How To Romance Your Man

Too often Valentine's Day is about romancing the woman in your life with gifts that range from lingerie to jewelry.

Men need romancing too, but not necessarily with chocolates or flowers. Instead they need emotional gifts from women, says Kate White, editor-in-chief of Cosmopolitan magazine.

She says many women get too comfortable with men after they have been in the relationship for a while. There is a fine balance women need to find between feeling safe and comfortable and keeping the sparks alive.

So on an Early Show series called "From the Heart," she offered the following tips on how to romance your man and continue to feed the fire in your relationship.

Create Relationship Rituals: Introduce activities that are unique to you as a couple to create a bond. It doesn't have to be anything big; it could be as simple as simple as having pizza night one specific day of the week. One guy told White that he loved Bohemian night - a night where he and his girlfriend eat cheese, salami, bread, and wine for dinner.

Pamper him but keep it simple: Guys don't need much complication. Just buying his favorite cookies the next time you're at the grocery store is a gesture he loves. You don't have to go over the top to prove to him that you still care or that you are aware of little needs.

Keep the mystery: It's important to be yourself, but you do need to keep certain things a mystery. Do not let him see you bleach your mustache or put the green mask on your face. He may not tell you it bothers him, but it might it make him think of you as a little less sexy. He doesn't need to know exactly how you keep yourself looking great.

Thrill him with the unexpected: According to White, guys thrive on variety (they just seem to have shorter attention spans) and unanticipated events trigger the pleasure center in the brain. If he's always the first one home from work -- come home early one day and surprise him by greeting him at the door. If he always does the grocery shopping, you should do it one day. Little things like that will make him feel cherished. And if he always plans the date, you should plan the next date and pick up the tab. This will make him feel special and lets him know that you're not taking advantage of him.

Understand the "guy" definition of romance: Don't be turned off if his idea of a romantic afternoon is throwing the Frisbee around and having a picnic in the park instead of a fancy dinner. Men and women don't see romance the same way. Men don't like long hours of conversation and certainly don't always think a candlelight dinner is romantic. Readjust the way you perceive romance.

Acknowledge the little things he does: At one time we would have profusely thanked our man for grabbing bagels and coffee on Sunday morning while you lounged in bed. Now, we barely acknowledge it because partly we expect it. It's important to thank him for the little things because if you don't, he might become resentful and if he stops doing them, you might get angry, too.