I can't recall seeing any commercials advocating gifts from women to men. What is up with that?

I think men like to get gifts on Valentine's Day just as much as women do. I'm planning on getting my H something. It seems wrong to receive a gift from someone and not give something back in return.

I agree. But, have you noticed the disparity in advertising?

There's definitely a disparity in advertising. I wonder why that is?

Men bad/Women good?

Too simplistic, too black and white. Think harder, dig deeper.

Men are more easily guilted/manipulated into spending vast sums of money on women then women are on men? Popular media has spent years building up the image of women as overworked, overtasked, stretched to breaking for all that they do for the family, while men are useless slackers whose one redeeming quality is that they spend a lot of money on Valentine's Day and Mother's Day.

I think most guys would be perfectly happy with quality SF on Valentines' Day, but the consumer products industry makes almost no profit on that (aside from the $40 piece of lingerie that is going to come off in the first 5 minutes anyway). Contrast with the flowers, candy, cards, stuffed animals, pajama-grams, dinners and entertainment lavished on women.

St Valentine was the wooer in the story. He pursued the woman, not the other way round. I wonder how much he spent on her.

No wonder he was considered a saint!

I think it's that men have lives where they get to "feel like men" everyday, which I think is great. They go to work, where they are told and see themselves how great they are, and then their kids and wife greet him at the door to hug him when he gets home. A woman's day is different, she feels like she isn't doing enough at work, and then isn't doing enough at home. She picks up the kids at daycare, and they don't want to go home, they want to stay and play some more. Then home to make dinner, no one greets her at the door. I like how Dr. Harley in HNHN for Parents in the DS section encourages couples to make a realistic list of what they want to accomplish, so both wind up with short lists of to-dos that they can do well.

So given that dynamic, I think it's great to have a holiday where women get a day to "feel like a woman," too.

There was a bit on the radio yesterday about this. What is an appropriate gift for Everyman on Valentine's Day? There are many traditional standards for women, jewelry being #1, and all of them being 'romantic' gifts (lingerie, flowers, candy)...what are the 'romantic' gifts for men? Boxers with hearts on them? As far as jewelry, a watch is appropriate, but how often do you find a man who has a collection of watches, in the way women may have a collection of rings, necklaces, earrings, bracelets?

Our society just doesn't promote the romancing of men like we do women.

I don't care about jewelery, candy (I'm fat enough!!!), etc. I already got my H 2 cards (I always get one funny and one serious), and I am trying to figure out the rest. I am thinking about making him a honey do jar of tings for me to do. Some would be "romantic," but because of his high EN's. most would be practical. He would LOVE that.

I know there is much overlap in typically male and typically female behavior these days. But scientific and biological studies indicate over and over that men and women - whether we like it or not - really are different in some ways.

I don't wear any jewelry other than my wedding ring, I'm allergic to most perfumes, I can't stand lingerie, and flowers depress me because they start out so beautiful and then I have to watch them wither and die. But chocolate, well I'm perfectly okay with chocolate.

I think time is the best present you can give someone. Most special occasions, time is what my H and I give each other. We've never bought one another an anniversary present, but we celebrate our anniversary every year by going out and doing something fun together. This year, we went to Solvang for a night, just the two of us. Last year, we went to see Wicked. On our birthdays, we take each other out for a nice romantic dinner. I think for Valentine's Day, we're going hiking at a nearby nature preserve and having a picnic.

Gifts don't have to come in boxes. Some of the best "presents" I've ever received could not be wrapped.

They need to expend just as much effort on March the 14th!

*google is your friend*

lol @ Pariah.

Google es mi amigo!

That's a shame. J is working then too! oh well!

My anecdote about this. I stopped at the grocery store that has a great floral section to get my bride some flowers for the big day, and on the door it said "Men stay out of the dog house, visit our floral department" or something like that. That may not be an exact quote.

Anyway, nothing about ladies, get something for your man...

I've known about 3/14 for years. Now how do I put that on the family calendar without letting the kids know?

Maybe I just put that in DW's iPhone

Okay, I just had to go and look up March 14.

Now that is one funny YouTube video! I almost peed my pants. I'm just very happy that none of the kids were around while I was watching it.

That's all I have to say.