A Single Guy’s Valentine Dos and Don’ts

As you plan your Valentine's Day, keep these Dos and Don'ts in mind:

Don't Pressure Your Significant Other
We get enough pressure about your birthdays, so don't make us feel like we have to do something for Valentine's Day. Let it happen...he'll do something if it's supposed to happen.

Do Remember It's Valentine's Day
Believe it or not, some people (well, guys) completely forget about Valentine's Day until Feb 13 th at 11PM. This puts them in quite a pickle if they have a special someone that expects a nice Valentine's Day.

Don't Go Too Gung-Ho Too Fast
If you've just started dating, you might not have to do anything for Valentine's Day. Do you plan to exchange gifts, spend a lot of time and money on each other? The easiest way to figure this out is to talk about it, but sometimes you just have to feel it out. I'm not sure which is more awkward: receiving a gift when you didn't buy one for your significant other, or giving a gift when they didn't get you one. The second is definitely more embarrassing, so I'd urge you not to buy a gift if you're not sure - at least you can save face that way.

Do Make Gifts
I don't mean those gifts I used to make for my mom when I had no money. "Hey mom, I made you this picture." I'm sure she was thrilled about that. But there are plenty of creative ways to make things for your significant other, and it shows time and thought.

Don't Go Psycho with Your Gifts
There are a lot of clich gifts that are also quite creepy. The one that comes to mind is "filling someone's room with rose pedals." First of all, the end result is creepy. But it's even creepier that, in order to spread the roses in someone's room, one must sneak in without her knowing. Just avoid these over-the-top psycho moves.

Do Stay Original with Your Ideas
Aligning with the not going psycho, keep your gift ideas and date ideas original and fresh. There's no rule that states you have to go out to dinner and give a dozen red roses for Valentine's Day. Sometimes it's more special to someone if you try something new.

Don't Let It Get You Down
If you're single, don't let Valentine's Day make you lonely. Find your other single friends and hang out. But try not to form one of those bitter girl's groups because single guys like me and my buddies go out prowling for these groups in hopes of easy pickins.

Do Tell Them How You Feel
Valentine's Day is a vehicle for all you people who don't do so well with sharing your feelings. We all have to do it once in a while, and even if it's one day a year, at least it's something.

What are your Valentine's Dos and Don'ts and what do you think of mine? Do you have gift preferences, or date preferences for Valentine's Day? Do you celebrate it?

Posted by Rich

Reprinted with Permission of Hearst Communications, Inc.