2 Focus on the food. Most Valentine's Day dates are built around some element of eating, whether it's an all-out dinner or just chocolates. Think about what sort of cuisine you and your date both enjoy. Be sure to work around any food allergies or dietary restrictions. Here's a few different options for dining:

• Cook at home. Show your date how dedicated you are to a memorable evening by crafting an elegant meal yourself. This way, you can customize the food and make exactly what you and your date want. Think of some heartfelt ways of presenting the food - arrange the salad in the shape of a heart; use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to cut out bread pieces, pour a berry coulis for a cake in a heart shape.

Go to a restaurant. If you want someone else to worry about the food and ambiance while you focus on your date, choose a restaurant you both like. Be careful, though; Valentine's Day is a notoriously difficult time to get reservations, and the waits for your table and your food may be long. Consider going the night before or the night after; if you do want to go out on the 14th, make a reservation well in advance.

 Order in. Combine the intimacy of eating at home and the relaxation of having someone else cook for you by ordering take-away or delivery food. Again, because Valentine's Day is a popular holiday, be wary of long wait times and slow deliveries.

Think about the extras. You might want to order baked treats from a patisserie, or pick up a special beverage for the occasion.

After the meal is over, have chocolates and out-of-the-ordinary warm drinks planned (for example, hot chocolate with a dash of liqueur or fruit syrup, latte coffee, etc.).

3 Set the mood. Whether you're going out or staying in, you can do a few things to establish a romantic ambiance and put your date in a good mood. Dress up a bit and take extra care for your appearance. Speak in gentle, loving tones. Hold your date's gaze and sit or stand close to him or her. And smile!

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