It’s tough to find Valentine’s Day gifts for men. Sometimes, what they want is just hugely expensive. Laptops, cameras, motorcycles and more all carry a hefty price tag. But more often the problem is how to move away from the mundane and find that special gift, one that says you know what he likes.

Ask his friends. Whatever he hasn’t told you, he has told them. They won’t tell you his secrets, but they will tell you what he has confessed he wants for Valentine’s Day. That may be the music you never knew he liked. Or, it could be a special vacation he has just never thought to tell you about.

Ask his Dad. Men are often more like their fathers than they want to admit. Ask his dad what your special man would like. Chances are he’ll have some good guesses. It might be that golf club he didn’t want to mention because it seemed too extravagant.

Maybe you haven’t been together long enough to know what to get. Or, you might not have in mind something quite that expensive. No problem. Valentine’s Day is the most flexible holiday. It’s for couples married for 50 years and those who have known one another only 50 minutes.

A Valentine’s Day is one way to say you’d like to move it up a notch. A beautiful watch might be more than your relationship warrants just now. But a fine alligator band is both practical and a chance to inscribe his initials on the inside with your special hint.

Wine can be a great choice. It’s something you can share, yet gives an opportunity to say ‘I know what you like’. But that idea can extend to just about anything. The key is to make the gift reflect his individual interests and desires.

Combine the two ideas. You want to get to know him better, and you want to choose something that fits him well. But how do you do one without already knowing the other? By extending whatever you already know about him.

He’s the outdoors type. That’s something that doesn’t take long to find out. People act and dress a certain way that tells you right away. Great! Go on a picnic in the snow. Arrange a scavenger hunt in the forest. At the end, he finds you.

He loves gadgets. One look at his apartment and you’ll know that. Here you’re in luck. Because even those guys that have a thousand toys, can always use a thousand accessories to go with them. Camera buffs always need new filters. Audiophiles just can’t rest easy without that extra set of speakers for the home office. Home entertainment buffs might have held off on that new Blu-ray machine that has come way down in price.

Whatever the gift, the idea is to show that you put some thought into it. Whether your relationship is an hour old or someone you’ve known all your life, like your father, showing you know them is something guys appreciate as much as gals.