Ok dopers,
Valentine’s day, that horror-fest, is lurking around the corner. I’m fortunate enough to have a girlfriend (for the past four years, no less) to celebrate it with. Trouble is, how?
Here’s the situation:She goes to college in the ass-middle of Illinois. I’m a transplanted Chicagoan, now in school in Pittsburgh. Her sorority has a formal dance Feb 10th, for which my presence has been requested. Fine.
But, it is our current habit to celebrate Valentine’s on the weekend of her dance, and to find something NEW to do/give each year.
So far, we’ve: 1)driven all the way back up to Chicago to watch Tony and Tina’s wedding. 2)Hot tub hotel room. 3)“Playwear gift” - enough said, methinks. 4)That’s where you guys come in.
I’m out of ideas - completely clean. My head, when tapped, makes a hollow “Thump.” Flowers have been done to DEATH (I think, anyway). Girlfriend isn’t big on candy, so the other half of the classic is dead, too.
Sooo, if any of you folks have any killer Valentine’s Day gifts/ideas, I would love you forever.
Well, for a little while, anyway.
ideas
a) Make a bouquet of roses out of bits of cardboard with a hot-glue gun.
b) make her a pinata by filling a globe-map with candy or something-- little rubber animals or something.
c) go wine tasting-- I’m sure there are some wineries in BFE, ILL.
Here’s what I would like…
a basket filled with scented oils for massages, candles(make sure ya have matches for the candles and turn off the lights!) and bubble solution for a bath. Arrange a place to take said bubble bath together, preferable with a fireplace somewhere near by (hey it’s cold right now!)
I would melt for this kind of treatment…plus it’s so “in touch with your feminine side” she’ll ask ya where ya got the idea! (tell her ya read it in a book , and thought of her. If ya need help finding “the” book, look for ‘Forbidden Flowers, Womens’ sexual fantasies’, I think the author was Collins but it’s been awhile so I may be mistaken.)
I’m one for writing love poetry or writing a song. If you can do it well enough, it will be appreciated.
The author is Nancy Friday. Forbidden Flowers is actually the second of three books on women’s sexual fantasies by Friday. The first one is My Secret Garden and the third one is Women on Top. There was also one on men’s sexual fantasies called Men in Love.
Than you Mauvaise. For some reason I kept thinking it was Nancy Collins, but couldn’t fathom Sonja Blue’s sexual fantasies in any of those books. I stand humbly correctly.
If you’re stumped for the romantic, light-hearted, whimsical type things, I highly recommend 1001 Ways to be Romantic by Gregory Godek and the sequel. His website (see link) has a few spring board ideas too.
My two-cents worth, the art of the good, old-fashioned love letter filled with lyrical laments of loneliness (perfect for the long distance couple) are sadly missed these days. The trick with romantic gifts (or any gifts) is not just the what but the how. Go all out–pre-write it to get it perfect, write it slowly in ink on fine parchment, roll it and seal it with wax or a big ribbon with a rose tucked, etc.
I’d share some of my personal favorites (both given and received) but its some wonderful to keep those things personal and just between us.
Thought, time and care dedicated to the gift or event do count! ~ IMHO, Peta
How about a really cute stuffed animal? (puppy, dinosaur…I’ve even seen a stuffed ferret and sloth!) with a pair of earrings stuck onto it? Or a necklace? I’d think it was cute…especially if the animal was an unusual one.
Yes, I can see it now…A purple dinosaur pinata, stuffed with mini bottles of massage oil and bubble bath. An epic romantic poem, in which Plavacek bravely rescues damsel in distress from clutches of said dinosaur pinata, by bashing it repeatedly with a heavy blunt object. Bathing. Massages. Wine. Other appropriate Valentine’s activities.
Seriously though, I do appreciate the suggestions. Right now I’m thinking of a possible combination of Tequila Mockingbird and andygirl’s suggestions…I can’t sing, but poetry is doable. Sorry Gravity, we’ve done stuffed animals to absolute and utter death (should have been in my OP), and capybara, my skill with a glue gun recently sent one of my friends to the hospital with 2nd degree burns (unfortunately not a joke).
