1. Do discuss Valentine’s Day with the person you are dating. If one of you loves the holiday and the other can’t bear it, come up with a compromise. Valentine’s is on a Tuesday this year. Pick a night for a romantic dinner in between the Super Bowl and Valentine’s and avoid the high-priced dining reservations.

2. Don’t wait until the week before to ask her to spend the Valentine’s with you. If you are dating someone special and you know for sure you’d like her to be your Valentine, ask her out at least two weeks in advance.

3. Do make a dinner reservation for February 14^th, even if you’re dateless on February 1^st. Go ahead and reserve a table and be open to the possibilities. You can always cancel the reservation when it gets closer to Valentine’s Day, if you haven’t already developed a new crush during crunch time.

4. Don’t ask her out for Valentine’s Day in an email or a text message. This is the time for you to either pick up the phone and call or better yet, ask her in person if your relationship is going well.

5. Do try in-room dining this year. Light some candles, cook up a simple meal in the kitchen together and look forward to a steamy dessert.

6. Don’t go overboard with flowers. It’s the thought that counts. Stop by your local grocery story and pick up one long stemmed rose. It has the same impact as the full dozen and is 1/12th the price.

7. Do accept invitations for Valentine’s dances and parties the weekend before February 14^th if you’re single. You won’t feel alone with so many other singles in a fun and flirty setting. Wear pink or red for the occasion and say yes if someone asks you to be his or her Valentine. You may not fall in love with your Valentine, but you might just find a new loyal friend.

8. Don’t make gift giving too much pressure. You may still be paying off your credit card bill from the holidays. A card, a hug, and some lingerie and massage oils will make a memorable evening and won’t break the bank.

10. Do wake up in the morning and wish your loved one a Happy Valentine’s Day in a voicemail, email, or text message to let them know that you’re looking forward to spending the evening together. If you’re friends on Facebook and have posted your status as “In a Relationship,” take it a step further and wish them a Happy Valentine’s Day on their wall.

9. Don’t be blue if you can’t be with your sweetheart on Valentine’s Day. Schedule a SKYPE date, wear red, put on your lipstick, and flirt the night away with your long distance love.

Do you look forward to or dread Valentine’s Day? We’d like to hear your comments.

Julie Spira is an online dating expert and founder of CyberDatingExpert.com. She creates irresistible profiles for singles on the dating scene. For more dating advice, sign up for the Weekly Flirt and Like us at Facebook. Follow Julie on Twitter @JulieSpira

I received an email on Facebook from a former radio colleague of mine telling me that he was getting divorced at 60. He was petrified about dating after being married for 25 years.  He bought my book, The Perils of Cyber-Dating and joined a boomer online dating site.

Within a week, he submitted his first story for The Peril of the Week.

“I was just putting my toe in the dating water when I met a woman who had already gone off the deep end. “Rita” had a profile that reflected that she was smart, sassy, and had movie star looks. She messaged me about getting together for a glass of wine, and I said to myself “self, why not?” First bad sign for someone like me looking for honesty and trust in a relationship – she arrived looking much older than her picture, which was a glamour shot taken 15 years ago. The years had not been that kind to Rita, with a big weight gain and much sadder eyes.

By her 3rd glass of wine, Rita was getting very loud and in full party mode. By her 5th, she was talking about how great a lover she was, in graphic detail. After her 6th glass, I was able to pry her away from the bar and out to her car. Rita proceeded to pounce, with aggressive kisses and that extra hand women always complain about men having that seems to go right for the privates. I decided I really didn’t want my privates to go public with this woman.

I guess I have matured a little bit since the hormone raging days where I would have hit on her in a second (and probably lasted that long, too). I followed Rita home to make sure she was able to drive OK, and took off, telling her I just wasn’t ready to get intimate with anyone again. I don’t mean to make light of anyone with a drinking problem, but I have decided that coffee dates are better first dates than wine dates. Coffee opens your eyes to what she’s like, while drinking clouds your feelings and potentially your judgment. Note to self: Self, if you are not ready to swim, don’t dive into the deep end of the dating pool.”

The Peril of the Week was contributed by Suddenly Single at 60. Photo credit: Fotolia.

Do you have a dating disaster story to share?

Julie Spira is a leading online dating expert and the author of the bestseller, The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online. Visit CyberDatingExpert.com for dating advice and share your online dating stories. Follow Julie on twitter @JulieSpira and like her at Facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert