At a loss as to what to get your beloved this Valentine's Day? Need to atone for last year's diamond ring keyring stunt? Maybe we can help, as we've got 3 luxury Valentine's Day breakfast in bed hampers from Forman & Field to give away. Stuffed full of bubbles (of the drinking variety not the blowing kind), smoked salmon, coffee, jam, crispbreads and lots of innocent smoothies, we'll even arrange the hamper to be delivered straight to whoever it is you want to spoil.
To be in with a chance of winning, all you have to do is tell us about the worst romantic gift/gesture you've ever been on the receiving end of below by 9am on Monday February 13th. The 3 that we feel most sorry for will be rewarded with a delicious hamper and our deepest sympathies.
This competition is now closed. Thanks to everyone who entered, and well done to Linda Guest, Stana Magnusova and Alison Blencowe who won the hampers.
On our first xmas together, my partner gave me a gift...he told me he spent days trying to choose the perfect one..i was so excited he gave me the package which was a watch, one that would suit a much more mature lady i was (25yrs) at the time and this gold plated watch wasnt doing it for me! I cried and cried as didnt want to hurt his feelings...but decided it would be a waste as i would never wear it..i told him ...he took it back and never replaced it!!!! but we are still together 11 yrs and 2 boys later....
Posted by: Tina Young | February 12, 2012 at 05:45 PM
My husband proposed to me at a local nature reserve we had visited many times. Unfortunately, the evening he chose was some kind of mass slug migration and we had to pick our way through to get to the place he picked out!
Posted by: Vicky Ames | February 12, 2012 at 05:47 PM
I once received pink underwear in a size 16 and I am a (small) size 10 ..... Not only was this quite an insult, in addition the underwear was totally ugly and pretty unsexy. Funny enough I am no longer with that bloke ... ha ha
Posted by: C McK | February 12, 2012 at 05:53 PM
My ex, who I had been seeing for 5 years. Got me nothing... he got drunk with his mates and came home and fell asleep on the sofa. I had cooked a lovely meal so shared it witht he dog!
Posted by: Linda Wilson | February 12, 2012 at 05:59 PM
I once went out with a guy many years ago who lived in a pretty rough neighborhood. He invited me over for valentines dinner which turn out to be a pizza in front of Dumb and Dumber, if that wasn't bad enough during the night his neighbor who had a grudge against him set fire to his front door. I ended up having to leave through the window helped by a lovely fireman (that was possible the best bit of the night!)
Posted by: Heather Simpson | February 12, 2012 at 06:00 PM
After 2 years together, with my ex of 4 years and father to my little girl, having never done anything for valentines as neither of us were too into it. i decided to make a bit of effort for him coming home from work as he had been through a tough time with his dad an alcoholic. although i wasnt going to be there. I made cookies and iced them all spelling i love you lots and a receipt from ann summers saying i looked forward to seeing him next and a couple of other little odds and sods. I heard nothing back tho and was pretty disheartened but a couple of days later found out he found his dad dead so it wasnt a great time at all :(
Posted by: caroline | February 12, 2012 at 06:04 PM
I once sent a very funny but risque-rude Valentines card to a girl who was one of those beautiful-but-a bit-dim types. I heard from her flat mate that she was very upset by it and thought she had some sort of sex maniac stalker after her, so I just kept my mouth shut and never got involved again!
Posted by: William Gould | February 12, 2012 at 06:10 PM
My lovely boyfriend was obviously very excited about his mystery valentine's gift for me last year. I couldn't help but get a little excited also. Being a stereotypical no-nonsense farmer, his presents could be a little, shall we say 'hit and miss?? However on this occasion, he genuinely seemed to have put a lot of thought into it. I was touched!
On the big day, I was presented with a flourish with a promisingly large, satisfyingly heavy, well wrapped box by beaming boyfriend. Flushed with anticipation, I ripped the wrapping paper to reveal...a steamer attachment for one of my saucepans.
'Because you can use it to cook the potatoes!' he enthused.
I tried really hard to look pleased...and yes, he's still my boyfriend...I don't hold much hope for this year!
Posted by: Sinead | February 12, 2012 at 06:14 PM
I was once gifted a leg razor as a Valentines present. Yes, a leg razor.
It wasn't even a good one....just a plain manual leg razor. In protest I stopped shaving for a month.
