(…Or how Matt’s affection for his girlfriend makes all other gentleman suitors look really, really bad. *You’ll see.)

Making a good first impression with your website is crucial for your business or organization. Of course, making good impressions in person is also very important, especially around Valentine’s Day. At 360 PSG, some of us spent Valentine’s Day 2011 with someone new and some of us with more familiar acquaintances. I tried to find out how far some of us went to make those good impressions…

What did you do for Valentine’s Day this year?

Jason:

We attempted to go bowling but ended up just going out to dinner.

Lee:

We kind of took it easy with the soon to be Mrs. Dubs; we had a little dinner at the house.

Dan F.:

Spent time with my girlfriend and daughter, and exchanged gifts.

Dan B.:

Hung out at the crib.

Kelli:

I went to the gym (GREAT if you’re unattached on V-day!) and then out for a bit to meet up with some other friends.

Matt W.:

Dinner & wine at home, nothing special.

Matt: (SPOILER ALERT: This is the sappy part…)

Well, I did a lot of Valentine’s Day this year.  It was my first Valentine’s Day with the love of my life and I decided to take the day off.  I went to her work for lunch and brought her a teddy bear with chocolate roses.  She gave me a love letter with song titles scattered throughout and a CD with all the tracks.

After lunch I went to her parent’s home and decorated her door with 14 heart shaped notes with reasons why I love her.  Then on her bathroom mirror I put gel stickies that spelled out “I love you”.

When she got home from work I picked her up for dinner at Sean Patrick’s restaurant.  Then we headed over to my parent’s house and we exchanged the apple pies that we made for each other.  Great minds think alike I guess.  I capped off the presents by giving her a picture of the two of us in a gorgeous frame.

Then it was off to the basement where I had built us a blanket fort with a starlight projector casting onto the ceiling of the fort.  I read her a poem I wrote for her and we did devotionals.  (**Told you it was sappy…)

Ben:

Drinks, dessert and dancing at The Irregardless the night prior, then Oven-roasted Dungeness Crab and Roasted Beet Soup followed with a Chocolate Souffle made at home on Valentines night.

Chris:

Ever the hopeless romantic, I gave my girlfriend time to herself.  I did training at my firehall, and played regular Monday poker game.

Did you get your significant other a gift?  If so, what?

Lee:

Yep, a white gold necklace with a diamond heart charm.

Dan F.:

Her favorite perfume, a hand-made box for keepsakes, and a card (she loves cards).

Dan B.:

Homemade breakfast and dinner.

Matt W.:

Just flowers, saving for a wedding … and weddings are expensive.

Matt:

As mentioned above: A bear, chocolate roses, and a picture frame with a picture of us.

Ben:

Just a rose.

Chris:

One long stem rose.

Joel:

A purple Snuggie and a special date night event with wine and an art painting event.

Did you do any Valentine’s shopping online?

Lee:

NO, when it comes to jewelry I stick with the brick and mortar.

Matt:

Yeah, I bought the starlight projector online from eBay.

What did you get?

Jason:

Lots of candy and a gift certificate to Oogie Games.

Lee:

Ha ha, the love of a beautiful woman!

Dan F.:

Tickets to Drop Kick Murphy’s!

Dan B.:

Chocolate covered peanut butter filled pretzel nuggets and a popcorn bucket!

Kelli:

I got my first, 100% handmade valentine! And WAY TOO many cookies and chocolates.

Matt:

A beautiful letter, a great mix of songs on a CD, and some home-made apple pie – Yum!

Ben:

A chocolate and she helped me with the dinner this time.

What was your best Valentine’s Day?

Jason:

They are all about the same… awesome.

Lee:

A few years ago, we went out for an expensive dinner and stayed out at a hotel for the night.

Matt:

This one, for sure.

Ben:

When we had this same Valentine’s Day dinner way back in 2005 when we were only dating.

Chris:

I think this was.  I got a great new job and really enjoyed the whole day as a result.

Joel:

7 Years ago on Valentine’s Day I proposed to my wife. We spent the weekend in Toronto. We went to Medieval Times and in front of the whole king and court, she thought she was getting “knighted” but instead the king asked me to get down on one knee and she started crying. She had no idea.

What was your worst?

Jason:

Not necessarily the worst, but one year I decided to be spontaneous and take my girlfriend to Toronto and didn’t plan anything.  Who would have guessed that EVERY hotel in Toronto would be booked on Valentine’s Day?   We ended up driving back an hour towards Buffalo before finding a place to stay the night.

Dan B.:

Never had a bad one

Kelli:

It involved breaking up, Jim’s Steakout and watching Scarface (great flick, though!).

Matt:

I don’t know. I haven’t really had a bad V-day.

Ben:

Hugegram

Did you use any social media (Facebook/Twitter) to wish anyone a Happy V-Day? Or send your significant other some love?

Kelli:

Of course… Because I spend entirely too much time on Facebook.

Matt:

Nope, but a lot of my friends did.  My girlfriend posted her excitement up there on Facebook.

Joel:

Of course… you have to post on Facebook to be “part of the crowd”… The social pressures.

Anything else to add?

Dan B.:

Ultimate Manilow

Ben:

I’m always torn between obligation and earnest desire to do something on Valentine’s Day.  I hate that the holiday is so Hallmark, but it’s a good reminder of how I should be treating my loved one the other 364 days of the year.