4 Valentine's Day Mistakes You Need to Avoid

Big gestures. Buying a hundred red roses or hiring a plane with a banner saying: “I love you” on such a romantic occasion might seem tempting, but it's rarely a good idea. The same goes for very expensive and/or extravagant presents. First, you should take into account how long you are together. If you've gone on a couple of dates, big romantic gestures might embarrass your date and make them feel guilty for not reciprocating. Second, on Valentine's Day everyone goes love-crazy, so your gesture may somehow seem less meaningful because of it (as if you're just doing it because it's Valentine's Day). Save hundreds of roses and planes for the dates that mean something to just the two of you, such as anniversaries.

Not doing anything at all. Of course, if you're one of those couples that despise Valentine's Day and pointedly ignore it, that's completely okay. But if you were one of those couples, you wouldn't be reading this article right now. Say, you're tight on money because you're saving for a vacation, so you and your sweetheart decided against going out and buying each other expensive presents. But that doesn't mean you can treat this day just like any other day. Valentine's Day is about showing the person you love that you care, so do something nice for them. For example, make them breakfast in bed or buy a goddamn Hallmark card!

Buying a last-minute lame gift. Maybe you were really busy at work and didn't have time to buy a present or even order it online. Such things happen all the time. But it isn't an excuse to go to the nearest supermarket and by one of those lame Valentine's Day gifts that practically scream, “I forgot to buy you a normal present”. So say no to ugly stuffed animals, heart-shaped drugstore chocolates, his/her T-shirts, yellow roses (because red roses were out of stock), etc. A thoughtful gesture (such as cooking them dinner) is better than a cheap emergency present.

Not making dinner reservations. There is one thing you can be sure of: on Valentine's Day all restaurants will be packed. So if you want to go out for dinner but don't have reservations, you probably won't be able to find a spot at a good restaurant. If you want to surprise your date with a fancy dinner, make reservations several days (or even weeks) in advance. We also suggest that you think of a back-up plan even if you do have reservations, just in case. It doesn't have to be elaborate, but it is always good to have options.