I am no longer with this man although my current boyfriend of 4 years has never given me a present for Valentines. However I do shave for him.
Posted by: kat wood | February 12, 2012 at 06:24 PM
I was so looking forward to my card from my buider beau and when it came, it was a huge cheap joky card signed from him and his mate. Sigh...
Posted by: carol phile | February 12, 2012 at 06:25 PM
In 40 years my husband has recognised Valentine's Day twice. Once he bought me a chocolate heart iced with the words "To my darling husband." He ate most of it. Several years later he made me heart-shaped jam sandwiches for my lunch. They made me smile.
Posted by: Patricia | February 12, 2012 at 06:34 PM
We went for what was supposed to be a romantic meal on New years eve, the place was near enough empty, only three tables had people sitting at them. As it was so quite the owner came over at 9.45pm and asked if we wouldn't mind going as the staff wanted to go out! My now hubby had been planning to propose at midnight....his actual proposal, 'I was going to ask you this later, Oh Well! I suppose we ought to get married then!' Who says romance is dead!
Posted by: Vicky Hutson | February 12, 2012 at 06:37 PM
My boyfriend treated me to a surprise visit to the cinema and would not tell me which movie it was. It turned out to be a Kung Fu movie which he loved and I hated and slept through.
Posted by: Ruth Tesdale | February 12, 2012 at 06:53 PM
I wish I had a funny story but alas it’s just a mightly depressing tale . Last Valentine's day I’d been seeing my boyfriend for a few months, I didn’t expect anything but his company and a nice meal that evening. He went out for an hour appointment at 2pm, at 5 I received a text message to say he was with a friend having a quick drink and he’d be back soon. I waited, getting quite hungry, at 9pm he came back, no explanation, no apology. I found out a week later that he had been having a meal with his ex to see if they could make another go of it! I’m still with him and have just discovered that the visit to his brothers (as he told me) was in fact another visit to his ex, apparently to call it a day once and for all! I’m a mug, I’m not sure if I need a lovely valentines hamper I think a very big wake up call might be more appropriate!
Posted by: Jane | February 12, 2012 at 06:54 PM
Worst Valentines ever..Hubby popped out to get token last minute card and petrol station flowers, met friend, went to pub, forgot that I was in the middle of cooking and rolled in at 3am!! .In the doghouse for weeks!
Posted by: Katy Spence | February 12, 2012 at 06:55 PM
I got given a Saucepan Set AND ingredients so I cook my own Valentine's meal!
Posted by: Sharon J Batten | February 12, 2012 at 06:57 PM
A prospective boyfriend came to Switzerland to see me for Christmas. Sadly he didn't realise that I'd gone home for the festivities.
Posted by: Erica Price | February 12, 2012 at 06:59 PM
Returned home today after a hard day at work to a handed delivered card. Opened it... only one of those Asda 7p Valentines cards. Absolutely gutted. I'm not that cheap, honest!!
Posted by: liz | February 12, 2012 at 07:22 PM
I once received a new vacuum cleaner for valentines day!
Granted, I did need a new one but seriously....! As you can imagine that did not make for the happiest, most romantic valentines day ever!
Posted by: jackierushton103@hotmail.com | February 12, 2012 at 07:30 PM
My Husband left it too late on valentines day to buy me flower's instead he came home with a giant helium baloon with a champagne bottle picture but we dont drink.
Posted by: CHARLOTTE MANNING | February 12, 2012 at 07:35 PM
A macdonalds...but thats not the worst of it...the guy got to the till and had forgetten his wallet!! So I had to pay!! He said it was the first 'proper' date he had been on... I dread to think what a date that was not 'proper' would be like with him....
Posted by: Kelly Padwick | February 12, 2012 at 07:39 PM
This could be a TMI moment, but when I was 17 my then boyfriend was going on holiday and would be away for our first Valentines day together. So he presented me with a number of gifts early, amongst which was a small travel bottle that he had filled with...erm...how can I put this politely..his 'man juice'. To this day I have no idea what possessed him to think this was an acceptable and desirable gift, or what the hell he though I would do with it?!? Not surprisingly that relationship did not last long. Perfume would have been nice.
