In a world where pop stars have to wear meat dresses to get our attention, the standard teddy bear-plus-roses Valentine’s Day package isn’t going to cut it anymore. Let’s face it: imagination is in this season, and if it’s in the pink aisle at Walgreens this week, it doesn’t fall into the “creative” category.

Assuming your significant other is worth surprising on February 14, try a little harder this year – you might be raising the bar for yourself for Valentine’s Days to come, but if he or she is worth dating/marrying/loving, then you’ll welcome the challenge.

Some of the following ideas are less expensive than the normal V-Day fare, and are meant to be used as guidelines. Get creative! If you have more money to spend, then by all means, spend it. If you have less, these ideas can be altered to fit any budget.

For Your Lady

1. If she has a sweet tooth, make some cookies yourself. Nothing says “I love you” like a man trying to bake from scratch. Even if they taste, look, and smell horrible, a day spent trashing the kitchen for your woman will mean more to her than it ever will to you. Just make sure you clean up afterwards.

Bonus Points: If the first batch burns to a crisp, use them as a “love trail” that leads her to the edible batch. Put one on the dash of her car; arrange them in a heart on the driveway (when she rolls over them backing out of the driveway, she’ll get a good laugh out of it); send a tin to her office with a single, burnt cookie and a note that says, “I made you a cookie.”

2. Don’t buy her a Valentine – buy her 32.
Remember those boxes of paper valentines your mother used to buy for your classmates in elementary school? You can’t just buy one. So buy the box, and inside each one, write one thing you love about her.

Bonus Points: Get cartoon-themed valentines and write dirty things in them.

3. Get a nice bottle of whatever she likes to drink, and drink it somewhere you’re not supposed to.
Nothing brings out the puppy love in someone better than doing things you’re not allowed to do. There are endless possibilities for this tip – go to the movies; an art gallery; a park after dark. Make out under the Mississippi Bridge or hang out in Port Allen. Make friends with a bum!

Bonus Points: Bring a camera.

For Your Man

1. Dress up in something elegant; tell him to wear a suit; take him to karaoke.
Too many ladies forget this simple rule of male nature: with few exceptions, a man finds a woman sexiest when she doesn’t care what other people think of her. The suggestion above is one of many that can remind both of you.

Bonus Points: Use your karaoke slot to sing him a love song. Drag him to the stage…by his tie.

2. Line up a night of activities that he loves, but you don’t.
The day traditionally reserved for a man to selflessly show a woman that he loves her has gone on for too long. To reverse the effect of every romantic comedy he’s ever had to sit through, think about the things he does that you prefer not to participate in: football, video games, fishing, whatever. Do them with him, and instead of thinking about how much you hate them, watch the joy he gets from them, and enjoy yourself because of it. If he’s never remembered every moment of a previous Valentine’s Day, you can be sure he’ll remember that one.

Bonus Points: He will never forget to make reservations on Valentine’s Day ever again.

3. Have flowers delivered to his workplace.
If he’s the kind to get embarrassed, or if he’s got coworkers who will pick on him for it, don’t let that stop you – when he and his coworkers realize that he didn’t have the obligation to buy you flowers, they’ll likely think, “Hey, that’s something no one’s ever done for me.” This tip isn’t for every couple, so think about it long and hard before you call the florist.

Bonus Points: Send him a candy bouquet that he can share with his jealous coworkers.