I also appreciate the book/list suggestions, will have to look into it.
Plavacek, whatever you do should involve flowers. Women do not receive flowers enough, and let’s face it, by mid-February, flowers are the most refreshing thing in the world. I am not an advocate of red roses, though…too overdone. Something old-fashioned would be cool; what about big, bright peonies?
And I personally love lockets. That might make me a cheese-ball, but oh well.
Buy her something expensive.
Women really like expensive stuff.
I totally agree. I think a nice gold locket with BOTH of your childhood pictures is a good idea. You will probably have to contact her parents or siblings for the pic but I guarantee she will find that positively endearing.
When you give it to her you can say, “perhaps some day we can replace these with pictures of OUR kids”
You’re my new best friend, Plavacek. Beucase of this thread, I just got a great idea, which I will use on the girlfriend the next time I need ideas for a romantic date (I already have hot tub plans for Valentine’s this year…)
Blindfold Date:
Procure nice scarf, or some other appropriate blindfold material. Take your date somewhere warm and private. Put on good background music. Blindfold her with the aforementioned scarf. Give her a long massage. Have yummy things for her to smell and/or taste. Really good chocolate, champagne, strawberries (which can be dipped in the champagne), scented candles, oils, etc. Be creative. Intersperse this with delightful tactile sensations: fingertips, soft fur, big feather, etc. You can make things more sensual and seductive at this point.
I know this isn’t original, but it’s still a great way to make her feel special.
capybara (good username btw), you’ve so obviously never been to central Illinois. This statement actually made me laugh. (I live in Champaign, IL.) You can go feed corn tasting, if you’re quiet and don’t get caught.
Don’t feel bad – I wish I wasn’t so well-versed in what you can’t do in central Illinois…
I also need romantic suggestions…
However, being young as I am, and only recently come by a girlfriend, the whole bathing together thing is not yet an option.
I like the blindfold massage idea, I have been told that I have magic hands, but where to do it? Privacy is an issue…
Poetry is decent, I have words in me.
The other day, her birthday, I brought her over, and had candles, fine china, wine glasses, the whole works. It was like fine dining at my place. Kicked my dad out, into the other room, and made her fettuccine alfredo with garlic chicken, and tomato salad.
If you can cook, do this, it is a great choice.
Dear sweet crap, BigRoryG, you made something involving GARLIC on a romantic date? Either you know something I don’t, or you are one lucky man. My girlfriend won’t so much as come near me after a heavily seasoned dinner, barring gum/mint intervention.
Yes, Giraffe is correct, capybara, though the “city” is a bit different (Bloomington-Normal instead of Champaign), there simply are no wineries.
Lockets, eh? Hmm. That’s one I never, ever would have come up with. And if you find me someone who can pull off that line with a straight face, Mermaid, I’ll send you a cookie.
Keep the suggestions coming!
I myself have always been a flower person. Depending on how the relationship with the person is, you can do a lot with flowers. My personal favorite is rose petals stren in a path to the bedroom. Then a scatter of them on the bed and candle light everywhere. He can then have dinner with me in the candle light. We can sip champagne in the dim light. Then go explore in the rose petals in bed.
If you want to be less creative you can be the type to leave single single roses in different places throughout the day. One in the bed when she wakes up. One in the bathroom in the shower. One on the breakfast of her choice. One in the car. etc. Then at the end of the night read her some either published poetry or something you wrote.
I like diamonds too. 
For sheer fancy, nothing beats a bouquet, of balloons. None of those powerline-shorting mylar bastichs, just your good old regular style balloons in a big cluster.
Some balloonerators even have a “hot air” style of netted balloon and basket into which you may put all sorts of goodies.
A tiny bottle (~¼ oz. ?) of Chanel #17 or #19. Do not get Chanel #5. Your girlfriend does not want to smell like your mom or grandmother. (Besides, #'s 17 & 19 are so much more complex.)
Also, something to make her feel really special is an orchid wrist corsage, whether she is in jeans or a dress a wrist corsage fits right in. Unless you’re going to a truck pull, I guess.
Also, candles, lots and lots of candles. (Just remember to put them out.)