If you’re like a lot of men, you wait until the last minute when it comes to a gift giving holiday. After the stress of the Christmas holidays and that present buying, it’s no wonder so many men resort to the stereotypical, no-brainer Valentines Day gift of flowers and candy. Here are some ideas to help you select a great Valentines Day gift for your significant other. Making her happy… and you happy in the process!

Stay Away from Flowers and Candy

Flowers and/or candy given on a random Tuesday, just because you wanted your gal to know you were thinking about her — that’s an excellent gift! Give them on Valentines Day and it says, “I couldn’t be bothered to put the thought into your gift, so just bought what was easy.” You know the adage about gifts — It’s the thought that counts.  It’s true! So, unless your flowers and candy are part of a larger gift, or you have really made those flowers and candy special (perhaps rare flowers she can’t normally get or a favorite candy from a store far away).

Think About Her Hobbies

What does your significant other like to do for fun? Does she scrapbook? Put together a gift basket filled with fun papers, stickers and other scrapping supplies. Does she like to run? There are hundreds of running gadgets and paraphernalia. You could even put together a playlist of MP3s to keep her motivated while she runs.

Keep the gift fun – not practical. I like to cook, but that doesn’t mean I want a new toaster for Valentines Day.Choose something that goes with her hobby, but not something she’d normally by for herself.

Try a New Activity Together

Spending time together is a great gift. Doing something new and fun is a way to show her you’ve put some effort into her gift. Whether it’s a wine and paint outing, glassblowing, horseback riding, cooking lessons, or a myriad of other possibilities, you can have a great time together and make memories that will last a lifetime.

TIP: Check out Groupon, LivingSocial and Amazon Local for ideas of fun things to do.

Pamper Her

If the love of your life is always putting others ahead of herself, a spa day is may be the perfect gift idea. A massage, facial, manicure and pedicure are a great way to pamper her and let her have some “me time.” Go all out and get her a cut and style, at the end, and pick her up from her day of leisure to take her someplace special for dinner. Or better, have her come home to a house you’ve cleaned while she’s been pampered, and a dinner cooked and ready to eat!

Take Her Away

A quick weekend get away doesn’t have to be expensive, but can be a great time to reconnect. A bed and breakfast or hotel room, just a couple of hours away from home, with dinner plans at a quiet restaurant, can be the romantic gesture to make her know how great you think she is. This is the time when flowers are a great add-on touch. Do some research and select a variety of things to see or do while you’re away. Most towns have a chamber of commerce website that will list local attractions.

Get Creative

If you have a talent for woodworking, painting, singing, whatever – use it! A present you’ve actually made yourself is one of the most romantic things you could do. Even if it’s monetary value isn’t very much, the sentimental value will be priceless!

TIP: Even if you’re not very crafty, there are lots of things you could make – like a photo collage of all of your favorite photos of the two of you together.

Conclusion

Getting a great gift for your love, on Valentines Day, centers on really thinking about her. No matter what you choose for a gift, be sure to include a hand written note telling her how amazing she is and how much you appreciate that she’s in your life. That will be the icing on the Valentines Day gift cake.