Now that the holidays are here, everyone's first order of business outside of work is to buy their loved ones presents. In some people's minds, the bigger and more expensive the item, the better.  But let's face it: Even though we have good intentions, love -- at the end of the day -- isn't measured in gifts. It's measured in the little things we do every day (not just during Christmas) to show people we love them, such as  Surprising them with a hot cup of coffee on a frigid morning Creating a scrapbook with pictures that capture special memories  Sending texts throughout the day just to let the other know they are thinking of them Taking them to a museum to see a popular exhibit he or she never experienced as a kid  Chatting poolside over coffee into the wee hours  Cooking his or her favorite meal on any ordinary day -- as a way of saying "you're special and deserve this" True love is priceless - it cannot be quantified. If a man can't afford to ...

It's a question that many men and women perceived as "nice" -- ones who have struck out repeatedly in the dating market -- have been scratching their heads over for what seems like, well, centuries. Can being too nice make you less attractive to dating prospects? As with anything else, there's no simple answer, and a bevy of factors have to be considered. For starters, "too nice" for one person can mean something entirely different to someone else, just like we all have different opinions on what counts as too sweet or salty when eating different foods. In general, though, a person may be regarded as too nice if they exhibit one or more of the following behaviors: Being highly agreeable  Being a complete pushover by never standing up for oneself  Attempting to buy someone's affections by heaping them with gifts and compliments they probably don't deserve, at least not so early in the game  Trying to avoid disagreements at all costs L...

Picture this: After a long drought on the dating front, Rachel's well-meaning friends and relatives are fixing her up on dates left and right. She's narrowed her options down to two guys: (1) Kevin, a wealthy tax attorney who calls and sends her romantic text messages several times a day, or (2) Alex, a self-confident but modestly paid construction worker who has more hobbies and talents than he can count with both hands. Whom do you think Rachel is more likely to go for? At first blush, one might be tempted to say Kevin, only because he seems to be on firmer financial ground. That may very well be the case if Rachel is an unapologetic gold digger. But chances are that she's taking several factors beyond his bank account into consideration.  Kevin can have all the money in the world, but if he has no self-confidence, Rachel is unlikely to be drawn to him. If there's one attribute most women want in a man, it's self-confidence . Boldness. One who...

Tis the season to be jolly! Here are a few fun facts regarding the holiday season in the U.S. that you may not know: 1. Nine in 10 Americans say they celebrate Christmas while 32% view it as more of a cultural holiday than a religious one. 2. USPS will deliver 16 billion holiday letters, packages, and cards. 3. Over 100 million Americans will travel for the holidays this year. 4. 86% of Americans say they buy holiday gifts for family or friends. 5. Americans aim to spend an average of $935.58 each during the holiday shopping season this year. 6. Total holiday sales are expected to be over $655 billion. 7. 85% of Americans say they will probably give someone candy as a gift. 8. Americans eat about 3,000 calories worth of food during a typical holiday dinner. 9. 22 million turkeys are eaten for Christmas. 10. Americans bought nearly 26 million real Christmas trees last year and more than 13 billion fake ones. The facts I found most surprising were #7 and #8 abov...

As someone who studied and works in marketing and consumer psychology, I know full well how tempting it can be for consumers to spend money they don't have. You walk into a store and see shoes to die for that would look great with the spaghetti strap dress you bought moments ago. Or, you see a shirt you know your brother would dig, a pair of earrings that your mom will go gaga over, and a tool set that has your uncle's name all over it. Whether you're buying gifts for yourself or for friends/family, it makes sense to scour the internet and newspaper for the best deals you can find. Still, if you see that if your shopping list could easily translate into hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars in credit card debt, you'd be wise to pare it down a bit. You can start by only buying one gift per adult. Better yet, why not get one gift per couple? Things like towel sets and silverware sets are items for the home that anyone can use. You may be tempted to buy the li...

If there's one thing that leads a relationship down the road to ruin, it's when someone assumes that whatever they do -- no matter how selfish or heartless -- will be forgiven and forgotten, and that his or partner will always be there to receive them with open arms. My girlfriend in high school learned this the hard way. She was as flaky as can be, telling me one minute that she wasn't ready for something serious and reeling me back in the next with hugs and tender messages. Well, she was completely blindsided by my decision to end the relationship only a few months after we began dating. I just couldn't stand the games anymore, and I knew I could do better. I was then on my way to college, where a bountiful crop of single women awaited me. I will admit that I probably asked for it. I was a bit of a pushover in those days, virtually worshiping the ground whichever girl I was interested in walked on. A similar situation played out with another girl I dated a few...

