Students give more than their hearts away

Rushing to stores such as Woodring's Floral Gardens, Wild Card and the Tavern Restaurant, the love-struck couple attempts to find the perfect tokens of appreciation to tell their significant other how much they care. The only problem: they want their Valentine's Day gifts to be absolutely perfect.

Searching for the perfect Valentine's Day gift can get complicated.

"I always wait until the last minute because I never know what to get," said Tammy Russler (junior-therapeutic recreation). "It's like being on a frantic witch hunt."

To relieve some of the frustration many men and women may experience, a survey of about 50 University women and 25 men was conducted to discover gifts men and women desire most for Valentine's Day. Gifts chosen most often included candy, a card, clothing, a romantic dinner, flowers and jewelry.

Candy

With shoppers walking out with two of the holiday's most popular sellers, peanut butter meltaways and candies in the traditional heart-shaped boxes, Gardner's Candy, 202 W. College Ave., has been quite busy over the past week and a half, said sales associate Dottie Cantley. The store is expecting a rush of shoppers today and tomorrow.

"Women supposedly are chocoholics -- they get their chocolate fix for the year," Cantley said. "Valentine's Day is definitely the biggest candy holiday."

Cards

Clothing

Whether your shopping bag contains lingerie or sports apparel, clothes are always a possibility no matter what the occasion. But many students feel clothing should only be a possibility for Valentine's Day if the relationship is serious.

"Women can always buy clothing for their boyfriends, but if you are just seeing a guy, dinner is a better option," said Sarah Girard (senior-psychology).

Romantic dinner

If a romantic dinner for two is appealing, reservations are being taken at The Tavern Restaurant, 220 E. College Ave. Reservations have been somewhat full since this past weekend, said manager Pat Daugherty. This year, the restaurant has taken fewer reservations than last year and is planning to take more walk-ins, he said.

Flowers

"(Flowers) have been with us since the beginning of time," Woodring said. "They are natural, beautiful and appropriate for any occasion when it comes down to it."

Jewelry

For the jewelry industry, sales have been the best they've ever been, said Mickey Muchler, manager of Kranich's Jewelers Inc., 216 E. College Ave. Diamonds have been the most popular purchase, with rubies coming in second.

The question still at hand is what do University men and women desire most from their mates? For men, arriving at her apartment, house or dorm with flowers may be an added plus, but the No. 1 item on many women's Valentine's Day lists is a romantic dinner for two.

On the other hand, women may find themselves making reservations at an area restaurant or searching through the clothing racks at any sports or retail department store for the No. 1 items on men's lists -- a night out on the town or clothing.