I just wasted 30 minutes in the Rockefeller Center Hallmark store opening (and slamming shut) singing Valentine's Day cards. When the rack is clearly labeled with the song "How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You)," is it really necessary to open the card to hear Marvin Gaye's voice? Apparently, yes. I'm sure my fellow shoppers were happy to finally see me go.

The problem is I'm a hopeless failure when it comes to Valentine's Day. And this year, the problem is compounded because the holiday arrives a day after my tenth anniversary. Have I made plans? Not really—at least nothing beyond giving my husband a piece of cardboard embedded with a microchip playing one of his favorite songs.

That's where the bubby wine comes in. I find a little carbonation makes everything more sparkly and special. This year, going for broke with a bottle of vintage Dom Pérignon is clearly out of the question. Instead, we're having a couple of friends over and I plan to serve Michel Frères Rosé Crémant de Bourgogne. It's an utterly delightful (and pink!) French sparkling wine that turns even a simple gathering into a party. And at $16 a bottle, it's definitely in my price range.

A quick survey of the food department reveals that I'm not the only one who plans to celebrate with budget bubbles. Allie, RS's food director, likes to pour Zardetto Prosecco NV (about $14), a citrusy Italian wine. Kate usually reaches for Domenico De Bertiol Prosecco NV (about $16). Sara, on the other hand, has break-the-bank tastes and is looking forward to sharing a bottle of Billecart-Salmon Brut Rosé NV ($85). "A perfect champagne," she wrote me via email. "Delicate and dry with a goldy pink hue and subtle berry flavors. I could drink it for days."

If money were no object, I'd spring for a bottle of Ruinart Blanc de Blanc. It's owned by LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (the same owners of Dom Pérignon) and it has an irresistible toasty, mineral taste I just love. It costs about $65—enough to make an evening feel very special, but not so paralyzingly expensive that you can't think of an occasion worthy enough to open the bottle.

For many people, of course, champagne is beside the point. For them it's all about the sweets. Whatever your pleasure and however you decide to spend this February 14th—solo or with friends or a loved one—I wish you a happy day.

Do you have a favorite sparkling wine or Champagne? What do you love eating—and drinking—on Valentine's Day?