Valentine's Day Help

[Papa Steve 55]

OK, so we all know its really a woman's day. It puts a lot of pressure on some of us that are gift giving challenged. I thought we could share some ideas here to help each other out. What were some of your wins? Its the thought that counts, mostly, so that 5 carat ring may be out of reach for a lot of us.

My biggest win was taking a stanza from poem she lived, "Grow old along with me.......", brought it to a calligrapher to write it out and had it framed. just under $200 25 years ago.

[boogielicious]

15 minutes ago, Papa Steve 55 said:

OK, so we all know its really a woman's day. It puts a lot of pressure on some of us that are gift giving challenged. I thought we could share some ideas here to help each other out. What were some of your wins? Its the thought that counts, mostly, so that 5 carat ring may be out of reach for a lot of us.

My biggest win was taking a stanza from poem she lived, "Grow old along with me.......", brought it to a calligrapher to write it out and had it framed. just under $200 25 years ago.

I has a sign made for our deck at our cottage that said, "Pop's Porch" for my late father-in-law. The sign maker painted a picture of him in the center. It adorns the deck whenever we are there. 

[David in FL]

Anything more than a card is setting the bar too high.  Set the precedent early in the relationship and you'll be glad for all the years to come.  

Honestly though, in my experience, a little unexpected something a couple of times a year, goes a lot farther than a lifetime of Valentines flowers and chocolates ever will....

 

 

[iacas]

I'm taking my wife (and daughter) to the Penguins game on Tuesday.

[dennyjones]

Our anniversary is just a couple weeks before Valentine's Day.   We don't celebrate the Hallmark holiday but try to be valentines throughout the year.  It must work, we just celebrated our 37th in St. John's USVI.

[CarlSpackler]

I'll bee in NC all week, so we went to the movies last night. 50 Shades of Mommy Porn. Sigh. 

[DaveP043]

We're not big gift-givers, both of us buy most of what we want, whenever it makes sense, so no V-Day gifts in our house.  My wife and i share the cooking, normally, but i'll do something more special than normal.  Some years it has been grilled lamb chops, a nice fish dish, lots of options.  I think this year it'll be duck breast with a port reduction, roasted asparagus, and maybe a potato gallette.  She appreciates the effort that goes into producing a nice meal without help.  Of course I clean up too.  We've also learned to celebrate occasions when its convenient for us, not necessarily on the "day", so I may be doing this one on Saturday, but it'll still be a Valentine's Day meal.

[jkelley9]

We also never do anything big for Valentine's day. However I'm proud of myself this year. My wife hinted that she wanted an Edible Arrangements delivered to her school (she's a teacher). After calling there 3 times and being put on eternal hold I gave up and instead went and bought a pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries, and some chocolate sauce. After class yesterday (10pm...) I washed them and cut them up and paired them (in a separate container) with her favorite sushi. Also bought a balloon and a nice card. 

Today I delivered them to her school (35 mins away...) during my lunch break and left it at the front desk in sort of a little cute display and then left as they were paging her lol. So it was a surprise.

I've never done anything like that before, honestly. So I figured it would be special to do it this one time.

[bmartin461]

On 2/12/2017 at 3:58 PM, CarlSpackler said:

I'll bee in NC all week, so we went to the movies last night. 50 Shades of Mommy Porn. Sigh. 

So, you don't think this one will win an Oscar for screenwriting?  LOL

[dennyjones]

24 minutes ago, jkelley9 said:

We also never do anything big for Valentine's day. However I'm proud of myself this year. My wife hinted that she wanted an Edible Arrangements delivered to her school (she's a teacher). After calling there 3 times and being put on eternal hold I gave up and instead went and bought a pineapple, strawberries, and blueberries, and some chocolate sauce. After class yesterday (10pm...) I washed them and cut them up and paired them (in a separate container) with her favorite sushi. Also bought a balloon and a nice card. 

Today I delivered them to her school (35 mins away...) during my lunch break and left it at the front desk in sort of a little cute display and then left as they were paging her lol. So it was a surprise.

I've never done anything like that before, honestly. So I figured it would be special to do it this one time.

You, my good sir, hit a home run...

[bmartin461]

10 minutes ago, dennyjones said:

You, my good sir, hit a home run...

Ok, I'll step up to the plate.

19 years ago, for our 1 year anniversary I bought my wife a small diamond pendant on a very delicate gold chain.  She loved that necklace and wore it almost everyday since then.  Over the years it had issues, the clasp failed and I had it repaired, she almost lost it a few times.   Well, last month she did lose it for good, hard to say where but she was pretty upset about it.  

I worked with a local jeweler to have it recreated, I picked out the stone, the setting and the chain to get it as close to the original as possible.  I had it put inside a wrapped box of her favorite chocolates (See's Candies) for her to find when she opens them up.

 

[kpaulhus]

We dont celebrate Valentines. We're cooking dinner at home and watching a movie. 

[CarlSpackler]

1 hour ago, bmartin461 said:

So, you don't think this one will win an Oscar for screenwriting?  LOL

I'm not sure what to think. I'm not much into romance stories.

[Gator Hazard]

On 2/12/2017 at 6:58 PM, CarlSpackler said:

I'll bee in NC all week, so we went to the movies last night. 50 Shades of Mommy Porn. Sigh. 

I am so, so sorry to hear that. You're a good husband. I was tortured into watching the first one. Fortunately my wife thought it was pretty bad. 

[Golfingdad]

On 2/12/2017 at 2:18 PM, David in FL said:

Anything more than a card is setting the bar too high.  Set the precedent early in the relationship and you'll be glad for all the years to come.  

Honestly though, in my experience, a little unexpected something a couple of times a year, goes a lot farther than a lifetime of Valentines flowers and chocolates ever will....

Great answer.

---

My special gift to the wife this year was ... to get the flu this week and stick her with the majority of the parenting duties.  How's that for chivalry?

[CarlSpackler]

1 hour ago, Gator Hazard said:

I am so, so sorry to hear that. You're a good husband. I was tortured into watching the first one. Fortunately my wife thought it was pretty bad. 

Mine has read the books at least 3 times each. 

[Ernest Jones]

On 2017-02-12 at 5:18 PM, David in FL said:

Anything more than a card is setting the bar too high.  Set the precedent early in the relationship and you'll be glad for all the years to come.  

Honestly though, in my experience, a little unexpected something a couple of times a year, goes a lot farther than a lifetime of Valentines flowers and chocolates ever will....

 

 

This. 

 

I buy my wife flowers half a dozen times a year or so. Always totally random so she's always surprised. 

5 minutes ago, CarlSpackler said:

Mine has read the books at least 3 times each. 

I tried to read one because I'm a perv. The writing was horrible. Just no gift for the craft whatsoever. 

[iacas]

I took my wife to the Pens game.

With our kid.