Whether you like it or not, Valentine's Day is a test. You have to show that you've been paying attention to your significant other's taste, but choosing the right gift can be quite a challenge.

Here are the 10 worst presents possible:

1. Ye olde bouquet of red roses and baby's breath
Unfortunately, certain types of flowers are the equivalent of a shrug because they are so predictable and clichéd... and the rose bouquet falls into this category.

2. A box of assorted chocolates
Do the math: Out of every box of 15 assorted chocolates, a woman will probably have three or so favorites. So what would you rather get? Three chocolates you want and 21 you don't — along with a lot of excess red metallic cardboard? Or a small box of something you actually like?

3. Jewelry in a ring-sized box
Women know there are five key probable proposal days (namely, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's, and her birthday), so giving her false hope on one of them is cruel. When a girl sees that box, she's either going to freak out because she's not ready or hope that it is the ring and then be disappointed, so it's lose-lose.

4. Something girlie and decorative like a sachet, a candle holder, a silver wishing stone…
We're talking about things like rhinestone-studded soap dishes, elaborate aromatherapy dispensing devices, and other stuff people would never buy for themselves. Anything red and pink and cutesy often winds up being kind of cheap and useless when you look at it on February 15th — the luster is gone.

5. A cute stuffed animal bearing a message of love
What's an adult going to do with a stuffed animal? We'll tell you what: stuffed animals get tucked somewhere out-of-the-way.

6. Racy sleepwear
Don't use Valentine's Day as your excuse to present all the secret fantasies you've been keeping hidden away for the last 364 days. A lot of the lingerie you see in stores for Valentine's Day is opposite of women's tastes. Something that's not her style can make her feel uncomfortable, and criticized."

7. Anything that could be considered a small appliance
A toaster, a humidifier, a yogurt maker... trust us, if she needed it so badly, she'd have gotten it already. Being too practical is a real romance killer — no one wants anything with an electrical cord for Valentine's Day.

8. A nice bottle of cologne or perfume
The same spritz that reminds you of a splendid beach holiday in Europe may smell like bath day at the zoo to your beloved. Problem is, perfume choice is so specific that it's a real challenge. It's almost impossible to know what smells good to another person.

9. A tie
Women actually have a harder time than men shopping at Valentine's Day, because there are fewer gift options for men than for women. Still, a tie is a big yawn.

10. A gift certificate
It's one thing to not know exactly what your cutie might want, but it's another to throw in the towel entirely. Bottom line: gift cards are too impersonal and disappointing.