I saw a meme on Facebook the other day that read as such: "Black Friday: Because only in America do we wait in line and trample others for sale items one day after giving thanks for what we already have." This is spot on. Isn't it ironic how many of the same people who give a heartfelt prayer at the dinner table on Thanksgiving are the ones jostling with other shoppers for bargains at the mall that night or the next day? It's nice to see a growing number of retail establishments closing for Thanksgiving so that their employees can spend the holiday with their families. But that list remains far too short as many stores still look to cash in on the frenzy by getting Black Friday underway on Thursday night. Many shoppers are ready to throw money at virtually anything that has "SALE" or "50% OFF" slapped on the sales tag. To be fair, some of the deals to be had really are phenomenal. But cutting Thanksgiving night short to schlep to the stor...

Unfortunately, Christmas is often associated with shopping and presents in the minds of many consumers -- and not much else. In this materialistic world we live in, far too many people have lost sight of the true meaning of Christmas. To me, Christmas is really about: The birth of Christ Spending time with loved ones Giving to the less fortunate Being thankful for what I have Being nice, noble and helpful Thinking about others before myself We should be mindful of these things year-round, but at the very least we should prioritize them this time of year.  Gifts come and go. They depreciate and are eventually discarded or replaced. Such is not the case with our friends and family, who most of us would deem irreplaceable.  Christmas is more about giving than receiving. It's about spreading a little cheer to those who sorely need it -- the poor, the sick, the injured, the elderly.  Christmas is about love. It's about neighborliness. It's about being...

As you know, I love to observe and comment on human behavior, and that includes patterns I see among people of a certain age. I've worked with three divorced men who have gone on to either remarry or have a serious relationship with someone else. What I've noticed about said women is that they: Are considerably younger (we're talking 15-20 younger) Are child-free (whether by choice or for other reasons)  Have never been married themselves Clearly got some kind of benefit from the relationship (money, citizenship in the U.S., etc.) Usually meet the men at work And this makes perfect sense. For one, many men prefer younger women to begin with, as they tend to score higher on the attractiveness meter. As men see it, they usually have fewer wrinkles and health issues, not to mention better bodies. Hence, many men assume that younger women make better partners in bed. These men are all in their 50s and have already begun looking for someone who could "take c...

There's a scene in the movie "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" where Michael Douglas' character, ostensibly a philandering playboy type, tells his nephew that whoever cares least in a relationship has all the power. I replayed this line in my head for days, trying to assess whether it holds water as far as the relationships I've had in my own life. Here's what I've concluded: While I think it's preposterous to assume that you can gain the upper hand by deliberately being indifferent and standoffish, it is true that you can lose points by being overly nice and accommodating -- a doormat, if you will. If you let your partner step all over you and fail to stand up for yourself, you're letting him take advantage of and flat-out disrespect you. Once this becomes the norm, then yes, you have basically ceded all the power in the relationship to your partner. Like everything else in life, moderation works best. You don't have to shower your partne...

Here's a message for single men as well as those in relationships: Like everything else in life, being nice should be done moderately. As crazy as this may sound, women neither want nor expect you to be nice, sweet, and romantic 24/7. If you do this with the intention of getting laid or having her fall in love with you, you will fail miserably! You can be nice and respectful without overdoing it. What is overdoing it? Well, you are sure to lose her respect and get even less hibbity dibbity if you opt not to: Stand your ground and defend your positions Call her out on her screw-ups so as not to "offend" her Take the lead in the bedroom; women like men who know what they're doing, and most of them like "rough and tumble" Keep her on the edge of her feet; unpredictability keeps her wondering what you'll do next and actually draws her closer to you Have your own hobbies outside of the relationship View her as enhancing your life instead of comp...

Over the years, I've had countless men come to me seeking advice on how best to court women. There always seems to a common thread: They shower the women with gifts and compliments, but it yields little more than a "thank you" and -- if they're lucky -- a peck on the cheek. Men, listen carefully. Stop what you're doing right now and sear this in your mind immediately: Women are GREAT at reading men, whereas we're flat-out lousy at picking up on the fairer sex's signals. (And you know it's true, guys. Don't deny it.) It's as though they have a special radar with which they can pin down a guy's motivations -- sometimes within seconds. Women are masters of subtlety, where men are terrible when it comes to keeping their feelings under wraps. Men have to grasp once and for all that you can't buy a woman's affections. There's nothing wrong with giving gifts and compliments -- but, for goodness sake, do it sporadically. Why complet...