Valentine's Day Gift Guide

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Introduction to Valentine's Day Gift Guide

Of all the occasions for giving gifts, none seems as simultaneously beloved and maligned as Valentine's Day. Finding just the right gift can dredge up more angst than a first date, and all the unspoken rules can get in the way of finding something good. We've put this guide together to give you some ideas. And don't worry, we haven't forgotten that not everyone is half of a happy pair on Valentine's Day -- we've got ideas for your friends (or yourself), too. Click on the images and links to compare prices at HowStuffWorks Shopper.

Let's start with a new look at some old standbys.

	Stuffed Animals As soon as Christmas is over, heart-wielding stuffed animals show up all over the place. You can find them in the grocery store and the pharmacy, and you can get them for free with purchases from all kinds of retailers. But the free (or extra-cheap) version might not be greeted with joy. We recommend something like Gund's Snooky the dog, who is so cute we can even forgive the silly name. We also like the big red bow.
	A more unique choice is Russ Berrie's Viola the Hippo. She has a bow, too, and that adds to the cute factor. Or, if you're looking for something really special, Steiff has all kinds of top-quality stuffed animals in a range of sizes.
	Jewelry It's hard to miss the ever-present "A Diamond is Forever." But if a diamond is beyond your means or your sense of global ethics, you have lots of other choices. A jade butterfly, for example,is a traditional Chinese symbol of love. We're particularly fond of these jade butterfly earrings.
	Flowers Most people consider flowers by the dozen to be a pretty foolproof choice for Valentine's Day. African violets, though, are just as pretty and will last a lot longer. Remember to water violets by putting the pot in a shallow dish and adding the water there -- violet leaves don't like to get wet.

Flowers, stuffed animals and jewelry aren't for everyone, so we'll look at some less "traditional" choices next.

Say it with Circuitry

Want something a little more technical or a little less soft and fluffy? Check out these great tech toys.

	iPod Video To paraphrase Shakespeare, if music be the food of love, load a lot of it onto an iPod and you're good to go. Of course, an iPod isn't the only MP3 player on the market, but is sleeker and more user-friendly than most of the others. A 30 GB iPod Video is a great Valentine's Day gift. Engraving is also a nice added touch.
	Canon Powershot SD450 Digital cameras are a great way to take pictures of trips together, birthdays and other special occasions. This Canon Powershot is light and compact, but it still takes great pictures. It's a 5.0 megapixel camera with 3x optical zoom. It also has a 2.5-inch LCD screen.
	Delphi Roady XM Radio Receiver If music be the food of love...oh, we said that already. Satellite radio continues to grow in popularity, and music lovers enjoy having constant access to more than 100 channels of music. This XM Radio receiver has an easy-to-use, easy-to-read display. It also has a remote control and an FM radio tuner.
	LEGO Mindstorms Robot Invention System What would a HowStuffWorks gift guide be without something robotic? The new system, Mindstorms NXT, won't be out until August, and Mindstorms 2.0 still has plenty of potential for cool robots.
	King Kong for the Xbox 360 It's a well-reviewed video game based on a love story. Who could ask for anything more?

Read on for some ideas for treating yourself or your friends on Valentine's Day.

For Singles & Friends

Couples shouldn't get to have all the fun on Valentine's Day. Check out these ideas for the non-attached.

	I'm Lonely (and I Love It) EP In addition to its upbeat anthem for the happily unhitched, this EP from Future Bible Heroes features the sardonic "It's a Good Thing I Don't Have Any Feelings."
	Quirkyalone: A Manifesto for Uncompromising Romantics The jury's still out on whether the word "quirkyalone" is cool or obnoxious. But the book itself is all about the people who don't mind being single -- in fact, they'd usually rather stay that way.
	Buffy: The Chosen Collection Buffy showcased a bunch of good-looking, smart, funny people, but it never sugar-coated the difficulties of relationships. It's a good choice for people who have their romantic feet on the ground. Anyone who's been wronged in love can take also take vicarious pleasure through D'hoffryn, Halfrek and Anyanka and their vengeance exploits.
	Christopher Ranch Pickled Garlic Pickled garlic...it's a good complement to seven seasons of vampire slayage, and being single is the best time in the world to eat it.