Posted by: Amy Cartwright | February 12, 2012 at 07:43 PM
Having to work opposite shifts due to being parents, I will be finishing nhights and my wife will be about to start days, but my mum is going to take the kids at 7am so we can share breakfast together. I love my wife so much
Posted by: matt cullinane | February 12, 2012 at 07:49 PM
My partners not the romantic type-I don't know why, because I am and last year, I got him a lovely card and aftershave. He didnt get me anything back, so he had the silent treatment for a few hours.:)
And he got fed up of that and told me "ok then, I'll go and get you card". The only place open at that late hour was tescos and he drove over there and gave me a card.. Problem was tho, it was still in the cellophane and he didn't even bother to write anything in it.
Thought that was ever so mean spirited and I still do..
Posted by: j9 | February 12, 2012 at 07:59 PM
My husband has never been one to bother with valentines day, bt once i got a call of him saying he had a surprise for me, when i came in he was like "babe come here lok what i have got for u!" i looked and it was .... a raw chicken, he said it was a special free range organic one for ME to cook for valentines tea! i was not impressed!!
Posted by: NATALIE BRADLEY | February 12, 2012 at 08:12 PM
Worst Valentines present was contracting sickness and diorhea needless to say the toilet got more action than my husband lol
Posted by: Jo Maxted | February 12, 2012 at 08:39 PM
my boyfriend now husband left post it notes as a treasure hunt to find my presents as i was going to be away for my birthday with my parents and each present had a note on saying i will miss
you, i love you etc... sweetest thing ever
Posted by: helen snell | February 12, 2012 at 08:41 PM
Well unfortunately I haven't had a lot of romance in my life so can't really report on anything bad...something bad would be better than nothing!!..Thought my new boyfriend might have been different but looking like im in for a big fat nothing again come tuesday! :-(
Posted by: Sharon Bell | February 12, 2012 at 08:48 PM
One year my husband bought me a plastic rose, which ended up at the back of the wardrobe. The following year he found it and presented it to me again!
Posted by: Georgie Aronin | February 12, 2012 at 09:03 PM
My long tem partner got me some heart covered bin bags for valentines day. He thought it would make me more excited to take out the rubbish.
Posted by: Kimberley Howes | February 12, 2012 at 09:09 PM
Last Valentines Day I received an apron and oven glove (yes you've read that!)In my husbands defence he said it was because they had cupcakes on and were 'cute'! He's still trying to make things up to me, I think this hamper would mean he's finally forgiven!!
mchughk@hotmail.co.uk
Katie Lou Myers (Facebook)
Posted by: Katie Lou Myers | February 12, 2012 at 09:14 PM
My husband gave me some binoculars by my now husband. He said they would be great for an uppcoming holiday... I've never used binoculars and had no desire to have/use some. He's since said that he would have been pleased to receive some - nice! Yes he is still my husband and yes, he was in trouble for a vvveeerryyy long time!
Posted by: Jo James | February 12, 2012 at 09:25 PM
erm, half an X box? ps I never got to keep my half.....
Posted by: Sarah Power | February 12, 2012 at 09:26 PM
I cooked my now hubby a pizza on our 3rd date and didnt realise that I had left the polystrene base underneath which then melted into the pizza itself. He ate the whole thing, polystrene and all without saying a word. When I started to eat mine I realised what had happened and he just smiled at me, I knew on that date he was the man I would marry!!!
Posted by: samantha mcgrail | February 12, 2012 at 09:34 PM
My then boyfiend gave me a matching bra and brief set - much too big for me....
A couple of weekends later I was staying at his and his big sister (bigger in age and well,just big) was going on about a bra and brief set she'd bought and couldn't find anywhere....
Our 'romance'never made it to the next Valentine's Day, in fact it never made it to the weekend after...
Posted by: GILLIAN EVANS | February 12, 2012 at 09:42 PM
The worst valentines I had was when I was seeing a guy a few years ago, we lived 2 hours apart so i drove up to his on valentines morning to spend all weekend with him, he hadnt phoned or text so imagine my frustration when I arrived to find him curled up in bed with a hangover cos he'd been out the night before, he didnt get out of bed all day only to rush to the bathroom to be sick - I drove back home that evening and spent valentines evening alone.
Posted by: Dawn Spooner | February 12, 2012 at 09:43 PM
once an ex boyfriend bought me weight watchers chocolates.
Posted by: theresa cooke | February 12, 2012 at 09:46 PM
A calorie counting book. I was not overweight or dieting. We didn't last long...
