Experts Weigh In On Valentine's Day Gift-Giving -- And Getting What You Want
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Just one week remained until Valentine's Day as of Friday.
And for many couples, finding the perfect gift – or making sure your partner knows what to get you – can be a challenge.
CBS 2's Janelle Burrell found some advice on how to get what you really want.
"He usually gets me flowers," one woman said.
But to get what you really want on Valentine's Day, most said you have to be strategic. Some people drop hints.
"Talk about it a little bit – 'Isn't that wonderful?'" said Judy Bowman of the Upper West Side.
"And when they things you're like, 'Oh, OK.' You make the mental note," added Brian Spain of the Van Cortlandt section of the Bronx.
Chrisi Harper and Tim Rawding of the Upper West Side, who are newly engaged, like to be a bit more deliberate.
"Send a list with links – it's perfect," Harper said.
"She's not subtle," added Rawding.
Then there are others such as Jazmin Valle, who do not mince words. She made her desire for a new Coach bag abundantly clear.
"Not that I want one – that I need one," said Valle, of Bushwick, Brooklyn. "I showed him the pictures and everything."
To give you an idea of just how important gift giving can be, according to one study, 53 percent of women say they'd actually end their relationship if they didn't get anything for Valentine's Day.
While some dismiss Valentine's Day as a made-up, commercial holiday, others argue that it is significant.
"It becomes a day that people take inventory and really measure just how much their worth to the other person," said relationship expert Dr. Jane Greer.
Greer said the key is never assuming, and communicating.
"Valentine's Day is a way to really get to know your partner better, and if you use it in that context, it can really mean something meaningful," Greer said.
With that in mind, shopping expert Shaye Strager said you can't go wrong with gifts that are personal.
"Engraving, and monogram, and secret love messages or a date -- that's really great for jewelry; a great gift for anyone; something that's meaningful, yet lasting," Strager said.
But perhaps the real experts are couples such as Mel and Judy McCoy.
"It's not about buying and giving," Mel McCoy said.
"It's the little things, every day," Judy McCoy added. "Every day."
After 33 years, that, they said, is the key to getting what you want on Valentine's Day and every year after.
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