Come February and there’s more than just love in the air – there’s hardcore advertising with cardmakers, toy sellers and florists outdoing each other in trying to convince you that THEY are the best way to show someone you care.

But forget the age old Hallmark cards, teddy bears and stupid heart-shaped candy boxes (sorry, but I really was never a fan of these) , as V-day dawns close, there’s just one question on every girl’s mind ( at least the ones with significant others) – What should you really get your guy this Valentine’s day?

Come on, we’ve all been there. Shopping for guys is such a difficult, not-looked-forward-to task for most of us, I mean what’s the joy in picking between that grey metallic tie and that ash metallic tie? Petty issues apart, this is the time to show the special men in our lives that they are… well, special.

So, if you’re one of those girls who’s pretty clueless on what to buy your guys this time around, read on for our suggestions. We’ve tried to keep our suggestions as non-materialistic as possible, so don’t judge us.

But first, how well do you know your man? Have you gotten together recently or do you go back a long way? How did you guys meet? What kind of rapport do you share with him?

These questions might seem unnecessary but are very important to help you figure out what to buy. Put simply, if you have gotten together with someone very recently, you wouldn’t want to gift him couple rings and have the guy running for life in fear of commitment! Most guys are wary in new relationships and do not like hints of commitment and marriage very early in the race.
Back to our list, here are some options you can choose from:

1. Plan a movie marathon with him of his favorite movies

2. Home-cook his favorite dish or bake him some special cupcakes

3. Gift him video games (he can’t not like this)
4. Watch Cricket with him (it’s cricket season – for desi guys, there ain’t no season like cricket season) and order a good pizza

5. Gift him his favorite brand of headphones/ earphones

6. Have a barbeque

7. Dress up ! Of course, you’ll actually need to shop for yourself for this, but it’s all for his benefit, right?

8. Buy him books, if he’s a book lover. Nothing will make him happier

9. Write a message in a bottle. For keepsakes

10. Perfume? Quite a classic choice, but if you know there’s one he’s wanted for a while, go ahead and get it for him

11. Get him a grooming kit. Most brands like M&S and The Body Shop stock such kits for men with after shave, a manicure set, body mist and lotion in it. They’re not very expensive and are extremely useful, especially if he travels often

12. Play a game before your dinner date. You could organize a little treasure hunt and leave little notes with your friends each of which have a clue in them, the final note could lead to a nicely decorated little table for your romantic dinner, with you waiting to say surprise!

13. Gadgets – It had to be said, but there’s yet a man to be made who’s not crazy about gadgets. Get him anything fancy, preferably a new phone or tablet and watch him go crazy.

14. Make a recording or a video for him – bonus points if you’re a good singer, write him a song and dedicate it to the occasion

15. Get artsy – If you’re a DIY girl who loves Pinterest and mason jars, be sure to make a special craft project for him

16. Take a trip – Take time out and go visit a new place, you can revisit your memories with each in the process

17. Just be together – no prizes for guessing how important this is!

Didn’t find something that you liked yet? Here are some more tips to help you narrow down your gifts choices. Here’s what guys want on Valentine’s day:

1. Attention – Yea girls, we’re not the only ones who want special treatment on V-day. Give the poor guys some spotlight too. I agree we girls are the ones who often end up expecting so much on V-day but how about changing that and making it a day where both guys and girls go the extra mile to make their SO feel special?

2. Useful gifts – Unlike us girls who prefer a teddy bear over a clock on V-day simply because it’s more romantic than practical, guys actually like gifts that they can use – like tools, gadgets and kits. A little fancy stuff doesn’t hurt either.

3. Show some love, spend some time – The most important rule, all those gifts mean practically nothing if you don’t show it in your actions that you care. Curfews, commitments and emergencies apart, do try to spend some quality time with each other on V-day , just talking if nothing else. This makes all the difference and can take your day from mundane to magical.
So there it was, our suggestions for your big day gifts. A lot of people these days say V-day is just a commercialized hype sort-of thing. While everyone is entitled to their opinions, why let advertisers get in the way of good ol’ love?

Our suggestions include many gifts that do not cost much money but make for meaningful gifts nonetheless. Pushing debates out of the way, I wish you all a super lovely Valentines day, even if you’re single. Choose to spend the day with a bunch of friends, your sister or someone else you care for. The only limit to love is that it’s limitless.

Spread some love xo