Posted by: Eleanor Wigmore | February 12, 2012 at 09:47 PM
erm, half an X box? ps I never did get my half......
Posted by: Sarah Power | February 12, 2012 at 09:47 PM
I celebrated Valentine's Day years ago with my husband (then my friend) and my brother and his stunning girlfriend while I had the mumps. I wanted more than friendship with my friend, but with a chin down to my chest and his eyes constantly staring at my brother's girlfriend's massive chest, felt so ugly and miserable. But we did get married so it ended well.
Posted by: Beth | February 12, 2012 at 09:53 PM
my boyfriend turned up very late for our Valentine date as stuck in a flood, he had eaten all but one of the chocolates he had bought me - why would you give someone a box of choclates with only one left!
Posted by: kateF | February 12, 2012 at 09:57 PM
I was sent some flowers,which I thought was romantic, until I discovered that they were a freebie from a sales promotion.
Posted by: Maggie | February 12, 2012 at 09:58 PM
My worst fault really is being a bit too obvious in my choice of gift. This year hubby has already guessed that he is getting aftershave based on the fact that he didn't get any for Christmas or his birthday (a week later). He know me too well, which is not necessarily a good thing
Posted by: Helen Greatorex | February 12, 2012 at 10:14 PM
i one got all the ingreidients for a "romantic dinner" bought for me , they consisted of a new cheap frying pan , potatoes a tomato and steak .... which i was expected to cook , the fella at the time knew i was veggie thou so needless to say that didnt go to plan !
Posted by: karen walkden | February 12, 2012 at 10:34 PM
My husband is a very practical person, and whilst he has many admirable qualities, romance is not one of them. He has given me many useful presents, including a new electric drill (which I have used once and he has used hundreds of times), a lorry load of manure and a new iron. He excelled himself one Valentine's with a new washing up bowl and some rubber gloves. He thought they were more romantic because they were pink!
Posted by: hoops120 | February 12, 2012 at 10:35 PM
Being given a box of New Berry Fruits, jellies with liquid centres. I ate one to be polite, but they were my least favourite sweet of all time. I gave them to an old woman next door, who absolutely loved them.
Posted by: Mary Campbell | February 12, 2012 at 10:37 PM
Although my husband is a brilliant Dad to our lovely children and is thoughtful in lots of ways, he is really clueless when it comes to gifts. I can always guarantee that he will always buy a nice card and write the most lovely words in it - BUT will then present me with an odd gift. Over the years I have received a set of wheel trims (our first Christmas!), car mats (my 40th Birthday) and an old-fashioned jumper in the wrong size. I don't expect this Valentine's Day to be any different....
Posted by: Jo M | February 12, 2012 at 11:00 PM
I knew he was on his way out when my now ex-boyfriend treated me to a 'romantic' dinner at Mc Donalds...oh dear :(
Posted by: Alana M | February 12, 2012 at 11:05 PM
It may be a small gesture -but my boyfriend touched my heart by slipping a pack of winegums under my keyboard at work when he knew I was having a bad week.Its the little things he does like this that makes me love him more.
Posted by: Lorraine | February 12, 2012 at 11:09 PM
My husband once bought me a Iron Maiden CD, They are his favourite band but I dont like them.
Posted by: tamara payne | February 12, 2012 at 11:10 PM
Ten years ago my partner and I had only been together for a couple of weeks, so he didn't want to make a grand gesture for Valentine's day yet. Instead, he came to pick me up and gave me a little present.
Obviously, I was excited as it was the first present I had from him. I opened it and it was a small figure of a bear on the toilet, with a stressful face, giving more details of the action going on there.
I didn't want to show my disappointment but I don't think I was a very good actress, as my partner started explaining the reason why he had bought me such present nervously, and he couldn't come up with anything better than "it reminded me of you" (!!!!)
Luckily, that wasn't a sign of our future together. Ten years on, we still have that figure next to our own toilet to remind us of the beginning of our relationship ;)
Posted by: Isabel Andraca | February 12, 2012 at 11:19 PM
My favourite food in the whole world is lobster and so 3 years ago my boyfriend decided to go off and buy a live lobster and cook it for me on Valentines day. When it came round to preparing dinner I came home from work to see how the other half was doing. To my surprise I found the lobster in a scabby old fish tank of his as he decided he couldn't bear to 'murder Erskine' (Yes that's the name he gave my dinner) We ended up having a horrendous Chinese takeaway instead. Fast forward 3 years later and now Erskine lives in my boyfriends BEDROOM; the crustacean was even bought a state of the art salt water tank and on occasion he appears to get more attention than me. So all I got was some sweet and sour pork for Valentines day and Erskine got himself an MTV crib...
