Other than being alone, 19 percent of survey respondents ranked receiving a bad gift or no gift as their worst Valentine's Day experience.

It's no fun to be on the giving end of a bad gift either. Nearly one in 10 (eight percent) said presenting a bad gift was the reason for their worst Valentine's Day.

When asked to describe their worst Valentine's Day gift, respondents surprisingly revealed that traditional gift categories should be approached with caution:

Clothing/lingerie and candy topped the worst gifts list, each representing 20 percent;

Cards/notes also ranked high, accounting for nine percent of worst gifts;

Household appliances/cleaning products made up eight percent of the vote; and,

Flowers/plants completed the top five, comprising seven percent of worst gifts.

"Generally, gifts failed to meet expectations when the giver didn't dedicate appropriate thought to the recipient," said Baird. "A rug shampooer is clearly a horrible Valentine's Day gift, but likewise giving candy when she's expecting diamond earrings is equally disappointing."

To ensure your Valentines' Day is a success, Baird offers the following tips:

Valentine's Day is designed to make people feel special. In other words, avoid the vacuum (a real response), and ask yourself: What makes the recipient's eyes light up? You don't have to be Don Juan, but neither should your gift inspire visions of housework.

Lack of communication, confusing hints or an absence thereof, are the main reasons we purchase bad gifts. As the survey suggests, this is a lose-lose situation, so don't be afraid to ask for help.

Gifts with a classic style are almost never wrong. Why? They're always sought after, are elegant and romantic. For example, diamond stud earrings and tennis bracelets have been worn by the rich and fabulous for decades, and romantic getaways never become passé.

A classic jewelry gift, such as diamond stud earrings or a sterling silver bracelet, is one she'll not only love, but avoids the pitfalls of size and the myriad of colors inherent in a gift such as clothing. Classic jewelry pieces never go out of style, making it easy to be sure your gift will be received with excitement.

Valentine's Day is the busiest night of the year for many restaurants, so reservations are a must. Many survey respondents indicated that not being able to get into a restaurant ruined their
Valentine's Day.

While lingerie might seem like a fun and exciting gift, she may not feel the same. Several respondents indicated lingerie, either of an inappropriate nature or from an inappropriate source, as their worst gift ever. If you have the slightest hesitation, leave the lingerie alone.

Among the worst gift responses, Blue Nile's Top 10 include:

10. Vacuum
9. Paper Shredder
8. Electric Frying Pan
7. Crock-pot
6. Rug shampooer
5. Pencil sharpener
4. Ice scraper
3. Can of soup
2. Wisconsin cheese
1. Cold pizza 

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