Ever wonder about what gifts to give on Valentine’s Day or what things to do? Ever wish you just had a nice list of recommendations? Ever wish you didn’t have to go to 10 different Top 10 Lists just to compile the information your sad un-romantic self needs on this day of the year? Well, your wishes have come true. Without further ado, we now present the Top 10 List of Top 10 Lists for Valentine’s Day…
Top 10 List of Top 10 Lists
- Top 10 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Women
- Top 10 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men
- Top 10 Things to Avoid on Valentine’s Day
- Top 10 Things to do on Valentine’s Day
- Top 10 Things to do when you’re single on Valentine’s Day
- Top 10 (Last Minute) Romantic things to do on Valentine’s Day
- Top 10 Valentine’s Day Recipes
- Top 10 Valentine’s Day Wines
- Top 10 Valentine’s Day Movies
- Top 10 Valentine’s Day Love Songs
Top 10 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Women
1 – Red Roses
If you want to say on Valentine’s Day, “I love you,” nothing expresses that sentiment better than beautiful red roses. To be certain your message comes across clearly, include a love letter that says how much she means to you.
2 – Box of Chocolates
Who wouldn’t appreciate a heart-shaped or golden box filled with sweets? To show how much you care, know her preference for chocolate — dark, milk, or white — and whether she likes filled or solid pieces best. Pick out a selection designed to melt her heart.
3 – Romantic Heart Pendant
Heart-shaped pendants say “I love you” and are worn close to her heart. Choose from a variety of metals and a range of prices.
4 – A Classic Perfume
If you don’t know what her signature fragrance is, you can’t go wrong with one of these.
5 – Apple iPod Video 5th Generation 80GB
If she loves the latest and the greatest tech gifts, now it’s the top-of-the-line iPod in a sleek black case with a 80GB hard drive and the capacity to store huge quantities of video, photos, podcasts, and music. With an optional S-video cable, it’s possible to connect iPod Video to a projector or TV so you can both enjoy images in a large format. Fully charged, this model boasts up to 20 hours of battery life. Too pricey? Consider an iPod nano or an even cheaper Shuffle.
6 – Apple iTunes Gift Certificate
Give her something to play on her iPod, and let her choose her favorite songs that remind her of you. iTunes gift certificates are available from $10-$200.
7 – Gemstone Earrings
Small and sparkly, earrings with stones can dazzle. If your budget can’t afford diamond earrings, select a pair with pearls or semi-precious stones to dress up her ears. Before you buy, know whether her ears are pierced or not and choose the appropriate back.
8 – Diamond Heart Jewelry
If you want to melt a heart, there’s nothing like bestowing a jeweled one that is mounted with a diamond… or two… or more. Diamond jewelry sparkles in the light, reminding the wearer of the person who gave it to her each time it scintillates.
9 – A Ring That Symbolizes a Promise
Bestow a promise ring on your love this Valentine’s Day, and it says you’re ready to take the next (small) step in your relationship.
10 – Kama Sutra Treasures of the Sea Kit
Turn the bath into a romantic getaway for two. This 20-ounce tin contains skin-softening sea salts, sea weeds and organic moisturizers; a sea shell scoop; and a natural sponge loofa. This is one of several sexy and affordable gifts from the Kama Sutra line.
Top 10 Valentine’s Day Gifts for Men
1 – Tickets to Sporting Event or Concert
This could be the perfect gift for your man if he is into sports or music. Great tickets to a football game or basketball game for his favorite team or favorite musical group would be perfect, especially if he does not go out a lot. Try to buy tickets with some of the best seats in the house to really show you how much you care and love him. Be sure he has enough time to plan his schedule in advance, so buy the tickets for a few weeks out.
2 – GPS Device
Anyone who skis, hikes, camps, hunts, or travels is guaranteed to get lost. What better way to say, “honey, I hope you find your way home” then a GPS Device.
