Your suggestions are quite nice...if that is what the lady in question is fond of. I would offer to the guys out there to carefully examine their lady's habits and perspective before they spent a day opening doors. There are many women that would not necessarily appreciate having doors opened all day for them. Remember, many prefer to be off the pedestal and independent! The best gifts are definitely from the heart and you are spot on when you say that you don't have to show off your wallet. Go with doing something specifically for her that shows you put some thought in it for sure. May I also suggest - if you are unsure of her tastes that you enlist the help of friends and relatives. Or, you could do what my husband and I do...love each other every day, regardless of the holiday status.

PLEASE COME TO NY AND TRAIN THE MEN UP HERE PLEASE!!! I NEED TO MOVE TO THE SOUTH AS WELL, ARE YOU SINGLE VT? ;)

You're on the right track but not quite to the station. The best Valentine's Day gift is something that really resonates with your Valentine's unique sensibilities. The only idea you threw out there that would work for me, for example, is showing up at my office with flowers in hand. Bragging rights is a great gift! Ha! Seriously, you are right that showing her she's special is what you need to do (and vice versa) but to do that means really knowing what makes your sweetheart tick. By the way, where in the South do you live? I'm in Richmond VA.

Shela,

My point was to speak "man language"or locker room type of behavior b/c as you might or might not know, we speak differently when surrounded by other men. My article was not intended as a line by line protocol, but to get men thinking "out of the box" and show his significant other that she means more to him than the basic call to the florist, and of course, do something that is a specially adored by his valentine. A little creativity goes a long way in these regards.

Perhaps I'm incorrect, but when a random act of kindness or appreciation is thrown my way, I always take notice and say thank you. Which is why I pointed out that the man's selection of a V-day gift should be easily identified as a change in his normal behaviors. For example, some men don't open doors (I find that horrible), or insist that his wife/gf never changes a tire unless absolutely necessary. Chivalry may be an outdated concept, but as I say, classics never go out of style.

Thank you for your insights.

I'll take it any day and everyday! It's such a pleasant surprise. One day, I actually said to myself, "I'm not opening a f$%*ing door today." If I was walking next to a guy, I'd slow my pace. If a guy didn't open the door, I'd give him a cheeky look and make him feel a little juvenile and uncouth. "Uncouth"--HA! I was going through one of my moods and I discovered that as much guts as it takes to be a strong, independent woman...it takes just as much guts to quietly demand that men treat you like the lady that you are. Personally, I like to open my own doors and I do make it a point to hold the door open for the man or woman behind me (I hate it when people don't do that.) However, it was fun allowing men to feel like men and they appreciated it as well when they saw that I was being playful and just a little flirtatious. Great post VT!!

Thanks Amanda! I love that word -- Uncouth. Some things are just habits, and for me, they just happen to be opening doors. If you like independence, check out my other article on independent women!