Posted by: Iona | February 12, 2012 at 11:19 PM
I had been going out with my boyfriend for three years, and as the day approached, I said to him 'you never buy me a Valentine card'. On the 14th of Feb, he handed over a card, (still with the price on and in the paper bag from the newsagent's), with a picture of cute little birds on the front - and a crass joke about tits inside. When I pointed out that he hadn't even written anything in it, he said 'what's the point, you know who it's from'. I didn't ask for a card again, and by the way, he's an ex-boyfriend now!
Posted by: Dee | February 12, 2012 at 11:47 PM
I was given a deluxe foot file for Valentine's day, so I could scrape off the hard skin on my feet. My dear husband had listened to me moaning about the pain of my callouses and thought it would make an ideal gift - it wasn't.
Posted by: Sue | February 12, 2012 at 11:56 PM
Salted boiled eggs & dry soldiers.
Posted by: Helen Teeling | February 13, 2012 at 12:03 AM
My ex boyfriend once gave me a FACE STEAMER!!! His reasoning was that I I had complained of getting spots!! Imagine..a FACE STEAMER!!!
Posted by: Lya Thomas | February 13, 2012 at 01:09 AM
I remember one ex bought me a pack of granny knickers! I was not impressed I was only 20 at the time aswell
Posted by: Nicola | February 13, 2012 at 02:15 AM
When I was younger, my boyfriend at the time gave me a Valentine's present consisting of, I think, whatever he found in the bargain bin at the corner shop - a magic 8 ball, a fairy wand, and the cheapest looking card imaginable - all presented in a Spar bag! He then told me to ask the magic 8 ball about our relationship - "outlook not good". Now if only I could have literally magicked him away with that wand...
Posted by: Holly Green | February 13, 2012 at 02:44 AM
One Valentine's Day, my (NOW EX!)boyfriend decided that he felt that the holiday was stupid and a conspiracy and he wasn't going to celebrate it, buy me anything or do anything romantic. However, he expected a gift in return because I 'believe and participate in it'. I then told him that it wasn't fair and that he shouldn't expect anything from me if he wasn't to take part. He gave this some thought. The next morning he phoned me and told me that I had 'persuaded him' that it was a good cause and that we should do something nice for each other after all. Anyway, so Valentine's Day came and during the days leading up to it, he was lovely and thoughtful. When we exchanged gifts: He received the ps3 game he'd been raving about to me for weeks as well as home-made cupcakes and I received... a nasal cleaner and a packet of biscuits! After the disgust and disbelief died down, I asked him what on earth had made him think that this was a romantic gift in any way? Apparently he'd followed the advice of his mum... who has hated me since the day she met me and that he had 'changed his mind' about Valentine's Day again but didn't want to turn up empty handed.
Posted by: Zara | February 13, 2012 at 03:34 AM
My husband decided one year to write across our living room floor in flowers "I Love You" Unfortunately he did it the eve before and by morning the flowers had all wilted and the petals had all fallen off. It was a lovely gesture but I spent ages tidying up afterwards.
Posted by: Kerry L Waters | February 13, 2012 at 06:58 AM
I was once on the way to pick my girlfriend up - and was running extremely late - when I heard on the radio that tomorrow was Valentine's day which I'd completely forgotten about. It was early evening and most shops had closed but as luck would have it, I drove past a balloon shop which was still open. Thinking that I had completely salvaged the situation, when I walked into the shop I discovered that all the balloons had been sold apart from one, a small blue heart shaped slightly wonky balloon on a stick (a bargain at 70p). And that's what my now wife had for Valentine's Day.
Posted by: Matt M | February 13, 2012 at 07:08 AM
An iron. It was a joke, but still...
Posted by: Solange | February 13, 2012 at 02:42 PM
I am getting ready for Valentine's Day with Top Ender (My Daughter) and Baby Boy (My Son) in the evenings after school. We are making decorations and cards and getting ideas together for gifts for those that we love.
Posted by: Steam Shower | August 09, 2012 at 11:20 AM