Valentine's Day Gift-Giving Etiquette
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- With Valentine's Day next week, what's the etiquette when it comes to gift-giving? From the office to new relationships, how do you make the perfect impression?
"Stress, I have no idea what to get," said Jason Sapan of White Plains.
Matchmaker Marni Galison says the key is to think ahead.
"Do have a plan? That is the number one advice I would give to any guy. If you're interested in this woman and you want to make a positive impression, don't wing it," she told CBS 2's Cindy Hsu.
That means if it's dinner out, make that reservation early. And you don't have to spend a lot of money.
"Your plan could be cooking a nice meal setting up some candles, some romance, some music," Galison said.
If you've been dating a several months, Galison says a present is a good idea, but instead of lingerie, go for something that pampers, like a gift certificate for a facial or massage.
Good gifts for guys include books, CDs, and tickets to a game.
If you've only gone out on a handful of dates, don't go crazy.
"They send roses to her office let's just say, or they spend too much and the danger of that is it may seem overboard and might have the opposite effect," Galison said.
Speaking of the office, etiquette experts say stay away from giving co-workers anything too personal that may seem inappropriate. A safer bet is bringing in something like Valentine's cupcakes for your whole team.
If the whole thought of Valentine's Day turns you off, meet Simon Olenick and Heather Zeller. Last Valentine's Day, after just four months of dating, Simon gave her an XBox 360.
"Frankly if you care about someone and recognize the importance to them, you just deliver," Olenick said.
After nearly a year and half together, the couple just got engaged.
When it comes to Valentine's Day, Heather has the following advice for women.
"Try to not have expectations, but if the guy asks, try to guide him if he asks. Men are not mind-readers and they could use the help sometimes," she said.
Galison says don't forget the card. It's an inexpensive way to show that you really thought ahead, and bonus points if you write something creative inside."
When it comes to newer couples, it's often good to just ask the person what they think about Valentine's Day, and you may decide together what works best.
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