Thankfully, my wife and I have never really celebrated the greeting card created Valentine’s Day. We started dating in March and always opted to celebrate that instead of some made up holiday with over priced chocolate and roses.

Now I know we are not the norm on this, so many of you do have to celebrate it and if you don’t do it right your going to end up with an upset significant other and certainly are not going to get any quality loving that night. But, you’ve probably already done the heart shaped anything and a funny card so I want to give you some ideas on how to break out beyond that to do something special.

I’m a die hard romantic and when you’ve been with a woman as long as I’ve been with my wife you learn to get creative. Hope that at least one of these helps you break out and have a great Valentines Day.

Send Flowers to Her Work

Everyone will be getting red roses so opt for something different. Whenever possible do a quick search to find a local florist rather than using one of the big chains as you’ll always get better customer service. You want to send them to work to get extra points from everyone she works with who will give you brownie points.

Make Dinner

Anyone can get a reservation at a fancy restaurant, but it takes real heart to make her dinner. If you have kids, ship them out for the night (makes dessert easier), or get them involved in the whole process. Don’t be scared of cooking. Heck, try one of our recipes or do a quick search online for easy recipes. Pasta can’t really be done wrong if you get stuck. Just don’t over due it or that dessert we hinted at might not happen.

Pajamas & a Movie

Don’t know what her favorite movie is? Find out and then buy her a copy of it and some comfy pajamas and have a date night on the couch. Keep in mind that when I say PJs, I’m talking about the fuzzy comfy kind, not the lacy sexy kind. Keeping her in mind when buying is always the key to success.

iPod Filled With Her Favorite Music

Sort of the modern day mixed tape, but cooler. Take it even further by making it a Product (Red) Nano and get it engraved for her. I did this one year for my wife and she loved it. If you are not sure of her favorite music (again, this is something you should know) give her an iTunes gift card with it so that she can fill it up. For extra credit, allow her to play DJ on the next road trip with her new iPod.

Vermont Teddy Bear

I’m a big fan of this company because I’ve watched them grow and survive after all this time. Trust me that these little guys are damn cute and come in so many varieties that your bound to find one that is a perfect fit for your wife. I took a quick look and they don’t seem to make the Jester one I bought my wife years ago when I was in college, but it was a perfect fit for us. Check their site for options and specials.

A Day at the Spa

Trust me when I say this is a gift that you can always give and she will always appreciate it. Ask other women you know about a good spa in the area and then work with them to put together something special. If you’ve never done it, a couples massage is always a great idea. I can already hear some of you thinking massages are stupid or not manly. Shut up and do it. Trust me, they feel awesome. If she has never been consider getting a package so her and a friend can go and make a day of it.

These are just a few options, but I hope at least one of them catches your interest and makes Monday a great day for you and your special lady.

What other ideas do you have for unique and special gifts? Leave them in the comments so that this post can become even better for guys lost on what to get.

•