Valentine’s Day is such a special day, a day to celebrate love and romance. A day to show that someone special how much they mean to you.

I remember the Valentine’s Day parties we had in grade school. We decorated brown paper bags, put our names on them and then they were taped along the bottom of the blackboard as our “mail boxes.”

As I recall most of the girls’ bags were decorated with a lot of hearts and flowers and paper doilies. Most of the boys colored their bags with cars and trucks and monsters. The cards that were placed in the “mail boxes” followed the same patterns. The cards from girls were cute and frilly. The cards from boys were of the Tonka or joke variety.

The boys just didn’t get it back then and I’m sure that when they grew into manhood they didn’t have much of a clue then either.

Oh, I know, a lot of men get Valentine’s cards for their sweeties. Some get flowers or jewelry and some even purchase all three and maybe even throw in a box of candy for good measure.

That’s really sweet and I know from personal experience that those gifts of love are really appreciated. In fact, I have a drawer full of Valentine’ Day cards that my No. 1 man has given me over the years. I just can’t seem to part with them.

So, us ladies do love the cards, flowers etc., but what we would really love for Valentine’s Day is for you guys to show the softer, more sensitive side that we know you have.

Listen up guys, this is a little piece of Valentine’s Day advice just for you. If you want to do the cards and flowers you go right ahead, in fact I hope you do. But if you really want to sweep your sweetie off her feet, go rent a chick flick and watch it with her.

Sitting through the “Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood” will score you more points than a dozen long-stem red roses.

And don’t pick on her when she cries over the end of the relationship in “The Bridges of Madison County.” What you have to understand is that when a woman cries over a sad movie she’s not just crying over a tear-jerking scene; she’s purging over everything that has been hanging around in her heart for who knows how long.

And if you really want to score big points, hold her in your arms and cry with her when the ship goes down in “Titanic.” Don’t hide behind a newspaper or get up and go to the bathroom. Sob and let the tears flow. It’s good for you and it will be a Hallmark moment that she will never forget. You will be rewarded.

You guys think it’s the macho thing that appeals to women, but you are wrong. We really go for the sensitive side. Take us to see “Terms of Endearment” and we’re putty in your hands.

So do get your special someone some flowers and a card because she really will appreciate it and probably save the card just like I do. But if you really want to make her day, stop by the video store and bring home a tearjerker you can both cry over.

If you do that, the way I see it, you’ll both have a very, very happy Valentine’s Day. I truly hope you do.