Guys, I know it's not fashionable to get ahead of yourself for holidays. I don't buy Christmas gifts until the last minute and I find that actually makes it more fun... weaving in and out of frantic people weighed down by kids and hundreds of shopping bags. I just make a bee-line for what I need to buy, grab it, and head for the "ten items or less" checkouts. Easy peasy. Christmas shopping done in 10 minutes... guy style. :-)



But, here's a big tip guys... don't leave shopping for a Valentine's gift until the last minute. It's a mistake of galactic proportions. If the shop happens to be sold out of the specific fragrance your significant other desires, you may as well move into the dog-house and board it up from the inside. :-)

There's not much you can do to buy flowers in advance... perhaps that's why flowers seem to double in price the week before Valentine's Day... so make sure you put a "post it" note reminder on your monitor, keyboard, bathroom mirror, fridge door and each bottle of beer in the fridge so that you remember to have flowers delivered on Valentine's Day. Even better, try going online weeks beforehand and book the flowers to be delivered on Valentine's Day. You could even book the flowers in January and then you won't have to remember to write yourself post-it notes. :-)

So, book the flowers early, be sure to get the exact fragrance she wants before the shops run out, get a nice card and READ it! You'd be amazed at how many guys pay no attention to what's written inside the card... it's about the same percentage as women who DO read the inside of the card carefully... they like scrutinizing every line for hidden messages! At the very least, make sure the message is suitable for your relationship. :-)

If you want to add icing to the cake, buy some nice chocolates. You can get them months in advance if you like. Women love chocolates, but usually try not to buy chocolates for themselves because they're worried about putting on weight. Luckily, chocolates they receive can be eaten guilt-free, which is why they make excellent gifts!

OK, so now you've got every base covered. You're all set for Valentine's Day, and it's still January! Time to put your feet up, relax and look forward to having a happy girlfriend or wife on February 14th. :-)