Like it or dread it, Valentine’s Day is that one day each year devoted to impressing your sweetie. Whether you’re looking to show your partner how much you care, earn some bonus points, or just get out of the dog house, you’ll want to make the most of this day. We know life is busy, so if you’re pressed for time or just stumped as to what to do, consider these 10 easy ways to impress your girl on Valentine’s Day:
1. Send Her Flowers at Work
According to a CNN.com article, around 2 billion dollars is spent on flowers in the U.S. on Valentine’s Day. While flowers on Valentine’s Day are pretty much a given, you can maximize the impact of this gesture by sending them at a time when lots of people will see her receive them. Having flowers delivered mid-morning at your girl’s workplace allows her to bask in the envy of her co-workers in addition to knowing you cared enough to make the effort. Include a nice, gushy card, too.
2. Breakfast in Bed
This move can really make an impact, especially if you’ve never done it before. Pick up all her favorite breakfast foods the night before, and get up an hour ahead of time to prepare everything perfectly. When her alarm goes off (or just before), bring a beautifully arranged tray into the bedroom, complete with a hot cup of coffee, cloth napkin and a vase with a rose.
3. Recreate Your First Date
Relationships always start out uber-romantic. You can reconnect with that vibe by recreating your first epic date this Valentine’s Day. Wear what you wore back then, or class it up with a yd. suit. That special restaurant, the park where you first held hands, a horse and carriage ride — whatever sparked romance between the two of you can help ignite the passion this Valentine’s Day.
4. Rose Petals
Roses scream romance, but you can break from the cliché of the bouquet by instead showering your love nest with rose petals. A path of them leading to the bed always sends a romantic message; you can also scatter them around a bath you’ve drawn for her, around the fireplace, or leading to the kitchen where you have a plate of chocolate-dipped strawberries waiting.
5. Treat Her to a Romantic Massage
Talk about easy and affordable — giving your girl an hour-long massage can be an indulgence she isn’t expecting — and it can lead to all sorts of other romantic scenarios for both of you.
6. A Custom Photo Book
Find all your favorite photos and have them printed on glossy photo stock. (Wal Mart and Walgreen’s offer services where you send the images electronically and pick them up from the store.) Buy an ornate Valentine’s Day-themed photo book and fill it with the printed photos.
7. Make a Custom Calendar
Use the best 12 photos from above and have a custom calendar printed with a romantic photo of the two of you for every month of the year.
8. Clean the House
If you’ve been together for a while, and if you’ve never done it before, this gesture could be the catalyst to a night of passion you won’t soon forget.
9. Write Her a Poem or Love Letter
Even if you’re not lyrically inclined, words that come from the heart are always a winner on Valentine’s Day.
10. Make Her Dinner
Making your sweetie dinner is incredibly romantic, and it doesn’t have to be pork en croute or pheasant under glass. Make a dish you feel confident in making, and do your best. Your girl is likely to be blown away by the gesture no matter how it turns out.
