by Joe Wrighter

Created on: February 07, 2007   Last Updated: September 14, 2010

Valentine's Day is supposed to be THE special day for that special someone in your life. And at the risk of sounding as corny as a Hallmark card, it can be. It's really not too difficult to put together a nice evening and dinner together, as long as you're willing to work a little and be creative.

I'm going to address this article to the guys out there, because let's be honest, the duties of making Valentine's day special usually fall upon our shoulders. And that's okay: men, you should view this day as a chance to show her how much you really care about her, and that you can actually "plan" something.

Now, the key with Valentine's Day is expectations. She, no matter who she is, will be expecting you to do SOMETHING unusual for her on this day. Fair or not, if you treat V-day like any other day in your relationship, she will be disappointed. Even if you always treat her like a princess, every day. So, the goal here is to do something out of the ordinary that will demonstrate your love for her.

For most women, surprise is a key element for romance. Try to plan something unexpected that will take her breath away, if only for a moment. Even something as simple as a love note, hidden in a place for her to find at just the right moment, will do the trick. It may sound cliched, but most women also love to be surprised with jewelry. The important thing is to surprise her with the gift; don't let on that you have something for her until you're about to pull the necklace out and put it around her neck.

One mistake that a lot of guys make is to try to do a little too much. Though there are women who would love to go out for an extravagant night on the town on V-day, most would probably be more satisfied if you spent most of the time alone with each other. Alone together over a candlelit dinner, alone together out on that dock on the water, alone together watching her favorite romantic movie on the couch. She just wants to know that you love her and have set aside the time to spend just on her.

As for the dinner itself, you can take her just about anywhere, as long as the atmosphere lends itself to romance. Or, you could make her dinner yourself. Most women would be tickled to death if their guy went to all the time and effort to make a nice dinner, especially if you don't normally cook. It won't have to be a 5 star meal, just make sure it's something she enjoys.

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