The rush is on! Valentine’s Day is less than a month away, and I have a bet with some of my friends as to just which one of us will come up with the most creative gift for their significant other on the big day.

Here are are few great gift ideas for those of you who might need a nudge in the right direction:

For her:

1. Spa Package - give her a day of pampering. A pedicure, manicure, facial, etc. goes a long way after a long day.

2. Cookie Bouquet - For the lady with a sweet tooth. Always a big surprise!

3. Dinner - Any dude can take his favorite girl to a restaurant for dinner. But you’re different! Make dinner for her…you know, candles, flowers, soft music, great conversation. Throw in something special, and make her favorite dish, or make something that you both absolutely adore. I don’t know a woman who would be unhappy with that.

4. Cosy Pajamas or Lingerie - Works great for both of you.

5. Chocolate covered strawberries giftbox - Chocolate and strawberries all wrapped up in a gorgeous giftbox. Need I say more?

6. Make a CD of love songs - I know, I know…sounds cheesy, but it really is very sweet. Choose carefully, some combinations of songs have a tendency to come off as being way too drippy.

7. Diamonds are always a safe bet, and you can get them to fit into any budget.

8. Let’s not forget the roses. Every woman I know loves to receive a bouquet of her favorite flowers on this day.

For Him:

Men don’t tend to look forward to this day as much as we girls do, but here are a few suggestions for your gift to him.

1. Make him a special dinner. After all, they say that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, and what better time to test that theory? But Valentine’s isn’t the night to try out something new. Make his favorite dish, you can’t go wrong with that.

2. Candles, and a romantic CD. Who doesn’t like candles these days? Aromatherapy candles work wonders after a long day. Try not too to go too syrupy with the music though. Most men totally turn off to those drippy love tunes.

3. Romantic Lingerie. Okay, so it’s a gift for you, but why not give it to him and kill two birds with one stone?

Have a wonderful, romantic Valentine’s Day everyone!

Alexandra

Copyright 2006 Alexandra Warner All Rights Reserved

Alexandra Warner has been addicted to fashion for about as long as she can remember, at least since the age of about five or six. She posts her favorite deals on a weekly basis. New designers, not-so-new designers, wicked threads, gawk-worthy pieces, inspirational tidbits, and some great deals, all found at http://thefashionmap.blogspot.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Alexandra_Warner

Right now, there is a new blog published every second, according to Technorati, the search engine that keeps track of Weblogs. In August 2005 there were over 7 million blogs, that number is now over 14 million.

Weblogs have become the homepages of the 21st century and are used for everything from sharing recipes, personal opinions and travel adventures, to the latest in political and economic news.

Blogs are also facing their share of controversy and praise. Reporters Without Borders recently published their “short list” of the seven best blogs out of 60, which won the “Freedom Blog Awards” for defending freedom of expression.

Winners (who are chosen by the public who vote for their favorite blogs) included “Shared Pains” which describes life in Afghan, and Mojtaba Saminejad, an Iranian whose blog is published in the Farsi language. (He received a two-year prison sentence in 2005 because of his blog). Another winner, Jeff Ooi, publishes the Malaysian blog “Screenshots” which is in English. Because he allowed a comment on his blog back in 2004 which reportedly “insulted Islam” according to authorities, he was also threatened with imprisonment.

This award marks the first year for the event, but Reporters Without Borders hopes to make it an annual one. The organization follows and reports on freedom of the press around the world.

In oppressive countries, such as Iran (which shut down almost all independent newspapers in 2000), blogs have provided a way for journalists and others to express themselves and share the latest news and happenings. But speaking up in such places often has serious consequences, such as one blogger in Iraq who was jailed by authorities after speaking up about what was simply a local problem.

China is another repressive area. Recently Chinese authorities declared that all bloggers had to register their blogs with them, or risk being shut down.

To help combat these and similar problems around the world, organizations are being set up to provide global support among bloggers for those who are being repressed.

One of the biggest controversies right now, is whether bloggers should receive “journalistic” status. Some people see blogs and bloggers as a kind of counterbalance to what they see as media arrogance, while others call them vigilantes. Recent events with Newsweek, CBS News and others have caused a division between the main stream media and bloggers who feel the “truth is out there” and they want it told.

One thing both bloggers and the mainstream media agree on, is that things have been forever changed. The tools of mass media are no longer the property of the press alone, they’re also freely available to the people. If the medium is the message, what impact will blogging have on our lives.

Not as controversial, blogs have also become a mainstream tool of large and small businesses everywhere.

Blogging provides a simple and low-cost method for businesses to stay in touch with their customers, get free publicity and build a business brand.

As technology continues to evolve, and the number of blogs continues to rise, it remains to be seen whether blogging will remain an effective business and marketing tool. But one thing is for certain – blogs are here to stay.

Dan Mitchell reports on blogs for http://www.bloggingtrends.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dan_Mitchell

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