There is no time like Valentine’s Day to show someone how much you care about them through a showering of gifts and activities.
Labeled a worldwide day of romance, the mid-February holiday has provided the perfect opportunity for people to celebrate their love and affection for each other in a variety of ways.
The most common gifts given still include flowers, chocolates and jewelry. Alternative gifts and activities, however, are available for you and your sweetheart to do together or separately.
Here are 10 unique gifts and activities for Feb. 14:
1) Getting pampered is usually welcomed by all no matter what occasion, if any, it is for. Whether you are treating yourself or someone you love, a gift certificate to a local spa or retreat can be a perfect Valentine’s Day gift. You can either give your sweetheart time to themselves or share the relaxing experience together. And who wouldn’t want to be treated to a pampered day inside a luxurious spa or retreat when the weather is otherwise frigid.
2) Naming a star after your loved one, especially if he or she is an astronomy enthusiast, is a unique way to show that your love has no boundaries. Although it is not a tangible gift, the International Star Registry offers custom, deluxe and ultimate star naming packages, which usually include a certificate with the star’s name and a chart diagramming its location. This gift can also provide for a fun activity of star seeing on a clear night.
3) Almost everyone travels. Whether you adventure with or without your sweetheart, an appropriate Valentine’s Day gift could be to give them something travel-related. This could be just because or in anticipation of an upcoming trip. Common travel-related gifts include a leather carrying bag, a cosmetic bag, a passport holder or a new wallet. Throwing in a trip to go with all the new equipment probably won’t hurt either.
4) Custom-made books are a popular trend right now and can be made for any occasion, including Valentine’s Day. Find photos of the two of you and put the journey of your love on paper. This is something your sweetheart can keep forever and show to others. And if you have enough time, get others to contribute photos and stories too.
5) Although jewelry falls into this category, engraving or embroidering something — anything — is a very personal way to say “I did this just for you.” A variety of things can be customized to fit your sweetheart’s initials or funny or romantic messages on them including a tree swing, wine or beer glasses, flasks, and robes or pajamas.
6) Personalized gifts that you can showcase in your home are a hit, especially if you just in need of some new and different interior decorations. A great way to welcome guests to your home and also tell them “we love each other” can be done with personalized throws pillows or wall art. These objects can encompass your favorite love quotes, a symbol of your love, or your names or both.
7) Consider a route that calls for more than just throwing down some cash or your credit card. If your skills allow for it, think of some reasons why you love the one you’re with. Whether those reasons are for better or worse, this type of gift is one of the more personal ways to show your affection for them. Those reasons can be expressed in a variety of ways, from engraved stones in a velvet bag or leaflets of paper left around spaces you share together.
8) Drive past the grocery or convenience store and stop at the local bakery instead. Chances are some kind of Valentine’s Day special is being offered, such as cookies and cupcakes. Although these two options are equally as bad for you, if not worse, as the chocolate you would normally buy, their personal touch, which can come in the form of your sweetheart’s favorite flavor, shows more affection than generic square, boxed pieces. Dieters beware, however; this is a gift you and your loved one will both want to indulge in.
9) Going out to eat is considered the norm when it comes to Valentine’s Day celebrations. If you are looking to save money, however, a home-cooked meal instead of an out-on-the-town evening is always an option. Buy the fixings for your loved one’s favorite meal and dessert, and surprise them! After a long workday (Valentine’s Day is on a Thursday this year), they might want nothing more than to stay home and relax with you. And if you have kids running around, you can always hire someone to babysit as if you were going out.
10) Say “I love you” through song on Valentine’s Day. And if you aren’t comfortable singing one yourself, hire someone else! Barbershop groups, such as the Nittany Knights Barbershop Chorus, will be delivering love in the form of songs on Feb. 13 and 14 to homes and workplaces across Centre County. A set of three to four songs are usually performed, and chocolates and a commemorative photo can usually be given to the lucky receiver for an additional fee.
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