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Your Valentine's Day picks for presents By Stephanie Schneider sschnieder@kansan.com
Perfect gifts for every stage in your relationship
Ah,Valentine's Day:a day dedicated to sharing love with a significant other. But whether it's a new relationship or a more comfortable one, the right Valentine's Day gift is crucial for lovers at every stage of their relationship. Instead of winging it this Valentine's Day, choose a gift that can accurately reflect your current relationship standing.
With emotions running high for this February 14 holiday, lovebirds are saying that finding the perfect gift is their biggest concern.
According to Business Wire, nearly four out of 10 people reassess their romantic relationships between the end of December and Valentine's Day. It's a period that's been called "National Break-up Season."
To help with this stressful task of gift buying, here's a guide to choosing a Valentine's gift for every relationship stage.
One to two months:
Butterflies and starry-eyed
Everything is fun and fresh going into Valentine's Day at this stage. Expectations are not high, so no diamonds to buy or vacations to plan. Traditional gifts are welcomed, such as chocolates, picture frames and flowers. Go get dinner or just get dessert. The key is to show you appreciate the other person.
Katie Loyd, 2008 graduate from Lawrence met her boyfriend, Alex Rock, three and a half
years ago. For their first Valentine's Day, she says, they went to dinner at The Eldridge, 701 Massachusetts Street, and gave each other picture frames.
"It was really laid back and there was no pressure," Loyd says. "It shouldn't be for your first Valentine's Day together."
Going out to dinner is an easy way to generate conversation, allowing you to get to know the other person better, and in turn, feel more comfortable with him or her.
The Eldridge restaurant, The Jayhawker, features a Valentine's Day menu, and flower bouquets are offered so you can kill two birds with one stone. If dinner is not in your plans, but flowers are, Prairie Patches,821 Massachusetts Street, offers flowers and chocolates at a college student-friendly price.
Cinda Garrison, owner of Prairie Patches, says college students tend to be quite conservative and unsure about Valentine's Day gifts.
"Guys come in saying they just met a girl and have no idea." Garrison says. "They tend to be safe and just get flowers."
Going the traditional route at this stage is a timeless way to let the other person know you're into them.
Three to six months:
Goin'steady
The heat is turned up in this stage. Valentine's Day gifts at this level should reflect what you and your partner know about each other. Show you have been listening and buy gifts that spark personal interest in the other person, such as cooking items, music, movies or outdoor wear.
Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop, 802 Massachusetts Street, has gifts from $10 water bottles to $165 North Face jackets for you or your outdoor-loving partner. Store employee Andrew Stark says the store has received a lot of special orders for Valentine's Day.
"College kids come in before Valentine's Day and say to their boyfriend or girlfriend, What do you want?" Stark
For those who do know what they want, hinting before Valentine's Day only makes the gift-buying process that much easier for your partner.
Loyd and Rock, for their second Valentine's Day, say they made the mistake of not getting personal gifts for each other and instead stayed at a bed and breakfaStreet
"I do not recommend it," Loyd says. "I would have rather done something we knew we would both like."
Six months to one year:
Hip huggers
Need to know for Valentine's Day
At this point, you're a definite item. You probably do everything together; so now it's time to give gifts that come from the heart Personalized jewelry, or mini get-away trips are gifts that help show your commitment to the relationship.
With the big day upon us, editor of Happenmag.com, Judy Dutton, turned to restaurant reviews and surveys from 1,500 people to help lovers decide what to do for Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day survey results
Valentine's Day survey results
Valentine's Day popularity
26 percent: fans of the holiday
39 percent: just all right
20 percent: should be abolished
16 percent: shrug it off as just another day
Getting your love high quality jewelry is good for this stage in your relationship, but make sure the cost and type of jewelry is appropriate to where you both think you are in your relationship.
Dining price
People tend to spend an average of about
$100 per person, but couples under 35
spend the least amount, at about $92
How far ahead to make reservations
43 percent: three or more weeks in advance
30 percent: one or two weeks ahead of time
3 percent: the day before
7 percent: take the chance of being a walk-in
What to drink?
15 percent: wine
24 percent: champagne
Prairie Patches sells Silpada jewelry on an
What makes a romantic atmosphere?
64 percent: quiet atmosphere
53 percent: soft lighting
37 percent: a beautiful view
Who to bring?
13 percent: someone they just met
74 percent: three or more dates
Photo illustrations by Alex Bonham-Carter
Throwing a wrench into the relationship: Valentine's gifting is an important way to show the proper respect for one another in a relationship. Sometimes, a poorly chosen gift can lead to serious relationship damage or upset feelings.
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February 12,2009