Three Easy Steps To A Successful Valentine’s Day

That warm and tender person in your life who hears out your woes and fulfills your needs, deserves a glorious Valentines Celebration. The kind of tender time that is reserved for just the adults and is made up of more than just chocolate and flowers. A Valentine’s Day that is well planned but simple and inviting. This kind of Valentine’s Day requires three elements that must be present in order for comfort, peace and enjoyability to be achieved.

Before you put your elements together, however, be sure to know a few things first. What are your lovers needs and is your partner active or inactive? Needs can be items that your partner wants to replace around the house or it can be more expressive, like replacing a broken ring or gadget. As for having an inactive or active partner, think about whether your lover prefers to lounge around on a day of or let off some energy at a theme park. Beating around the bush won’t help either as you should simply ask whether they want to relax or play on Valentine’s Day.

1. Picking A Great Valentine’s Day Location
The location you pick is very important to a successful Valentines Day. Choosing the right one can be simple if you associate your chosen location with your partner’s personality. Perhaps they are soft and calm and would like a peaceful wine and cheese picnic by the city lake. Picnic-Basket.com has a great selection of wine & cheese sets that are perfect for this choice or perhaps your mate is more of the rough and energetic type that would prefer an activity like a carnival, festival or theme park?

Once you decide on the type of location you want, do a thorough research for something unique within that theme. There are plenty of locations to choose from like spas and resorts for couples, miniature golf, city parks for a great picnic, mountain retreats with picnic thickets, theme parks, beach communities, race tracks, street race performances, opera, college football, plays, professional sports games, concerts, zoos, forests, National Parks and so much more.

When you do decide on an outing with your lover, be sure to be creative with your ride there. Play your partner’s favorite songs and supply them with snacks on the ride. If your partner is showing a desire to spend their Valentines Day indoors, be sure to prepare the areas the two of you will be using. A one-time housekeeper is an excellent way to say "I love you".

2. Choosing The Best Valentine’s Day Activity
Your Valentine’s Day activity will fall right into line when you decide where your location is. If you’ve decided the zoo, park, beach, mountain retreat or a game, a picnic should be in order, so prepare for that. Get a great picnic basket for two and research some picnic recipes. Be sure to choose simple recipes that will stay fresh in a picnic basket. Otherwise, be sure to take a portable cooler with you to dress up your tailgating meal in the parking lot.

If you are taking your partner to a theme park, race track or other outdoor activity, be sure to take a sac or shoulder bag with amenities like sunblock, water, pain reliever, band aids and lip balm with you. Cash is always a good idea at these types of events, as well.

If you plan to pamper your partner at home, be sure it’s clean and inviting. Put as many personal items away as you can and calling a housekeeping service in advance to clean is a great idea and time saver. Place a key under the mat for them if you have to and get it done. You’ll be surprised at how much more relaxing this will make your evening.

Once your home is clean, prepare your partner’s favorites or get some carry out from their favorite restaurant. Buy two or three classic and modern romance or comedy movies that you know your partner will enjoy. Wrap them in red paper and put them out with the food so that they have a selection to choose from. And of course, be creative with giving any other special gifts. Inside pockets, slippers, next to the shower, under pillows, hanging from obvious areas…..be creative!

3. Selecting A Valentine’s Day Gift
Often times people get nervous over the gift choosing because they don’t want to disappoint their lover. Trust your instincts or simply ask. Even if you’re general and comparative in your questions. "Do you want jewelry or a trip somewhere?" "Do you want to be pampered or go see something fun?" "Do you want to sit around or grab some beers somewhere?" When you’ve completely run out of steam on this subject ask your partner’s best friend for advice.

Valentine’s Gifts For Her
Get her a jewelry box and put a gorgeous bracelet inside. If you’re on a budget, get a unique piece from another country online and have it shipped before the big day. If that doesn’t sound right, what about a crystal vase filled with candy and a dozen roses clipped short and placed inside, upright and atop the candy with a large red bow around the neck? She may enjoy a jazz concert or tickets to a show with a girlfriend. Perhaps she enjoys opera or would appreciate movie tickets.

Valentine’s Gifts For Him
Does he participate in any sports? If so pick him up something he can use in his game or a gift card to a sporting good store. If he needs a special place to lounge, get the lazy boy chair or a back massager. Maybe he needs a new tool box or cold weather hat. What about his favorite team? Tickets or even a collection of NFL games on DVD would make him smile. If he’s an electronic guru, get him a fancy cup warmer that plugs into the USB port. Maybe he’d fancy a portable DVD player or a portable grill or some grilling accessories which all make an excellent gift.

Tips for Surprising Her On Valentin’s Day
If she loves the outdoors and you’ve decided on a picnic, tuck her gift inside an exquisite picnic basket from Picnic-Basket.com along with the food and treats. For recipes, whether simple or elaborate, download a copy of Picnic-Basket.com’s Free Picnic Cookbook. With 17 themed sections and over 100 recipes, your sure to find an appropriate dish!

When your Valentine’s Day is restricted to a home environment, or your budget can only cover a nice meal and an invitation to your place, a fancy bath can be the ticket. Fill the tub with plenty of steaming hot water and some fragrant bath oils. Take apart one red rose and gently drop the petals into the water. Dim the lights if you can, or turn them off and light some white candles. Place a small boombox and a couple of his/her favorite CDs nearby. Maybe add their favorite wine and chocolates and a brand new fuzzy, white towel and robe. Mi Amore.

Women are nurturers and sensitive creatures. They often have a fond feeling for art and hand made items because of the time and thought that goes into the gift. So men, get out the markers and the blank cards from the craft store. Tell her how you feel, even if it’s short and informative. "You mean a lot to me. I love your skin and your smile. You make me proud to live my life. I love you." The thoughts don’t have to be complicated. Just hand written and from the heart.

Tips for Surprising Him On Valentine’s Day
Men like simplicity when they are relaxing, active or not and they never want clothing on Valentine’s Day. Stick to what they love. If he’s a tool collector, get him a new one. If you would prefer not to get lost in the sea of warehouse-like store racks, get the gift card and give it to him in a creative way.

If your man is creative or likes video games and electronics, check out the Nintendo DS, the PSP or another game system he may be interested in. Search through the racks at Best Buy and make him really happy this Valentines Day. Choose a game that you would enjoy playing with him, like Tetris, Scrabble, Brain Age or other puzzle games that have been reviewed as "female favorites".

Creativity On Valentine’s Day Earns Extra Points
If you’re giving your lover a gift card, get creative with it! Wrap it several times and hang it somewhere they would see it that morning. Hang it from the ceiling in the shower. Put it on the dash in their car. Slip it in her purse or his wallet, where they are destined to see it at some point in the day. Put it in a gift basket or in a wine carafe, whatever you think will get a smile.

Take a little extra time this year to do some pre-planning so you and your loved one can enjoy the perfect Valentine’s Day celebration!