finishing that project.

8. fixing my vacuum cleaner! ok so just me would like that and it can't be done

miclason · #3 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 12:19 PM

First, what does your wife like? what are her hobbies??

econ o'miser · #4 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 12:34 PM

Could you look around her dressing table and the bathroom, and take a note of the various toiletries, talc, moisturiser, shampoos etc. that she uses, then make up a little hamper of these.

Important notes - make sure you get the right brand, or the exercise will have been in vain, and don't try to get make-up, as what you think is right probably won't be, or she'll have gone off it!

I would love a hamper of my night and day moisturisers, my regular hand cream, my face cleanser, and maybe some slightly upmarket bath foam (not supermarked economy brand!) to complete the pack. Tie the hamper in a red ribbon and place a single rose on top when you give it to her. She'll be putty in your hands!

kashi · #5 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 01:22 PM

what sorts of things did you do together before you were married? does she or do you have any fond memories of "courting" activities? it might be fun to recreate that.

I for one would love to get a homemade card, be taken to a secret romantic dinner location, and then be taken to see something beautiful (like an overlook of the city I've never been to before, or a flower conservatory to see and smell the warmth of spring, or a wildlife refuge where deer can nibble freely).

everyone's right though, it depends on your wife and what she enjoys.

akaivyleaf · #6 (**permalink**) 01-14-2005, 06:56 PM

1. Breakfast in bed
2. A day for just the two of you, if you have children, find a babysitter
3. preparing a romantic evening, starting with a prepared bubble bath, dinner in bed and I'm sure you can get creative with dessert....
4. Coupons that you make up.... like vaccuming, or dish washing, getting her car cleaned inside and out, or putting gas in it. She can hand you the coupon and you can do the designated task. Don't forget to include romantic interludes as well. You can either do a month of coupons, or 12 coupons- one for each month until next Valentines day.

terry1156 · #7 (**permalink**) 01-15-2005, 05:00 AM

She enjoys gardening a lot and also needlepoint, but I was thinking something more romantic this year - something she wouldn't expect from me.

What type of romantic gesture could your DH do that would make your Valentine Day? That is what I'm searching for.

PrincessPerky · #8 (**permalink**) 01-15-2005, 07:10 AM

Cleaning my garage out

or finishing one of his novels

.

Actually if she likes gardening she might prefer a live plant to regular flowers, or not.

For the needle point, this has nothing to do with valentines day. But it makes me incredibly happy when my DH checks out my work, he is easily impressed with it, and makes me feel oh so special, cause I can do it and he can't.

I don't think I could come up with my own best valintines day, the surprise is 9/10ths the fun!

Ick, if I had to pick for myself, and money were no object, I would go with dinner and a movie, so traditional. I just realized I am soo not romantic! Good thing I am a girl, my poor man. Though if money were really no object, I would so love renfest boots, and dress, with him outfitted to match (but not in the girly guy stuff, in the pirate stuff, where guys still look like guys, nevermind the historical accuracy!) Of course all this would be enjoyed at a romantic dinner/picnic. I always loved how in movies the guy can go buy a dress that is a surprise and bring it in a box, and she still loves it and it still fits. I would love to get a box like that one day.

amomof4 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-15-2005, 09:30 AM

One of the nicest gifts I got from my husband was a bouquet of roses set in a vase.

Another idea would be a romantic dinner followed by a night in a hotel. You could even get the briadal suite.

Not very frugal, but very romantic.

PrincessPerky · #10 (**permalink**) 01-15-2005, 10:24 AM

K I found some more, hope I'm not irritating you, these are not mine I found them online:

1. "Now, for showing your love to others... I recommend a Heart Attack. Again, involve the kids in cutting out dozens of red, white and pink construction paper hearts, about cookie cutter size. You may want to scrawl messages on some of them. Late the night before Valentines Day, or during the day if you know they are not home, sneak over and tape the hearts all over the front door, or the car, or wherever seems best. We often leave a plate of cookies by the door, too.These are fun to make, easy to clean up, and send an unmistakeable message!"

2. "A bottle of red finger paint provided a Valentines Day for my sweetheart that will not be forgotten! I took a sponge and the red finger paint, and went to his place of employment. I painted red hearts all over the windows and windshield of his car, making sure to leave it so he could see out to drive home. He loved it!
--H. "

3. "One time I took a huge piece of poster board, made up a poem to my husband, and set it in the front yard for the whole world to see as they came by. "

Momtwo · #11 (**permalink**) 01-15-2005, 10:57 AM

My favorite:

DH grilling filet mignons and making a tossed salad. Enjoying all with a nice red wine; the table set with our best placemats, napkins, china and wine glasses. A centerpiece of flowers- doesn't have to be much. A vase of carnations would do. Soothing classical music in the background A couple of nice candles lit near the flowers.

After dinner we watch a romantic movie and then DH draws me a nice bubble bath!

This to me is the perfect evening!

zakity · #12 (**permalink**) 01-19-2005, 05:32 PM

One husband that I know of rented a chick flick, bought 2 better quality tv dinners, a loaf of garlic bread, and a decadent dessert from the bakery aisle for them to share. I think he said that it cost less than $15. He "cooked" for her, put it on regular plates, and then cleaned up the mess when they were done. They then sat down to pop corn and the chick flick. She thought it was great. He normally didn't sit down willingly and watch chick flicks with her. I thought that it was really cool that he did that for his wife. They were saving for a trip and didn't want to spend the money to go out.

PrincessPerky · #13 (**permalink**) 01-20-2005, 11:35 AM

Ok this is silly, but my man and I sometimes write on the mirror after a shower, it stays for the next time someone takes a shower, we haven't done it as much now that my son can read, but we have switched to tamer notes with the kids foam shower letters. Only trouble is sometimes you have to be creative casue you will riun out of letters with the foam ones.

akaivyleaf · #14 (**permalink**) 01-20-2005, 02:23 PM

PrincessPerky, I did similar except I got antifog foam from the autoparts store (actually went in the garage) and sprayed a message on the mirror, then when the mirror fogged up from the shower, the message didn't fog up. It would stay for a week sometimes. I used to do inspirational messages, or little love notes.

I'd forgotten about that until you reminded me.