Show her how much you love her this Valentine's Day

(ARA) - With Feb. 14th fast approaching, it's time to think about how you're going to express your undying affection to your Valentine. There are of course the usual suspects: a greeting card, a heart-shaped box of candy or a dozen roses. When it comes to selecting the Valentine's Day gift that makes the perfect statement, you really can't go wrong with flowers.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 180 million people go the greeting card route. A greeting card may be able to convey the message of love you're going for, but let's face it - spending a buck or two on some sappy pre-written prose isn't likely to impress a loved one. You'd be much better off crafting your own heartfelt sentiments using a blank card or writing something in longhand on some fine stationery.

Thirty-eight percent of Valentine's Day celebrants choose candy to say, "I love you." And while the decadence of a fine collection of chocolates seems like it would be an appropriate token of your affection, you run the risk of your sweet offering backfiring. Did your beloved make a resolution just mere weeks ago to shed those extra pounds? Would your thoughtful gesture be seen as a thoughtless obstacle to achieving that goal?

This leaves flowers. More thoughtful than a mass-produced card and with no caloric ramifications, a floral bouquet offers color, beauty and a light, lovely fragrance. Unfortunately, a dozen roses can also offer a hefty price tag as many florists take advantage of the increased Valentine holiday demand by doubling prices. No wonder the floral industry earns more than $400 million a year in revenue.

In order to delight your sweetheart without putting a bite in your budget, consider the following strategy for Valentine's flowers:

* Rather than going for long-stemmed roses, consider petite roses in a floral arrangement. You can still give her the gorgeousness of roses, at about half the price of the long-stemmed version.

* Opt for a color other than traditional "red." Often, non-red roses will cost less since red ones are in such demand at Valentine's Day. Try pure white, sunny yellow, offbeat salmon or pretty pink. Or maybe even a mixture of colors.

* Mix half a dozen red roses with baby's breath, ferns and some white carnations. You get the glory of velvety roses at a fraction of the cost of the standard dozen. Go for another type of flower altogether. After all, roses are so traditional they've almost become boring. You can brighten up her Valentine's Day with an arrangement of bright tulips, Peruvian lilies or an assortment of iris.

* Scope out deals on special Valentine's Day arrangements by using online florists. Search out Valentine's deals in the form of a Proflowers coupon, FTD coupon or a 1800Flowers coupon. These codes often allow you to shave 15 to 20 percent off your online floral order.

How do you love her? Well, if you're no Shakespeare and can't express your feelings in a sonnet, say it with flowers. Whether it's a dozen long-stemmed roses, a floral arrangement or a bouquet, flowers are the universal language of love.

Courtesy of ARAcontent