Five Easy Ways to Earn Big Points With Your Girlfriend This Valentines Day

Alright, guys: are you ready for D-Day? (Oops, I meant V-Day.) Here’s the deal: even though to you Valentines Day is one step up from the day you found out there was no Santa, this is how your lady friend sees it: as one of her absolute favorite days of the year. As in, it’s YOUR responsibility to make it special for her. Even if you would rather give up fantasy football next year (too extreme)? than divulge the level of mushiness and effort she expects on Feb 14^th. But there are ways to make her happy besides surrendering the remote to her ALL DAY (MORE 90210?!) and spending $100 on a fancy dinner when you were just craving BBQ chicken pizza. Read on:

1. The minute you wake up, show her you care. This is not difficult. Just send her a text saying you love her, you can’t wait to see her later, etc. Or if you live together tell her happy Valentines Day and you’re glad to be with her. That wasn’t so hard, was it? One down.
2. Take a deep breath and say it with me: Plan something for you and your girl. If those words make you want to hop the next flight to the nearest bachelor party, congratulations, you’re a guy. Now, get down to business: it doesn’t have to be anything extravagant. Just show her you care. Notice a theme here? For instance, if you know she enjoys surprises and loves when you cook for her, tell her you have dinner reservations but you don’t tell her where, and send her on her way to dress for the occasion while you prepare her favorite meal. She’ll be touched by the effort even if it does taste like burnt rubber.
3. Do something she won’t expect. If she’s always complaining about how you don’t like her friends and you always make her hang out with yours (trust me, it’s a sacrifice we make for you on a regular basis) call up her girls and plan a little get-together…EVEN IF YOU’RE THE ONLY GUY! She’ll be thrilled to know that you care about her enough to spend your evening with her best buds. Bonus points: buy her friends drinks and she’ll love you forever. There’s no law that says you can’t chug beer the whole time.
4. Buy her a stuffed animal. Even if you think your GF isn’t the stuffed bunny type, take it from a girl: we love it. Especially on Valentines Day. It drops us neatly into our very own little romance novel, where we’re the heroine with the pigtails and cowboy boots at the county fair. Extra points if it’s red and a puppy.
5. Perhaps the easiest one of all…buy a large quantity of her favorite fancy French wine. She’ll appreciate the fact that you know which it is and spent the money for her, and drinking it together is a bonding experience. And what did I tell you, gentlemen…there’s even a little something in it for you…chances are, she’ll fall asleep after a full day of fun with her sweetie and a few glasses of her fave vino. And then, my friend…the remote is yours! Happy V-Day!