Don't Mess Up On Valentine's Day, Go Surfing; The Web Has Gift Ideas; And sites promise to get candies, flowers, jewelry to all loved ones on time.(INTERNET & TECHNOLOGY)(COMPUTERS MADE PLAIN)

Byline: RUSSELL SHAW

Not all that long ago, sending a Valentine's card involved licking a stamp. And ordering flowers meant a trip to the local flower shop, or calling a toll-free phone number.

These days, you can take care of just about any Valentine's Day task with the click of a mouse. There are several hundred floral, greeting card and gift sites on the Web.

You can use these sites to order flowers, other Valentine's-themed presents and cards for real-world delivery, or choose greeting cards that will wind up in your recipient's e-mail box.

Generally, floral and other gift Web sites will charge a delivery or service fee in addition to the cost of the gift item. The fee is determined by the type of merchandise you order, as well as the day you wish your Valentine's gift to arrive.

Cut flowers, artificial flowers and gift baskets are generally delivered by overnight express providers such as FedEx and United Parcel Service. Fees start around $10, and depending on the size of the item and the time between order and desired delivery date, can reach as high as $35.

Fresh flowers, such as long-stemmed roses, are quite perishable and fragile -- and are not well-suited to overnight delivery. That's why fresh flowers ordered online are usually delivered by a local florist. Some pricey floral arrangements include the delivery fee within the price. Local florist delivery for most other floral arrangements average $10.