Dear Wifey:

I love celebrating Valentine’s Day. I like the candy, the flowers the romantic dinners the works. But it never seems to be a big priority for my man to show his love and appreciation for me on this special day. How do I get him to up the romance on February 14th? Mrs. Hopeless Romantic

Dear Mrs. Hopeless Romantic:

Sometimes you have to take matters into your own hands. It sounds like Valentine's Day, and all it's trimmings, is just not his thing. Don't force him to be the one who is responsible for planning the V Day festivities it will only leave both of you frustrated. Instead, you take the lead and create a celebration that will make you happy. There's no rule saying the man has to be the one to spark the romance. Entice and tease him. Leave him some love notes or send him a sexy text. You just might be surprised at how he reacts and gets involved. If you plan an evening filled with dinner, candles and sexy lingerie I'm willing to bet he'll play along.

You can also help him step up his romance game by gently telling him exactly what you want. Don't demand anything, but don't assume either that he knows what you desire. Be specific. If candy is important to you, share with him that you've set up a fabulous evening and all you need him to do is show up with a box of your favorite chocolates. Oh, and make sure he knows he should be ready for a fun, long evening, too.

Winks & Smiles,

Wifey

Lorraine Sanabria Robertson, a freelance writer and successful public relations consultant, is author of Help! I'm a Newlywed What Do I Do Now? Wife-Saving Advice Every New Bride Must Know to Survive the First Year of Marriage (30 Miles Media, Inc.). She blogs about marriage, motherhood and mayhem at AskWifey.com, and is co-founder of TheBlogRollers.com, a site dedicated to promoting the power of female bloggers and the brands that support them. She lives in Atlanta with her husband and their two children.

Flickr credit: Sister72