The Perfect Valentines Gift - Part 1

Valentines Day is a wonderful time of year. Love is in the air, spring is around the corner, and many are well on there way to fulfilling their New Years resolutions. The one constant with Valentines Day though is the gift. For some finding that something special for your significant other is simple, for others this can be quite a daunting task. The one question I hear over and over again is, does the perfect Valentines Day gift really exist? Of course it does, the only hard part is finding it. Fear not though, we are here for you in your time of need.

I am sure many of you are familiar with the phrase analysis paralysis. You get so caught up in trying to make the perfect decision that you don't make any decision and are far worse off than if you had simply made a bad decision. With Valentines Day especially the longer you wait to make a decision on your gift of choice for the significant other the worse off you are going to be. Sure everyone thinks, "Hey it's still the first part of January I still have plenty of time to make decision.". Little do you know you couldn't be more incorrect. Restaurants only have so many seats, florists only have so many roses, and Hallmark only carries so many copies of that perfect card.

While some gifts are appropriate for both sexes there are usually two categories gift buying falls into. Men and women. I really don't know who has a harder time here. Guys say they never care what you get them secretly hoping you get them that one gift they have had their eye on all year. Women say all they want is to spend time with their guy, when in actuality they want some flowers, chocolate, and that diamond ring they saw with their girlfriends at the mall. What does this all really mean?

Let's take a look at some great gift ideas for women.

Flowers - Flowers are mandatory for Valentines Day. The are, or should be, part of every mans repertoire. But what type of flower should you go with? The traditional red rose, tipped roses, or a custom bouquet? I personally recommend going with a custom bouquet. It lets your lady know you put some heart and soul into the decision.

Chocolates - Every lady loves chocolates, unless she is allergic to them of course. Now when I say they love chocolate of course they enjoy the peanut butter cups and Hershey kisses, but for a special occasion like Valentines Day go with something a bit more unique. There are chocolate covered fruits such as strawberries and bananas, chocolate covered truffles, and many cities have craft chocolate companies such as Sees in San Francisco.

Jewelry - This is kind of a no brainer, women love jewelry. Jewelry however can be a slippery slope. Everyone wants to go with diamonds and hearts, but you have to decide if those are really practical. Will she wear heart earrings year round? I think not. Heart pendants are nice, but make sure the settings are of lower quality gold as they are actually stronger and lower the likely hood of losing a diamond. Rings are great, but get creative. There are pink diamonds, rubys, sapphires, and many other stones that make for great looking rings. Also don't feel locked in to only gold. Alternative metals such as titanium, cobalt chrome, and tungsten carbide can create some amazing pieces as well. Many people look at these metals as men's rings however many women love the look and durability of these rings as well.

Food - Everyone loves a great meal. Now the difficult part is choosing where to go. Some women prefer beer and burgers to wine and pasta. This requires you to know your date/girlfriend/wife. If you aren't sure err on the side of fancy and make sure to get the reservations in early and let your date know what to wear. You don't want her to show up in jeans and a tank top when you are planning on eating at a fine dining establishment. (Pro tip: If you really want to wow your lady don't tell her anything about what you are going to be doing on Valentines day other than you will be picking her up at 1pm sharp. Send a limo to pick her up and have the flowers and chocolates waiting on the backseat with a card for her. Have the limo driver take her to a very nice local clothing boutique. Get her a fresh dress and pair of shoes to go with hit. Then hit up her local salon to have her hair and nails done. Follow that up with a nice trip (in the limo) to the nearest city where you have reservations at a Zagat rated restaurant for a 5 course meal. Following the meal present her with the jewelry and I'll leave the rest up to your imagination.

Stay tuned to part 2 for