3 – Electronic Gadgets
Do you have an electronics savvy man? Try finding some good electronic gadgets he would love. A set of nice noise canceling headphones is perfect, especially if he is traveling a lot. A handheld video game player or MP3 player would be great for your entertainment guru. Another idea is to buy him a nice digital camera or camcorder so he can record all your great moments together.
4 – Watch
A watch is great gift because he can take a piece of you everywhere he goes. When buying the perfect watch, make sure it fits his style. Some great brands for men’s watches include Seiko, Fossil, Citizen, and for the heavy spenders Rolex. Most of these watches can be found at your local jeweler.
5 – Personalized Pen Set
If you have a husband or boyfriend who spends a lot of time in the office, a personalized pen set is perfect. Not only is it great for writing with, but a really nice set with a clock would make the perfect office decoration. Buy a pen set engraved with his name, a phrase, or a nickname and he is sure to love this gift.
6 – Wallet
Men these days enjoy high quality leather, so why not pick up a nice leather wallet? These wallets not only are stylish, but are handy for keeping your man’s money and credit cards in order. You can find high quality leather wallets at any leather store, such as Wilson’s.
7 – Video Games
What man these days is not an avid video game player? This can be the perfect gift for the big kid in your life. Find the types of games he really enjoys and he will be in love. Best of all, you can find video games at almost any store that carries electronics.
8 – CDs and DVDs
If your man is always on the edge of the next big CD or DVD, this is a perfect gift. Try to buy him his favorite genre and listen to him when he is talking about which movie or CD he really wants but has not picked up. If he has a favorite T.V. show, go out and buy him a series set.
9 – Cologne
You love to be with your man, why not be with him and have him smell great. Look through his toiletries and find out his favorite scent. When you find it head out and pick up a bottle or two. Sometimes they sell them in sets with aftershave balm. If your man loves to smell good he will love this gift.
10 – Gift Certificates
When you absolutely cannot find that perfect gift for the man in your life, a gift certificate is perfect. Let him do his shopping and find the perfect gift. Buying a gift certificate to his favorite store can go along way in showing how much you love him.
Top 10 Things to Avoid on Valentine’s Day
1 – Pretend to (or really!) Forget About It
Your partner may not want a gigantic production, but still, it’s nice to know you’re thought of when the whole world about you is talking about hearts and flowers. Don’t make your partner worry if they’re going to be left out. This falls into the same category as ‘deliberately making your partner jealous’. Both cause pain to your partner, and for what – for the relative pleasure when they discover they were wrong to have felt pain that whole time? Being partners shouldn’t involve deliberately causing pain and insecurity in each other!
2 – The Ring Box
Unless you are really proposing, NEVER offer a ring box to your partner on Valentine’s Day. The image of Valentine’s Day = Proposal is pretty much hammered into every person from birth. When someone sees that ring, a huge number of expectations and concerns leap into mind. Those aren’t the sorts of stirring-ups you want happening on a romantic day.
3 – Avoid Other Engagements
Sometimes it’s really unavoidable, but try to clear your schedule out of other things on that day. Even if you just plan to work on an extra project for “five minutes”, things can easily get out of hand and cause you to be late for dinner or lose track of time completely. This day is about you and your partner – make sure you remove the risk of other things interfering.
4 – Avoid the Marketing Messages
Remember, Valentine’s Day existed long before Hallmark or CVS. It is about love and romance, not about a certain card or a certain box of chocolates. Above all else, focus on your love and caring for the partner in your life. Let your thoughts be guided by that love, and about what feels right for you two. Nobody else can tell you two how you should best celebrate your love for each other. In the same way, don’t compare what you did with what others did. It’s not about who got the biggest flower bouquet. It’s about the REAL reason for the holiday – love.
5 – Roses, again??
Yes, roses are often associated with love. Valentine’s Day isn’t about everyone doing the exact same thing. It’s about YOU as a person doing something special for YOUR PARTNER who is a person too. So the far better thing to do is to know what flowers your partner truly loves. Maybe they’re daffodils! Maybe they’re tulips. If you get your love two of that favorite flower, to represent your knowledge of your partner and the love you share, that is far, far more meaningful than getting the same dozen roses that every single other woman on the planet is having dumped on her lap.
