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Valentine's Day. A day many men dread but most women wait for with great anticipation.

A lot of guys see Valentine's Day as no more than a "Hallmark holiday." They think they can just make dinner reservations and call it a day. The majority of women, however, attach real importance to what their man does (or does not do) on this day. As a guy, you don't want to do it wrong.



Here are 10 scenarios to avoid if you want to have a happy woman next to you this Valentine's Day.

1. What are we doing? Have a plan.

Never "wing it" on Valentine's Day. You need to be the one who decides what the two of you are going to do. Do not just pick her up and say, "So what type of food do you feel like tonight?" This is the one night you need (and are expected to) show your romantic side. Step up and show her that you have one.

2. What kind of flowers are these?

Before you buy flowers for your girl, gather some key information. It is important to know what kind of flowers she likes. And one of the biggest mistakes is giving her flowers she is allergic to. Make sure you know of any floral allergies before giving her flowers. If you don't, then she will spend the day sneezing. Even worse, if you send the flowers to her office, her co-workers will be asking her whether you pay any attention to her, and you will be quickly thrown under the Valentine's Day bus.

3. Where did you get these flowers? Avoid fast flowers.

The guy selling roses from the middle of the intersection may look like a convenient idea, but chances are that half the flowers will be broken or wilting before they even get put in a vase. If this happens, you will not look like the romantic guy. You will look like the cheap guy, or the guy who forgot to buy her flowers and had no other choice but to grab flowers from the guy on the freeway off-ramp.

4. How did you find this place?

If dinner reservations are part of your Valentine's Day plan, don't choose any random restaurant. Always do your research. You want to find a great romantic restaurant. A lot of guys will just pick a restaurant they've heard good things about, only to arrive with their date and find it filled with screaming children and video game machines. This is Valentine's Day, so make sure the restaurant you pick serves her favorite foods and, especially, her favorite dessert. If you don't know her favorite dessert, ask her ahead of time. The more you plan out this day, the more special she will feel.
5. Where did you get this?

If you are thinking about getting her a cute stuffed animal, be careful about where you buy it. I can speak from personal experience on this one. About 20 years ago, I had planned nothing for Valentine's Day and had to find my girl a present somewhere on my way home. I saw a guy on the corner who was selling teddy bears with a little heart that said "Happy Valentine's Day." I thought I was lucky. When I brought the bear home, I held it in my hand and knocked on the door. My girlfriend opened the door, and our Golden Retriever jumped up and grabbed the stuffed bear. I thought that was out of character for her, until I realized that there was something my dog was smelling. It turns out there was some kind of animal scent on the teddy bear, and the guy I bought it from had found the stuffed animals on the street. So be careful where you buy things.

6. I can't believe she's here.

Few things will sour a woman on Valentine's Day more quickly than running into your ex-girlfriend. To avoid this, do not take your girl to any place you ever brought your ex-girlfriend on a previous Valentine's Day. Also, don't take your girl to any of your ex- girlfriend's favorite restaurants. Valentine's Day is a day that women like to remember. So you want to start a new tradition together. Pick a place that will be "your place."
7. You think I can fit in that?

If you are thinking of buying your girl lingerie for Valentine's Day, be absolutely sure you know her size. This is really important. If you buy lingerie that is the wrong size -- whether too big or too small -- you will ruin the evening in very quick order. If you come home with lingerie that is too small, she will think, "Oh my God, do I look fat? Am I fat? Does he think I'm fat?" When she attempts to try it on and discovers she can't fit into it, she will feel completely unattractive. Buying her lingerie that is too big is equally disastrous. In her mind she will wonder, "Does he think I'm this big?" There is almost nothing you can do that is worse than making your girl feel unattractive on Valentine's Day.

8. You know I can't eat that.

Respect her diet. Let's say that your girlfriend is on a diet or in the middle of a cleanse when Valentine's Day arrives. She is trying to take care of herself. Nevertheless, you listen to your buddy who tells you he bought some fancy chocolates for his girl, and so you get a box of those chocolates too. Buying your girlfriend chocolates when you know she is dieting is telling her that you have absolutely no support for her. A woman wants to know that you are aware of where she is in her life. Pick something else that shows her that you're thinking of her.
9. You shouldn't have...really.

Stick to an appropriate budget. One of the biggest mistakes a guy can make on Valentine's Day is buying lavish gifts for a woman he hasn't known for very long. Say you just met at a party a couple of weeks ago and she said yes to a Valentine's Day dinner with you. Do not go overboard and send some ridiculously large gift basket to her. Do not show up to dinner with three dozen roses in hand and a mariachi band to sing her a love song. If you're newly dating, chances are she didn't buy you anything. By going overboard, you are not making her feel special.You are making her feel uncomfortable. Instead, give her a simple card or a simple flower -- it will speak volumes.

10. Do you know what day it is?

Don't blow it off. The number-one biggest mistake men can make on Valentine's Day is not acknowledging it at all. You need to understand that it is a very real and important holiday to most women. So you never want to just do nothing on Valentine's Day. It is easy to make her feel special if you keep the above tips in mind. Start by wishing her a happy Valentine's Day first thing in the morning. Never wait until your nighttime plans; otherwise she may worry that you forgot. The longer you wait to acknowledge the day, the worse your night is going to be, and the more insensitive you are going to seem in her eyes.