What not to do this Valentine's Day !!

Love is in the air....

You can feel it, so can I, what with the weather being perfect at this time of the year and the markets abuzz with products and services for the love-struck wallet. If your heart's a-flutter contemplating about how wonderfully romantic Valentine's Day is going to be, you might just risk throwing caution to the winds and commit a faux-pas ( for the non-french speaker, this word roughly translates to 'a blunder in etiquette or manners'). What held the promise of a lovely day might just turn into a nightmare of misunderstandings.


                         So, here comes a list of what NOT TO DO this Valentine's Day

What not to do on the day:

• Expect her to come and meet you - pick her up.
• Arrive late for that appointment - a woman hates to be kept waiting, do not take chances, arrive at least 30-45 minutes ahead of time.
• Over-dress - come well groomed but not dressed like a dandy.
• Under-dress - again come well groomed, no girl likes to go on date with a slob. 
• Appear clue-less  about the plan - plan ahead about where you want to take her, make reservations, check out the venue yourself in advance.
• Get chatty with a friend - if you happen to meet an old friend, keep the conversation restricted to a bare courteous minimum. You can always catch-up with him/ her some other day.
• Praise any other woman - even it is your mother or sister; save that for some other day. Today is her day.
• Over eat at dinner - a date with a glutton is not very romantic. Go home and eat if you are hungry.

What not to say to your lady-love :

• "You are late" - better get used to this as this is one of the privileges she is going to expect lifelong. 
• "You are my better half'" - think about it, if you call her this, then by default, you are the worse half, which she might not be interested in. 
• "You complete me" - so before she made an appearance into your life what were you? A half-boiled egg, or a half-baked cookie?
• "I cannot live without you" - don't be surprised if you hear "Get a life" in response to this lame declaration.
• "I like spending time with you" - so she is nothing more than your favourite pass-time, huh!
• "Roses are red, violets are blue..." - or any other cheesy rhymes that you find on the internet; these are fake and will make you seem so.

What not to gift her:

• A half-heart pendant - very very retro, reminiscent of cheesy movies from the '70s.
• A cuddly teddy-bear - she is an adult in a relationship, not a school-girl with pig-tails!
• A deodorant or body spray - I'm sure you're not dumb enough for me to have to tell you what message this could carry.
• A coffee-maker/ food-processor / any other kitchen-gadget - are you really going to risk telling her that you expect her to need/ use/ be engaged with these?
• A bracelet/ necklace with the motif of chains or shackles - this will only serve to scare her away
• A ring with your name inscribed on it - much akin to telling her "I look upon you as my property" or "I own you"

Follow these tips and have a wonderful Valentine's Day.

[Disclaimer : I can only share tips with men since I only know the woman's perspective. I welcome any of you guys reading this to leave comments that'll help women.]