Chart-Topping Musicians Offer Creative Tips for a Memorable, Romantic Valentine’s Day

This Valentine’s Day, forget about flowers and chuck the chocolate. Experts in romance say that with just a little time and effort, you can give your sweetheart a gift that’s memorable enough to make her forget about those balled up gym socks you keep throwing on the floor.

Giving a clichéd gift like candy or flowers is easy, but it’s not very memorable. “Valentine’s Day is a perfect opportunity to do something a lot more creative than sending a dozen roses,” says singer Deborah Gibson. The former pop princess built her career by writing and performing romantic tunes, including her number-one love songs “Lost in Your Eyes” and “Only in My Dreams.”

Gibson is joining piano-playing duo The O’Neill Brothers – who’ve sold more than a million copies of their collections of romantic instrumental music – for a Valentine’s concert tour across the Midwest. They’ve also collaborated on a new CD of love songs, “Someone You Love.” The trio tapped into their romantic repertoire to come up with seven creative gift suggestions that will be music to your Valentine’s ears.

Think homemade. Put together a scrapbook of your wedding, a particularly memorable party or a trip you and your significant other took together. “There’s a lot to the old saying that it’s the thought that counts,” says Tim O’Neill. “It doesn’t have to be perfect. Just the fact that you made the gift yourself will win you some considerable points.”

Pass on the reservations. Instead of going out for dinner, plan a picnic in your living room, complete with a blanket, picnic basket, candlelight and bottle of wine. Or, prepare your sweetheart’s favorite meal. If you really want to splurge, hire a chef to come in and cook for you.

Throw a Valentine’s party. What better way to celebrate than to invite your friends over for an elaborate get-together? You and your partner will bond over the party preparations and hosting the bash, and your friends – whether their single or in a relationship – will appreciate having an alternative to their standard Valentine’s plans. You could make the party a throwback to elementary school, with everybody decorating a cardboard “mailbox” and passing out tiny Valentine’s cards and candy hearts.

Plan an outing. You don’t need to whisk your true love off to Paris to make an impact. Treat your sweetheart to a day of his or her favorite activities, whether it’s skating, shopping, visiting a museum or going to a movie that he or she’s been wanting to see. “Demonstrating that you’ve been paying attention to his or her favorite things – and that you want to do them together – will mean a lot,” says Ryan O’Neill.

Hit the road. Take a romantic trip by revisiting the places you used to frequent early in your relationship. Go back to the place where you first met, shared a first kiss or talked about falling in love. Revisiting meaningful locations will remind you why you fell in love in the first place.

Learn together. Forgo traditional gifts and sign up for a class you’ll both enjoy instead, like cooking, yoga or something more exhilarating, like rock climbing or ballroom dancing.

Have a heart. Do something to help someone else like visiting a blood bank and making a donation together or volunteering at a non-profit organization. You’ll not only generate some warm fuzzies by contributing together, your karma will get a nice little boost, to boot.

For more information about Deborah Gibson and The O’Neill Brothers’ Valentine’s concert tour and “Someone You Love” CD, visit www.pianobrothers.com.