6 – Canned Love Poetry
You can probably imagine that around Valentine’s Day, millions of people are on the web printing out the exact same 5 or 10 Love Poems to give to their true love. Is your partner really that ‘mundane’ that he or she deserves that same poem that everybody else gets? Take a step and try your own poem. It may not be a contest-winner, but it will truly be a one-of-the-kind, special gift that only your partner will get. And it may be one of those notes that become treasured forever.
7 – Overwhelming Gifts
You may feel very exuberant about your love – especially if you’re still in the New Love phase of your relationship. One thing to be cautious about is that, if you go overboard in the things you do for Valentine’s Day, your partner may be ashamed or embarrassed if he/she only planned something quiet and tender. The day may end up being awkward and distracted because one of you is feeling like what they contributed to the day wasn’t “enough”. Make sure you talk beforehand about the plans of the day, and even if it’s a surprise, give a general feel for what will be involved. That way you both enjoy the experience and there aren’t guilty or unhappy feelings.
8 – Just Showing Up At a Restaurant
If you are planning on going out to dinner, make sure you make reservations beforehand! I’ve heard countless tales of couples going from one restaurant to another, finding hour or more waits at each one, and ending up very hungry and grumpy. That’s no way to spend Valentine’s Day. The idea way would be a romantic dinner for two of your very favorite dishes, home with candlelight and your favorite music. But if you MUST go out and be in the crowd, make solid reservations first.
9 – Fighting, Jealousy, and Ex’s
There’s the potential for Valentine’s Day to be stressful, because you’ll have expectations built up in your head, your partner will, and you might even compare this current day to Valentine’s Days in the past. This can then lead to disappointment. Remember, ALL of that is in your HEAD. The only thing that should matter on this particular day is how you and your partner love each other. You two will choose to show that love to each other in your own personal way, which cannot be compared to any other couple on the planet. Your love is unique and special and isn’t based on money, or objects, or destinations. It’s based on you and your partner. If you find even the start of grumpiness growing in you, release it. Today is about love, about sharing your love.
10 – Letting it End on February 15th
The best way for a relationship to stay strong and powerful over the months and years is to keep love and romance in it. To keep communicating, loving, showing you care for each other. It’s not about diamond bracelets and bouquets of roses – that’s the Flower Vendors talking. True love doesn’t rely on outlays of cash to prove it exists. There’s another term for that sort of a relationship. A love match is about two people who care for each other, and who show the tenderness, concern and love in real world situations, when it really matters.
Top 10 Things to do on Valentine’s Day
1 – Pop the question
If you think that the time is right there is no better time to propose to her.
2 – Get away
If your work, time and budget allow it, plan a two or three-day vacation getaway, specifically at a ski or spa resort. This is guaranteed wild action, and may even take place outdoors.
3 – Dress up
Dress up as if you are going to the opera, and go to a restaurant or just have dinner at home. Girls love an excuse to get all dolled up and the fact that you’ll be getting dressed up will make anything you decide to do seem like a special occasion. This will be telling her you think she is special, and she’ll love it.
4 – Have sex in public
Although this may not be for everybody — and all climates — some couples will get a thrill of a lifetime if they perform the act on risky grounds. It definitely serves as a bonding period and is sure to serve as a great inside joke between the two of you for years to come.
5 – Reenact your first date
One of the most romantic things you can do is get nostalgic with your girlfriend. Women go gaga for guys who remember the details of the past, such as the restaurant you went to on your first date, what you ate and you did afterward. It will be like celebrating your anniversary and you can combine gifts with cards that mention how happy you are that you met her.
6 – Go for the massage
Either you give her a full-body massage or better yet, reserve a double massage for him and her. You should both take some time off and enjoy some relaxation together. It is lover’s day after all, not just girlfriend’s day. Any kind of spa getaway is perfect for Valentine’s Day.
