Valentine's Day values: Your wedding photo as a jigsaw puzzle

As we ponder Valentine's Day gifts, consider this; what our loved one really wants is a symbol of our regard, something that demonstrates our ongoing desire to share time with him/her and our willingness to show the world the depth of our commitment.

Whew! In that light, does a box of chocolates or a dozen roses really measure up? Hardly. Fear not, though; I have a suggestion that meets these requirements, and for a lot less money than a weekend Vegas getaway.

My suggestion? A jigsaw puzzle made from your favorite (wedding?) photograph. Companies such as Jigsaw2order.com will take any photo and create a traditional jigsaw puzzle from it of up to 1,500 pieces that you and your honey can assemble together.

And that's the crucial part of this gift. You have to give it with the commitment that you will share in its assembly. The gift of your time, of time devoted to your soulmate, is a clearer expression of your love than any object you can present to her/him. The jigsaw puzzle is merely the device that will allow you to show that commitment. The fact that the solved puzzle is a picture of the two of you is an added bonus, something he/she can show others in a public acknowledgment of your love.

The custom puzzle will set you back $40-$150 depending on size. And you never have to live afterwards with complaints about how those chocolates or fancy dinner went right to his/her butt.