It’s almost February! Here are some ideas to get you started in planning Valentine’s Day for that special geek in your life:

For the Mario enthusiast:

Mario and Peach as a cake topper
The Date: Go-Karts! Bonus if you bring costumes and yell out catchphrases during the race.

The Dinner: Italian of course!

The Gift: Anything you can fit in this neat mystery box printable from Cypher7523 on deviantArt:

Click thumbnail to get full imageFor the Tolkien fan:

Sam and Rosie
The Date: Go see “The Hobbit”. Alternatively, gather a band of dwarves and embark on a romantic, peril-filled journey together.

The Dinner: Impress your date with your hobbit-like skill in the kitchen. “Recipes from Middle-Earth” features everything from Lembas Bread to Butter Ale and even has breakfast recipes (if you should be so bold).

The Gift: Probably jewelry… a jewelled pendant? A nice ring, perhaps?

For the Star Trek fan:

Picard and Vash
The Date: Spend the day out around town and pretend you’re a landing party exploring Earth culture in the 21st century. You could also just snuggle at home with a Netflix marathon of the most romantic episodes.

The Dinner: Alas, Quark’s Bar and Grill at Star Trek: The Experience is no longer available for dining. If you really wanted to go the distance, you could convince a local bartender to dress like a Ferengi, Guinan or Neelix for the evening, but I’d recommend an intimate dinner for two in your quarters.

The Gift: Skip the adorable puppy or kitten and get your sweety a Tribble. You could also bake some homemade Star Trek cookies.

For the World of Warcraft player:

World of Warcraft Steamy Romance Novel…ooh la la!

The Date: A stroll in Eversong or Feralas, visiting the waterfalls in Sholazar Basin, or a sky-gazing tour of Azeroth can help bring some romance to your avatars. Or, for more face-to-face time, you could try a boardgame night with Monopoly: World of Warcraft Collector’s Edition followed by a massage for your partner’s shoulders, arms and hands. Trust me: if you’re a gamer and have never had a forearm massage, you’re in for an experience.

The Dinner: Cater the night to your darling’s prefered faction/races. Scroll down to “Fine Dining 201” in this guide to see a great organization of in-game dishes for inspiration.

The Gift: That awesome item you played for months to get (or bought off the black market). Alternatively, a piece of Hearthstone jewelry could help open that big “let’s move in together” conversation.

What are your plans for Valentine’s Day?