Five Valentine Tips for the Reluctant Romeo

Every time the hearts and candies surface after New Year’s, I feel a little flutter. I’m a real sap about Valentine’s Day. As a matter of fact, I love it so much that I annually host Bunko at my house in February just so I have an excuse to buy those cute decorations at the store and load up on all the fabulous pink M&M’s. For me, Valentine’s is the ultimate holiday sweet spot. It’s right there after New Year’s offering me a well deserved chance to break a resolution or two. I love it!

But that’s not so for many men I know. As a matter of fact, I have a dear friend whose husband actually swears off Valentine’s Day all together. Just like someone would swear off a vice – say smoking or something. That’s just really disheartening to me (and to her), so I came up with a little plan. And the plan involves giving all those men out there some insider tips to navigating Valentine’s like a real live Romeo – poetry and all. So here goes … five things every guy can do to get through Valentine’s Day as a successful romantic.

1.Start by planning ahead. The weekend before the big day, run by Target and shuffle through the cards until you find just the right one. Grab a Starbucks gift card, a flowering plant and maybe a gift certificate for a manicure at her favorite spa. And then have all the goodies sitting next to her morning coffee. Ta-da! No last minute scrambling.

2.Better yet, skip the Hallmark card and write a love poem. The words don’t need to rhyme. And it can even be funny. Just make sure and end your poem with something creative and tender and of course an “I love you.” For bonus points, write the poem out longhand. She’ll like it even better.

3.Try several small thoughtful gestures – like having her car washed or surprising her for lunch. Maybe even have a barber shop quartet serenade her at work. That’ll wow her.

4.This one is bound to work. Burn a CD of her favorite songs, get take out from her best loved restaurant, light a few candles and set the stage for a fabulous romantic dinner – just the two of you.

5.And finally remember, lingerie is not really a gift for her!

And now ladies … I open the topic up to you. What helpful tips can you offer to the reluctant Romeo out there?