7 – Make a path of rose petals
Girls flip over temptation, flirting and teasing, so buy a lot of rose petals or even potpourri, and leave a trail from the entrance of the house to your bedroom. Leave her a little gift on the bed and she’ll feel like it’s a romantic treasure hunt, and the rewards will be spectacular.
8 – Partake in a physical activity
No, not that kind of physical activity; I mean something that will get your heartbeat going, like ice skating or going for a hike in the woods and bringing wine to drink on the way. Such activities are perfect to boost an old and predictable relationship, and nothing will kick start a new relationship better than such a thrill ride. If you take her out, take her to a pottery and painting shop where you can actually talk, be creative and share your thoughts. If you want to invite her over, make sure you cook something together so you’re both engaged in the activity.
9 – Rent a hotel room & pretend you’re tourists
There is something exciting about not having to clean up the bedroom afterward, so rent a hotel room, grab some bubbly, and use all your senses as you pretend to be out-of-town tourists on a love journey.
10 – Don’t forget to do your homework
Nothing spices up a mundane relationship as much as staying at home, renting an erotic movie and “getting to know one another” better all over again. This is obviously not suitable for a first date if you catch my drift, but perfect for couples who have been together for some time.
Top 10 Things to do when you’re single on Valentine’s Day
1 – Take a spa day
Toronto is home to thousands of spas and salons, so go get out there and pamper yourself. Whether you get a manicure, a facial or if you want to totally revamp your look with a new hair style, there’s no time like Valentine’s Day to make an investment in yourself.
2 – Throw a party
Invite all your single friends; tell them to invite their single friends, NO COUPLES ALOUD! Throw some goodies together or have the party catered, either way your buds are sure to enjoy your celebration of being single.
3 – Have a quiet night in
Rent a movie, pop some popcorn and take it easy. Use it as an opportunity to check out that edgy film you’ve been meaning to see.
4 – Go on a blind date
Just because you’re not in a relationship right now, doesn’t mean that you can’t find that special someone. If you don’t have any friends that are just dying to set you up then you could always try speed dating.
5 – Take yourself shopping
One of the great things about being single is that you have one less person to spend your money on, why not use that money to buy yourself a little treat. Besides even if you were to receive a Valentine’s Day gift from a significant other chances are you’d just have to spend your valuable time returning it anyways. This way you’re sure to get something you really want.
6 – Go to a movie with some single friends
Gather up a couple of your best buds and head down to the nearest movie theatre.
7 – Go to a movie alone
Sure it may seem intimidating, even scary to walk into the movie theatre all by your lonesome, but think about it, you don’t even talk to the person your sitting next to in a movie theatre. Plus you don’t have to compromise on the movie that you want to see!
8 – Do some reading
Curl up with a wool blanket and a favorite book, pour yourself a glass of wine and settle in for a long evening of much needed solitude. Make sure you take the phone off the hook and ignore the doorbell if it rings. If you don’t have a new book to read, then take out an old favorite, or head out and pick up a new one.
9 – Draw a bath
What better way to relax than in a nice soothing warm bath. Light some candles and turn on some soft music.
10 – Take a class
In the name of self improvement register for a Pilates or yoga class, both can be very relaxing and will help you to feel better both physically and emotionally.
Top 10 (Last Minute) Romantic Things to do on Valentine’s Day Together
1 - Make an appointment for the two of you to get your picture professionally taken together.
2 - See what his Horoscope is for this day & do something silly around that “theme”.
3 - Spice up your relationship… here are 5 ways to get creative with digital photos.
4 - Attach a $50 bill to a lingerie store ad or catalog, along with a note, “You choose.”
5 - Give her a gift certificate for any of the following: professional massage, day at a spa, manicure, pedicure, facial from a local spa or nail salon.
6 - Spend a couple hours together writing romantic ideas on separate slips of paper. After you get a total of 100 romantic ideas on 100 pieces of paper, then fill a jar with them. Every Sunday, from this day on, alternate who picks one and has to implement it by the following Sunday — at which point the other partner will pick a new romantic idea and have a week to follow through with it.
