Creative His and Hers Gift Ideas for this Valentine's Day

Cynics and holiday haters shield your eyes. Valentine's Day is coming up, but just because love is in the air does not mean this time of year ceases to be stressful.

For any guy, buying a girl a gift for Valentine's Day is a piece of cake. Give her roses, a card, chocolates (the female kryptonite) and you are good to go. If you have been dating your girlfriend for a long time, it is sometimes good to step it up and go for the gold sterling silver in the little blue box, but if your budget is broken you should not have any problems sticking to the signature sweet gifts that make V-Day special.

As a girl things get much more interesting. What are you supposed to buy your guy? I've searched, I've compiled, I've run ideas by a million men, and I've come up with foolproof gift ideas that will score you points at every price. Keep in mind it is always the thought that counts, and Valentine's Day can be celebrated with anyone special in your life, not just a significant other, so do not feel discouraged if you are single and loving it.

They say the way to any man's heart is through his stomach, so this year it might be interesting to keep things homemade for your Valentine. Figure out what his favorite type of food or dessert is and whip it up. Even if your cooking skills don't delight the taste buds, the fact that you were thoughtful enough to try and make his favorite speaks volumes. And if the food or dessert actually tastes delicious this gift becomes that much better.

It may be cliché but another gift idea that never fails is cologne. Cologne is a present to yourself; you are the one who will constantly smell whatever scent you opt for. You need to choose wisely, so if you want to buy your significant other a classic scent that can withstand the test of time Giorgio Armani Acqua Di Gio is without a doubt your best bet. Acqua Di Gio is available in Sephora stores and on Sephora.com where a 1oz bottle costs $35.

Another affordable gift idea that might surprise him is a one-year subscription to his favorite magazine. This kind of gift keeps on giving, and the best part is it will only set you back about $14 dollars. If he is into music Spin magazine is a must and the quarterly magazine Paste is a visually-stimulating escape into the latest in music news. Men's Health and Sport's Illustrated are also obvious choices and if you two live apart every time he gets a new issue in the mail he will think of you… as if he had not been already.

The final gift idea for any guy is a DVD of a season of his favorite television show. Whether he loves The Office, Arrested Development, Entourage (as 99.9% of the male population does) or anything else, knowing that you know him well enough to buy him the perfect DVD will mean a lot. Plus it is always fun to stay in, hang out and have something good to watch.

Now enough with the boys. If you are a female flying solo this Valentine's Day it might be fun to treat yourself to something special besides the occasional piece of chocolate. Here are a few Valentine's-inspired accessories I have come across that would be perfect to wear this coming weekend.

This Valentine's Day add a pop of color to any outfit with the Marc By Marc Jacobs "Miss Marc" Enamel Hinge Bracelet available for $78 at Nordstrom. This red enamel bangle is easy to slip on, and the bold color will make whatever you are wearing more interesting. The bangle also comes in black and white and any of the colors look gorgeous stacked together so you have the freedom to mix and match as you please.

I also suggest the Juicy Couture "Juicy Tootsie Package" Cotton Tee on sale at Bloomingdales stores and on Bloomingdales.com for $40. The elongated silhouette of the tee gives it a slimming effect and the blush-red color makes it perfect to lounge around in this weekend wherever you are on campus.

My final accessory suggestion is the Quilted Fold-Over Clutch Bag available in red for $48 on Topshop.com. The bag's texture makes it look like classic Chanel, and the long chain makes this purse edgy and easy to carry with you during any night out. The strap is also adjustable, so you can make it longer or shorter depending on where you are and what look you are going for.

Besides chocolates, flowers and a legitimate excuse to buy red accessories, this Saturday is really all about spreading the love. So whether you are in the holiday spirit or not have a fantastic weekend, and have a very happy Valentine's Day.