<a name="OLE_LINK6"></a><a name="OLE_LINK5"></a><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">The month of February has begun which means pretty much everyone is either finalizing long time plans (proposals anyone?) or trying to figure out what they will be doing on Valentine’s Day.  </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">This year, Valentine’s Day falls on a Wednesday. Not exactly a day where you can have a long dinner and enjoy some wine without having to worry about waking up early to get to the office.  And there goes all the romantic getaway plans this year for Valentine’s Day.  I guess many of them will be happening on February 17<sup>th</sup> instead of February 14<sup>th</sup>. </span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">For all the people still trying to figure out what to get their sweetheart, I’ve made a quick list of suggestions. One of these suggestions is bound to make your Valentine happy. And parents don’t forget your little Valentines!  A card with NECCO conversation hearts will definitely brighten up their lunch box.</span>

<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Here are my 14 ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts – </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana" /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana"> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l7 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">A company which delivers a Valentine’s Day dinner either made already or easy to make “aka under 30 minute prep timeâ€. (GourmetStation, Flying Noodle, etc.) That way you can skip the wait at restaurants which feature a prefix menu for the evening.  I don’t know what you think but nothing says romance as much as a maitre d’ trying to turn over the tables quickly so the next seating can be seated.  Haha!  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l4 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Chocolate (Whether it’s a small company known for a specific type of chocolate like Shari’s Berries or a luxury brand like Godiva, it doesn’t matter. Some of the nicest chocolate gifts come from small mom and pop companies so remember to not overlook those neighborhood gems like Max Brenner in Manhattan or Ethel’s Chocolate Lounge in Chicago and Vegas.  Many have online ordering websites.)  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l9 level1 lfo3; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Fun lingerie – humorous or sexy -- for your favorite guy or gal. Tons of companies offering lingerie in various price ranges will make it easy for you to find exactly what you are looking for. (uglies.com, Red Envelope.com) accompanied by a book which will make the time you wear that lingerie very limited. (Intercourses, The Aphrodisiacs Cookbook, 100 Nights of Great Sex, The Lingerie Handbook)   
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l8 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">A gift experience company – there are about 50 of them like Cloud9Living, Excitations, Signature Days (more affordable!) and Vocation Vacations. (Now you can stop hearing from your honey his or her dreams of one day learning how to bake bread, drive a Lamborghini, taste wine the proper way, take an acting class, etc.  
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana" /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana" /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana" /><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l8 level1 lfo4; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Sweet treats delivered to your office or apartment door -- ice cream, sour candies, dipped fortune cookies and hand iced cookies – a great option for those who would prefer sweets like these over boxes of chocolate. (<em><span style="font-family: Verdana">Yes, people like that do exist! And they are normal. I’m one of them!</span></em>)  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo5; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Decadent dessert making kits - Fondue (Harry & David, Ethel’s Chocolate and 1-800 Flowers) or crème brulee (Williams-Sonoma)   <em><span style="font-family: Verdana">Yum, make that, Triple Yum!</span></em>  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l3 level1 lfo6; tab-stops: list .5in"><font size="3" /><font face="Times New Roman">Fragrances which the other person would really enjoy. Not just because with its purchase you get a free shaving kit or cosmetics case. (Sephora, beauty.com)<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo7; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Jewelry - diamonds may be a girl’s best friend but there are plenty of gorgeous alternatives to diamonds and Tiffany & Co. (bemypearl.com, Susan Myers)  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo8; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Spa gift certificate without an expiration date (SpaWish) or a spa gift bag with products you know that person would enjoy (1-800 Flowers)  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">A greeting card company that isn’t sappy sweet and can be a little cheeky, funny or witty depending on the card’s recipient (American Greetings)  <font color="#000000"> </font></span></li>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l5 level1 lfo9; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana"><font color="#000000" /></span></p>

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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l12 level1 lfo10; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Flowers but not the usual dozen red roses (proflowers.com) Research the meaning of some other beautiful flowers and get an arrangement which really tells the person how you feel.  Just because many people believe women only love roses, it doesn’t mean a vase of $6 tulips or a gerbera daisy stem at the breakfast table wouldn’t make quite a few women happy.  <em><span style="font-family: Verdana">I speak from experience.</span></em>  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l11 level1 lfo11; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Gift certificate for a week (or more, if possible) of maid, professional organizer or handy man service.  Seriously don’t underestimate the value of a person (for once, instead of you!) doing your laundry, dishes and living room clean up once a week for a month.  Same goes for a professional organizer coming in and clearing clutter out of your home and leaving you with the ability to breathe a sigh of stress free relief.  Remember that paint color you thought would be nice in the living room or the antique furniture you wanted to move around after the living room was painted. Yup, a handy man would come in … well, very handy right about now wouldn’t one?  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l10 level1 lfo12; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">A romantic getaway.  Have kids? Get Nana or an actual baby sitting service to help out and then plan an evening without the kids.  If your bank account allows, plan a trip for the weekend after Valentine’s Day to a bed and breakfast not too far away or a hotel in your same town which has packages for locals during certain holiday weekends.  
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; line-height: 14.4pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l6 level1 lfo13; tab-stops: list .5in"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">Cook a dinner yourself using one or more of these aphrodisiacs: chocolate, asparagus, chiles, coffee, basil, grapes, strawberries, honey, artichokes, black beans, oysters, rosemary, edible flowers, pine nuts, avocados and figs. </span></li>
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: Verdana">And remember .. if you don’t have a lot of money to spend or time to plan, think about what your sweetheart always does for you (or for your family) and give them the day off.  Cook them a special meal of their favorite food.  Drop off the dry cleaning first thing in the morning. Do the laundry or dishes before they pile up.  Take care of car pool so they can sleep in a little longer.  Sometimes those things make the most appreciated gifts.</span></li>
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