7 - Make a list of the top 10 reasons you love him/her.
8 - Purchase an “I Love You” helium balloon from a local party store, then drive to his work and attach the balloon to the handle of his car door or windshield wiper.
9 - Have some friends over and play some fun couples party games.
10 - Spend the day just photographing each other… outdoors (at a local park, walking downtown, at the beach, on the playground), as well as indoors. Make sure you get someone to take some photos of the two of you together. Take some candid’s, and some posed. Then frame one!
Top 10 Valentine’s Day Recipes
1 - Favorite Red Velvet Cake Recipe
This is one of my favorite cakes, with 3 layers of beautiful red chocolate cake and a cooked frosting. You could use a purchased creamy frosting or a cream cheese frosting for this popular cake.
2 - Eggs Benedict
A very special and elegant breakfast with poached eggs, a rich Hollandaise sauce, Canadian bacon or ham, and English muffins.
3 - Lobster Newburg
A tasty lobster Newburg recipe, made with eggs, flour, butter, sherry, and lobster. Serve the lobster with its sauce on puff pastry shells or toast points.
4 - Tilipia Fillets with Mustard-Pecan Topping
An absolutely delicious fish dish made with quick-cooking tilapia fillets, a little mustard and mayonnaise, and chopped pecans. You’ll make this again and again.
5 - Shrimp Scampi
Always a hit, this easy recipe for shrimp scampi is made with shrimp, garlic, butter, and a little white wine and lemon juice. Serve with pasta, rice, or creamy grits.
6 - Cornbread Stuffed Pork Chops
Big thick pork chops are stuffed with a mixture of sautéed vegetables, corn kernels, dried cranberries or raisins, and cornbread crumbs, along with seasonings and herbs. A very special main dish for your Valentine.
Chicken Marsala, made with boneless chicken breasts, is relatively low in fat and high in flavor. Serve this dish with hot cooked pasta or rice, and a mixed green salad or sliced tomatoes.
8 - Bread Pudding with Butterscotch Sauce
Sprinkle these individual bread pudding cups with cinnamon or nutmeg, or stir spices into the custard mixture. For a change, spoon a teaspoon of jam into the bottom of the custard cup before adding the pudding mixture. A delicious bread pudding, served with butterscotch sauce or your favorite dessert sauce.
Chicken breasts are lightly browned then baked with mushrooms, sliced tomatoes, and mozzarella cheese. A quick and delicious chicken recipe, with boneless chicken breasts and cheese. The wine adds extra flavor, but chicken broth will work as well.
10 - Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce
The Bordelaise-style sauce is made with red wine and beef broth, along with mushrooms and seasonings. Use a meat thermometer or instant-read thermometer to keep a close eye on the tenderloin roast’s temperature.
Top 10 Valentine’s Day Wines
1 - Bonny Doon Vineyard NV Raspberry Framboise (half bottle); $12
2 - Champagne Deutz 1999 Amour de Deutz Blanc de Blancs; $190
3 - Contessa Wine Cellars Rosa d’Amore; $16
4 - DeRose Vineyards 2005 Viognier; $25
5 - Chateau Gayot 1999 Cuvée des Etoiles – Brut Rosé; $22
6 - Folie à Deux 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Reserve; $42
7 - Oriel 2004 “Femme Fatale” Bordeaux Rosé; $20
8 - Mumm Demi-sec Joyesse; $40
9 - Marilyn Wines 2004 Velvet Collection; $200
10 - Watts Winery 2002 Dos Amores; $16
Top 10 Valentine’s Day Movies
1 – The English Patient
If you like your movies big and tragic, then this one’s for you. The story is all sophistication, combining romance with political intrigue and gorgeous cinematography. It stars Ralph Fiennes, Kristin Scott Thomas, Juliet Binoche, and Willem Dafoe, among others. This is a grown-up’s movie: In it, love doesn’t last forever, only as long as the lover is alive.
