Carnations won’t cut it. We repeat: Stay away from the filling station forecourt - those buckets of sad looking blooms send the wrong message to the one you love. Yes, you’ve left it a bit late but that’s no reason to give up entirely. Here are some ideas for food, gifts and stay-at-home viewing that you can arrange on the way home and are guaranteed to win over the heart of even the most discerning Valentine.
Quick and Easy Dinners
You haven't made a booking and anyway who wants to be packed in like hungry lemmings with all those other loved up couples? Stay at home and whip up black-pepper steak and chips. It's a safe bet and better still this dish by Lilly Higgins can be made with only five ingredients. A quick visit to any supermarket will nab you the ingredients for this deceptively easy South East Asian salmon dish from Donal Skehan. The sticky and sweet caramel sauce is infused with wonderful aromas from ginger and chilli. Serve the salmon with warm rice and a generous spoonful of the aromatic caramel sauce.
Gifts for her
You might be a bit late to go faffing about trying to find the right sizes in the underwear department but silk or satin pajama sets are an easier option. Head into any big department store near you on the way home from work and there will be dressing gown or pajama options ensuring you avoid any Father Ted moments.
Gifts for him
Socks are a cliché for a reason- who doesn’t need a new pair of socks? These ones have hearts on them (suitable for the day that’s in it), they’re from Brown Thomas (so it will look like you were really generous) and they’re only €9.99. Bingo.
Does he smell like leather-bound books and have an apartment that smells of rich mahogany? Then this wash bag from H&M will be right up his street for €49.99. Maybe mention that you don't think he needs a wash.
Lubrication
A quick trip to the off-licence for champagne is in order but a more innovative addition to the " intimate" lubrication market is Skinfull Affairs on Exchequer Street in Dublin selling "conscientious cosmetics and beauty treatments". You can find a completely natural "Pleasure Warming Gel" here, made with ginger and organic aloe vera for €12.50. (Highly recommended by our tester)
Say it with (the right coloured) flowers
So you bypassed the filling station forecourt and managed to get to the florist where hopefully there are still some decent flowers left.
Whatever you do, don't get yellow roses (these signify jealousy, infidelity, or the decline of love), mint (madness) or striped carnations (a sign that the love is not mutual. Stick with reds and pinks and you can't go far wrong.
Netflix and, er, chill
Show them you’ve put some thought into your evening by choosing some romantic and funny viewing options. We recommend you ..
Snuggle up in front of Brooklyn and watch our own Saoirse Ronan dazzle from Wexford to New York in this award-winning Irish movie.
Revel in how much more stable your relationship is than the one former big shot lawyer Rebecca Bunch is pursuing on her musical quest for love, adventure and true happiness in Crazy Ex-Girlfriend. You'll laugh. You'll cry. (You might even cry laughing.)
Go retro with one of cinema's best relationship movies on Netflix Annie Hall starring Woody Allen and . Or revisit Clueless from 1995 with everyone's favourite valley girl Alicia Silverstone. Donald Clarke's pick of 50 best movies on Netflix right now can be found here.
