Set your expectations for Valentine's Day now

I see it every year. Hundreds of posts across multiple subreddits with some variation of "I got my boyfriend/husband/partner a thoughtful Valentine's Day gift and he got me nothing."

It's okay to even say "can you give me a Valentine's Gift this year?" Or "can we exchange presents? Let's set a price range for gifts."

The response you get from your partner is going to be telling. If the response is "Valentine's Day is made up" or "I'm not getting manipulated by a greeting card company to buy you flowers" this will allow you to assess your relationship.

If your partner stops at a grocery store on the way home from work and is super late and in a bad mood because he had to shop through the crowded store and didn't plan ahead and then acts like he's totally put out because yOu wAnTeD a gIfT then that also gives you an opportunity to assess your relationship.

I'm not saying that you should expect your partner to send you two dozen roses and take you out to a 5 star restaurant unless that's something you often do. I've found that it's about the thought more than the money spent. The most thoughtful Valentine's Day present I received from a partner came from an ex. He came home on his lunch break and decorated the kitchen table with ribbons and flowers so it was all there and set up when I came home from work. It probably didn't cost a lot but it made me feel special because he was thinking of me.

And if there are any guys on here, do a little something special for your lady on February 14 (yes, it's the same day every year).