My experience in recent years is that men are beginning to use Valentine's Day as an opportunity to spice up their sometimes flagging love lives.

More men seem to see the annual occasion as an opportunity to introduce some sex toys or new and more daring lingerie into their loved one's life.

Middle-aged men who may not look like they would look at lingerie in the 'open' forum of a shop for fear of possibly being viewed as a 'freak' or worse, now seem more relaxed at browsing the latest sex toys such as sleepwear bra and open back panty set, and revealing lingerie.

Gay men, of course, with their more developed feminine sides, have perhaps been more comfortable doing this than straight men.

My customers primarily retailers report that shoppers seem generally more comfortable coming into their stores to buy products such as baby doll and thong sets or half cup bras or even 'fetish fantasy master and servant sets'.

Even products such as 'clit stims' or 'combi stims' or dongs, dildos and strap-ons are viewed by shoppers and bought without fear of embarrassment.

'Clone-a-Willy' kits which show women how to take a chocolate plaster cast of their man's manhood and the 18 inch dildo, called rambone, seem to provide their fair share of giggles and laughter in the stores as well.

Hopefully, over time, more of the population will see sex toys as a great way to enjoy and improve intimacy with their partner and not something that perhaps in the past had a more negative perception.