What Women Want for Valentine's Day

Let's face it, Valentine's Day can be a scary experience for the male species. So much pressure can be put on a guy by the media or otherwise to provide a thoughtful gift for his sweetheart. Wandering the aisles at the local discount store (where he needed to buy laundry detergent anyway) debating the merits of candy hearts over stuffed teddy bears in candy colors can be a confusing waste of time. Chances are these kinds of gifts will be tossed out with the garbage in a matter of months. I mean, who eats those chalky conversation hearts anyway?

Please don't mistake me for one of the masses of shallow girls who believe Valentine's Day gifts define a relationship. I think Valentine's Day should be about celebrating love in general, which is something almost everyone can relate to. Those little everyday things people do for one another to show affection far outweigh any flowers or trifles one can bestow upon a loved one. However, there is a certain element of fun in finding just the right present and seeing the look on the receiver's face when they open it. So if you want to go out of your way to give your valentine something fabulous, I'm your girl.

For the cool indie girl:
Music is always a great gift, especially if some of the lyrics have meaning to your relationship. You don't have to dig deep if you don't have time, just about any love song can relate to your relationship. Buy a CD, open it, and in the liner notes underline certain lyrics that will be meaningful or show how you feel about your girl. If the lyrics aren't included in the liner notes, just write a cute note next to the song title like, "this made me think of us." My suggestions for specific tunes are: Camera Obscura, Let's Get Out of This Country; The Pixies, La La Love You; Radish, Little Pink Stars; and The Decemberists, Summersong. The cool indie girl will appreciate your creativity.