Ask Him: What Makes a Perfect Valentine’s Day?

“What would the perfect Valentine’s Day be for you?”

— Jackie, 26, Fairfield

Ah, yes. Valentine’s Day. A “holiday” that women are certainly more fixated upon than men. It’s not that we don’t care about a “special” day to show our love and affection – I guess it’s just that we don’t see why one particular day has to be singled out as more “special” than any other.

I think you can lump Valentine’s Day in the same category as birthdays or anniversaries. Don’t see the correlation? Just try forgetting any one of those days. Just once. If you’re still in the picture the next time one of those days rolls around, there’s a pretty good chance she’ll make sure you never forget again.

She might say “it doesn’t matter.” And maybe it doesn’t matter to her – not all that much, anyway. But it still matters. Trust me. It matters.

Valentine’s Day is the day women expect us to show them how deeply devoted we are to them, and express our undying love for them – through the use of flowers, cheap stuffed animals and chocolate. Unfortunately, it takes most of us guys quite some time to realize that it’s the thought behind those dancing hamsters and Whitman’s samplers that really counts. It shows that, no matter how busy we are every other day of the year, we take the time out of every February 14 to do a little something extra.

So we do it. Why? Because it matters to you. It’s not our day. It’s your day. We already have a day that’s all about us; It’s called “Super Bowl Sunday.”

I know there are plenty of men and women out there who could care less about Valentine’s Day. And there are plenty of men out there who actually do live for more than just football. When it comes to Valentine’s Day, I think it’s really all about taking a moment to tell someone how much they mean to you. To say “I love you.” Or, if you’re single, “I like you enough to let you buy me a drink.” Or something like that.

Whether it’s a nice, romantic dinner, a night away from home or even the ubiquitous bouquet of red roses, I think the perfect Valentine’s Day would consist of doing whatever it is you enjoy doing together, and showing the other person just how grateful you are to have them around. And personally speaking, chocolate wouldn’t hurt, either. Preferably dark.