In case you haven’t noticed the calendar, Valentine’s Day is coming right up! Yep, that day when we celebrate LOVE! Have you looked at the price of flowers lately? A heart-shaped box of quality chocolates? Saying “I Love You” never comes cheap. Be ready to fork over the big bucks!

Ha! I saw one FaceBook post of a rose-red Range Rover beneath which someone had noted, “Wouldn’t this look good in my driveway on Valentine’s Day?” The FB post says Range Rover is giving two of these away just prior to the big day … but apparently, it’s a giant hoax. (The car does look nice though.)My Beloved and I have never been ardent gift-givers. Early in our marriage, we scrimped to save for the important things and Valentine’s Day was an opportunity for creativity. Some of my best cards from my long-time Beau were simple handmade cards on which he expressed his love for me. My handmade expressions were usually more grandiose productions than his but I won’t suggest they outshone his.

When time became more of a factor (than money), we graduated to Hallmark cards. But after several years of exchanging identical cards (I’m not kidding … we’d independently chosen the same exact cards), we agreed to meet for a date in the greeting card section of a local store and view all the cards without buying one (or two)!

Still, as I wander around the worldwide web, I often come across various items I think would make excellent Valentine’s Day gifts … if indeed I were inclined to buy one (or any).

At the present time, my email is overflowing with suggestions:  Shari’s Berries having a Valentine Flash Sale, 1-800-Fl♥wers holding a 25% off site-wide sale, Cherry Moon Farms tempting me with crackers and nuts, ProFlowers matching the other floral offer, and even Roku hawking its latest product with the headline TV candy for your sweetheart.

Ah, the enticing magic of digital marketing!

Yes, I have purchased at one time or another products from each of these companies. But this year, I have put away my credit card and curtailed my online purchases. I mean, as beautiful as flowers are, they wilt and die, a sad reminder of our fallen world. Alas, candy is deliciously fleeting on the lips, but makes its final foothold on the hips. Who needs it? As for that rose-red Range Rover, well, it would look nice in my driveway but like most automobiles, they eventually age and require repairs.

Quite by accident, I stumbled across what I think is the perfect gift, a gift that truly expresses a man’s love for his beloved. A man who bestows such a gift on his beloved proves with this gift that he is totally secure in her love. And once he has presented it to her, his next best present is to periodically accompany her to the gun range for target practice. This gift (or a similar item) communicates how much he loves her and genuinely desires her companionship for many years to come.

Next to this Valentine’s Day present, flowers, candy, and yes, even a red Range Rover pale by comparison!