Need a hand?
In a man’s perfect world, romance would come with instructions. And a warranty. Classes on making women happy would be held on Saturday mornings at the home improvement warehouse. Valentine’s Day would be a time for exchanging small appliances or lawn care paraphernalia.
In the real world it’s hard to get it right. Women come in all sizes and temperaments.
Well, you’re a do-it-yourself kind of guy, right? With the right tools you can tackle any project.
Here are a few suggestions, for men only, for making this Valentine’s Day special. We’ve broken them into four categories:
The Ultimate: What you could do with your sweetheart if money and time weren’t issues.
The Real World: Ideas that, time and money permitting, will sweep her off her feet.
The Do-it-Yourself project: Simple ways to spend a few romantic hours, or minutes if that’s all you’ve got, with the one you love.
And as an added bonus, we’ve even listed a few bad ideas; things you definitely don’t want to do.
With these tips, and a little luck, this could be the Valentine’s Day you both remember for all the right reasons.
A Night on the Town
Nothing is more romantic than a candlelit meal and a night away from the job, the house and the kids, to melt her cares away and put the spark back into a relationship.
The Ultimate: Surprise her with a chartered jet that will whisk you both off to New York City for dinner, a Broadway show, and a night at the Ritz-Carlton.
The real world: Drop the kids off at your mother’s. Take her to a fancy restaurant and a movie. Then check into the Honeymoon suite at a local hotel for a night of romance.
Do-it-yourself: Put the kids to bed, open a bottle of wine and have a picnic of bread, cheese and fruit in front of the fireplace. Put on a CD of romantic music and dance in the dark.
Bad Idea: Offering her beer and pizza in the camper while the kids watch a video in the house.
A Day at the Spa
What woman wouldn’t enjoy a little pampering?
The Ultimate: Surprise her with reservations for a weekend getaway at a luxury spa. Hide the brochure in a box of Godiva chocolates.
The Real World: Tuck a gift certificate for a day of pampering at her favorite salon, including a pedicure to smooth those rough heels, in a Whitman Sampler.
Do it Yourself: Fill the bathtub with hot water. Add bubbles, scented oil and rose petals. Place candles around the tub and while she soaks and nibbles on truffles, offer a soothing foot massage. Lather, rinse, repeat.
Bad Idea: After the kids are in bed, fill the bathtub with hot water and Sponge Bob bubble bath, hop in and yell, “Honey, I’ve got a present for you.”
Jewelry
Jewelry always works. It’s an ancient way to offer a token of affection and women love big presents in little boxes.
The Ultimate: Pull a distinctive blue Tiffany’s box from your jacket pocket and offer her a doorknob-size rock set in platinum. Start by saying, “I know I don’t deserve you…”
The real world: Drop a diamond bracelet into her champagne glass while saying, “I know I don’t deserve you…”
Do it yourself: Put photos of the two of you in your grandmother’s silver locket and slip it around her neck when she’s dressing for an intimate dinner at your favorite café, while murmuring, “You deserve more than this.”
Bad idea: Giving her anything engraved with someone else’s initials no matter how good a deal you got at the pawnshop. You’ll get what you deserve.