You may think that Valentine's Day is an over-priced, exploitative form of psychological torture but what if your loved one doesn't? What if she is really looking forward to it and marked it on the calendar with a big, red heart so you can't even pretend you've forgotten. Fear not, simply stick to our 5 simple Valentine's Day rules.
1. No gimmicks - Don't get blind-sided by crazy, 'edgy' products that you know in the cold-light of day will look tacky or you can't imagine her using/wearing in the long-run. Ask yourself will she still like it in year's time? This is a good way to judge if something is really 'her' or not.
2. No 'U for me' Don't buy something for her that's really for you, no matter how extravagant! This is a transparent and crass way to show that you really don't care about her feelings and could land you in relationship jail quicker than a Donald Trump meme going viral.
3. Get personal - If you buy a 'traditional' gift such as jewellery, underwear or flowers, make sure you add a personal twist - this won't even cost you anything - Wrap it in a handkerchief evoking her favourite scent, ensure it's her perfect size and/or favourite colour, attach a hand-written note with a compliment. Extra brownie points if it reminds her of your first date or a special moment :)
4. Element of surprise - the whole problem with Valentine's Day is the predictability and the boring cliches - no-one wants to be one of those couples in a restaurant who can't think of anything to say to each other. So don't be. Do something different - whether it's zip-lining, Go Ape, dancing or going ice-skating together make sure it's something memorable or impulsive which will make you look back and smile.
5. Anticipate to captivate - Some people love the anticipation of an event more than the actual event itself - if this is the case, why not post her clues in the run-up to the event, text emojis with a secret link or post cryptic Instagrams to really rev up the anticipation levels. Just make sure the actual present is worthy of all your efforts or it could back-fire!