Valentine's Gifting Ideas 2013

I am a firm believer that if you don't tell men exactly what it is you want from them, you are very likely to be disappointed.  Not to mention the poor guy's disappointment at your constant disappointment. I spent many hours at the beginning of my relationship trying to hint at and telepathically communicate what exactly I wanted from Nash while blindingly hoping that he would do the right things. Which, if I tell the truth, was exhausting for both of us.

Men and women are different creatures. And you and your partner are different people. I've found that communicating your needs may be awkward to start off with, but is so much more satisfying in the long run. And that goes for guys too. Don't hold back on communicating your needs. You'll find that women are so much easier to live with when they know exactly how to make you happy.

So guys, I want to make this Valentine's Day easy for you. If your girlfriend won't tell you what she wants, I will. Because to tell you the truth, we are all just girls. And we can all appreciate a nice bunch of flowers, a good set of lingerie and a bottle of great bubbly.

A Bottle Of Good Bubbly

 I have yet to hear a girl say "I don't drink champagne". Even girls who prefer not to drink at all will have the odd glass of bubbly at a wedding or a celebration. So this is the perfect gift to celebrate your relationship with. I'm not talking about a bottle of JC LeRoux (unless she particularly loves it, in which case you can afford to buy her several bottles). I mean beautiful MCC's like Moreson's Solitiare or their Gala. Other great options are Avondale's Armilla and Silverthorn's Jewel Box. For something really special I suggest Guy Charbaut's Blanc de Blanc Brut Premier Cru, Memory or Millesime. This is a really great gift for a first date too. It's classy and thoughtful and no doubt she'll save it for a special occasion - like your next date.

Beautiful Quality Lingerie

As I've said before, lingerie is the ultimate his-and-hers gift. You don't have to go overly sexy here. If she's not a lace and ribbon kind of girl, then go for something more demure. There's something to be said for plain white cotton underwear. The trick is to make sure it's something she's comfortable with. It is her body after all. Make sure that whatever it it, it's high quality: good cotton, soft lace, silky ribbon. Also, I'd keep lingerie for relationships. I wouldn't be very keen on a sexy gift like this from a first or second date.

Girly Bath Products

Not all girls are into this, but I definitely am. I LOVE a good bubble bath. Anything bath-related is a great gift for me because it's not normally something I can afford to spend loads of money on myself. There is no greater spoil than coming home and running a hot bath to relax in. Add to that some really luxurious bubble bath, bath oil or bath salt, a couple of candles and a glass of wine and it's better than my birthday! I'm a huge fan of Crabtree & Evelyn (especially their La Source range) and Jo Malone.

Flowers

Of course girls still love flowers! Chivalry is not dead and I challenge you to buy any girl a beautiful bunch of flowers and not make her day. I'm not huge on roses, although I'm happy whenever I get flowers. I think the most important thing is not to make them look like they were a last minute purchase. Don't just grab a bunch at the Spar and hand them over. If you can, visit a florist and get them to put together a bunch of pretties and wrap them in some brown paper for you. It doesn't cost much extra but it makes all the difference. I personally like flowers that look like they were just picked in a field with lots of greenery in between.

Her Favourite Movie/Series

I am pretty sentimental over DVD's and series, so this would be a great gift for me. I also think that something like this is quite thoughtful. Like you've actually been listening every time she's told you that Love Actually is her favourite romantic comedy even though The Notebook is her favourite romantic movie. And what could be more romantic than organizing an evening in with some great food, great wine and her favourite series? Add a bunch of flowers to that and you are golden! For a huge selection of DVD's and speedy, free delivery check out Loot.co.za.

A Weekend Away

You guys, this is the ultimate gift. A romantic weekend away together. Lots of eating, drinking, listening to music, sleeping late, romantic walks... If you want to really spoil her, a romantic getaway is the way to go. There are loads of nice places just outside of Cape Town that you could easily sneak away to. Hermanus Hotel is centrally located with stunning views of the sea and they go a long way to make it as romantic as possible with a huge bath in the room. Rivierbosch is beautifully set in a forest just outside of Stellenbosch and is super romantic with really beautiful decor.

If you're looking for something really special, Grootbos is running an amazing Valentine's package. They are located just outside of Hermanus, so it's a short 2 hour drive from the city to romantic bliss. Grootbos is a luxury private nature reserve with five star accommodation and incredible views. They serve only seasonal cuisine in their two restaurants; fish caught locally, meat from the area, freerange eggs and vegetables grown on site.

The package includes a night in your own freestanding unit, with a beautiful wooden deck and en suite bathroom, all your meals, a romantic turndown and a variety of romantic activities in the beautiful outdoors.

Have a look on the Grootbos website for details on this special. Book it and be Boyfriend Of The Year.

I hope this list helps you score some points this Valentine's Day. Remember that a little effort goes a long way.