2 – The Vanishing
This is a very dark movie. Be sure to see the original Dutch version and not the American remake, which changed the ending to make the film less sad. A young man and his girlfriend stop at a rest area during their road trip. She disappears. He spends years searching for her. Out of nowhere, a man steps forward and offers to show him what happened to her. If you never want to fall in love again, this movie will help you avoid it.
3 – What’s Love Got to Do with It?
The movie version of Tina Turner’s life. Talented as she is, she’s trapped in an abusive relationship with manager/husband Ike Turner (Lawrence Fishburne). Tina (Angela Bassett) only experiences true happiness after she kicks Ike to the curb. Bassett perfectly conveys Tina’s true grit and determination.
4 – Raise the Red Lantern
This Chinese movie is one of Zhang Yimou’s best films. Set in the 1920s, it tells the story of a 19-year-old girl (Gong Li) who is forced to marry the lord of a powerful family. Since he already has several wives, she enters a world of harsh competition and backstabbing, as well as a loveless marriage.
5 – Romeo and Juliet
For true tragedy, see the 1968 Franco Zeffirelli version (not the 1996 one that’s set in Florida). No doubt you already know the story of Shakespeare’s star-crossed lovers, who are prevented from marrying by a vicious family feud. A very young Olivia Hussey and Leonard Whiting bring it to life – for a short while at least.
6 – Dead Again
This Kenneth Branagh/Emma Thompson movie is the flip side of Much Ado about Nothing. There’s much ado about plenty here as Branagh plays a private detective who is called in to help out a distraught and amnesiac woman. As he helps her piece her life back together, he finds that they have way more in common that he thought – for instance, a past life that involved murder, prison, and the death penalty.
7 – Gone with the Wind
Long hailed as a romance classic, this 1939 movie is still about as sad as they come. No wonder – all Scarlett gets at the end is a big house and a fistful of dirt. The huge scope and high drama of this Civil War movie still hold up today, and the acting is excellent – especially by Vivien Leigh and Clark “Frankly, my dear” Gable.
8 – Heartburn
The name just says it all. Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson take the title roles in Nora Ephron’s autobiographical account of her failed marriage to Carl Bernstein. Streep and Nicholson fall in love and marry, despite her reservations about matrimony. Later, Streep finds out that Nicholson is cheating on her when she’s pregnant with their second child.
9 – Dream Lover
A good marriage is based on trust, and James Spader’s character implicitly trusts his enigmatic wife (Mädchen Amick), despite not knowing her family or her past. But then he gets suspicious that she’s having an affair, and things start to unravel. By the end of the film, Spader’s under a court order to do time in a psychiatric hospital, and he’s only just beginning to understand who and what Amick really is.
10 – Frankie and Johnny
Lastly, a movie about hope. Both Frankie (Michelle Pfeiffer) and Johnny (Al Pacino) have taken some hard knocks. Pacino’s character just got out of jail and Pfeiffer’s has sworn off relationships altogether, having escaped a particularly abusive one. They meet at the restaurant where they both work and, despite lots of heartache, manage to work it all out.
Top 10 Valentine Love Songs
1 - Grow Old With Me – John Lennon. (Album Milk and Honey 1983).
2 - Can’t Help Falling in Love – Elvis Presley. (Album The Hollywood Hits 1999).
3 - Have I Told You Lately That I Love You – Van Morrison. (Album Avalon Sunset 1989).
4 - Unforgettable – Nat King Cole Ft Natalie Cole. Album (Unforgettable With Love 1991).
5 - The Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me – Gladys Knight (Album Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me 1997).
6 - When I Fall in Love – Celine Dion. (Album The Colour Of My Love 1993).
7 - True Colors – Cyndi Lauper (Album True Colors 1986).
8 - Endless Love – Luther Vandross Ft Mariah Carey (Album Mariah Carey’s Greatest Hits 2001).
9 - The Power of Love – Huey Lewis (Album The Heart Of Rock & Roll 2000).
10 - All The Things You Are – Frank Sinatra (Album I’ve Got A Crush On You 1995).
[tags]top 10, movies, wines, gifts, valentine’s day, books[/tags]