Never, ever underestimate the power of a mix tape. They're great gifts for any occasion, and they're cheap, cheap, cheap. But remember, any schmoe can slap together a bunch of unrelated songs on a tape. I want you to do it with style.

As John Cusack's character Rob points out in the movie High Fidelity, you're using other people's poetry to express yourself. For goodness sake, be careful. You may consider the song Baby Got Back to be the height of hilarity, but I'm willing to bet your girlfriend doesn't want to see it on her Valentine's Day tape.

Most mix tapes are governed by a very simple theme; they are a compilation of favourites, of songs you and your friends have in common. For this reason, mix tapes make a great time capsule - especially if you include a unique set of liner notes in which you explain the reasons behind each and every song. For example, a former roommate and I used to sing a very (very very) off-key version of James' "Laid" to roust our third roommate out of bed. I can't listen to a Violent Femmes song without remembering the night a friend and I missed the last train after the concert and spent the night on a bench in front of Union Station. These are the memories out of which a great mix tape is made.

Make a mix tape to introduce someone to the type of music you listen to. Your friend listens to over-played and over-hyped pop music? Give her a tape of the great indie bands she's never heard of. She knows all the words to "Jenny From the Block?" For pete's sake make her a tape of old school classics.

Make a mix tape of one hit wonders. (Remember "Are You Jimmy Ray?" Nobody else does, either.) Make a He Said, She Said tape. Make a tape of songs to drive to, to cry to, to bathe to. On your mark, get set...go!