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By JANET K. KEELER
Published February 9, 2005
Illustration by Steve Madden/tbt*
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Face it, fellas, your stock will rise or fall depending on how you handle Valentine's Day. Protest all you want about how stupid the whole thing is, how it's a manufactured holiday, how it's too commercial. Just know that the woman in your life has probably already bought a card, maybe even tickets (plane, concert, sporting event). Often the problem is a lack of ideas. Think food. If you're planning to take her to dinner, make reservations. Now. Better yet, plan a romantic evening at home. For the baking-challenged, we offer these alternatives.
Takeout temptation: Pick up Chinese takeout on the way home from work. Ask for an empty container and fill it with chocolates, Hershey's Kisses or mini-Dove bars will do. DO NOT dump the takeout boxes on the kitchen counter. Set the table, light a few candles and serve her. Do the dishes.
Sunset serenade: Arrange for a babysitter. Take her to the beach for sunset (6:21 p.m. Monday 2/14) and bring something to sit on plus drinks and sweets, such as cupcakes or minitarts or eclairs. (Check out the grocery store bakery.) Heck, stop at Subway on the way. You're ahead just by getting the babysitter.
Caffeine rush: Wake up before her and get trendy coffee from Starbucks or another cafe. Give her a gift card for Borders or Barnes & Noble bookstores and have a date at one of them on Valentine's Day night. Let her browse to her heart's content. Drink more fancy coffee. Don't complain.
Lunch date: Take her to lunch. Call the boss this week and ask if she can have an extra 30 minutes. Bring flowers and put them on the table. If you can't take her to lunch, arrange for it to be delivered to her office. Send her an e-mail or call and tell her you wish you were with her and can't wait to see her again.
Bubble-licious: Draw a bubble bath for her and float a message in a bottle. (That would be a love note rolled up in an airtight container.) Light candles and bring her wine. Afterward, wrap her up in a long, plush new robe. (No thongs or bustiers. Those are for you.)
Be mine: Buy a dozen boxes of conversation hearts and hide them in various places: her purse, makeup bag, the car, on top of the stroller, in the refrigerator, even at her desk at work if you can get to it. You can do the same with children's Valentine's Day cards.
Hold the sugar, sugar: Don't sabotage the diet that she's worked so hard on. If she's cutting down on fat, give her wonderful fruit. If she's watching carbs, buy interesting cheese. Look for sugar-free candy. Honor her exercise commitment and accompany her on a long walk. Hold hands.
Dinner and a movie: It's a cliche date that you can make new by cooking the meal and renting a DVD. Think chick flick (Chocolat, Notting Hill ) over swords and sandals (Troy, Alexander ). Again, do not complain. Dinner can be as simple as a rotisserie chicken from the supermarket, a side dish (rice or veggie) and salad. Don't forget dessert.
Chocoholics: Researchers say chocolate contains the same mood-lifting agents that our brains release when we experience happiness, passion and lust. That's why she's got to have it. Buy her a lot, Godiva, Ghirardelli, Scharffen Berger, Hershey, Whitman, whatever. Stash it around the house with Post-It love notes.
[Last modified February 9, 2005, 09:28:56]
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