Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas

I KNOW that Valentine’s Day is a corporate holiday invented to make us spend money, but there are worse things than spending a day loving on the people (and small businesses!) in your life, and you don’t have to spend a fortune to do it. Here are a dozen gift ideas to round out any Valentine’s plans and support a small shop along the way.

For Him

1. Put your favorite love song on the wall with these personalized custom vinyl records. These comes with 25 different center colors to choose from, in two different sizes and you can do any song you want! Relive your first dance, favorite concert or any other musical memory every time you look on the wall. $42 to $52.
2. These silicone wedding bands are a popular wedding ring alternative for gym rats and craftsmen, but swapping the formal ring for a rubber version doesn’t mean all the romance goes out the window. Take this opportunity to put a special message on the inside of an inexpensive alternative! $8
3. Is your Valentine a book lover? Whether they read digitally or paperbacks, make the experience a little more romantic with a handsome leather Kindle cover or beautiful bookmarks you can inscribe with a special message. $17 or $48
4. My fiance and I got these soaps as a Christmas gift this year, and we love them! The scent options are endless but our favorite for men is the oatmeal stout! The sweet whiskey is also a great option. This is a perfect gift for folks who don’t want more “stuff” piling up – which I feel like we can all relate to post Christmas! $6
5. If you’re going for a COVID-safe, at home date night this Valentine’s Day, kick it up a notch with these cute Valentine beer labels! These come as a digital download and you just print them on adhesive paper, which you can find at Walmart, Target or any printing store. $10

For Her

1. She loves you – she really does – but sometimes the best gift you can give her is a little alone time, especially in this time of constant togetherness. This bath caddy is a great gift for anyone who wishes they had more time to soak in the tub. Gift it with some small batch soaps and a bottle of locally-made wine and you’ll take the cake for the most thoughtful, and selfless, Valentine. $52
2. Sometimes, the little things in life are what makes or breaks our day. If your Valentine is someone whose day can be brightened by their favorite latte, take it up a notch with these cute (and reusable!) coffee sleeves. Write a love note she can read every time she stops for a pick me up. Bonus points if you get her the coffee on V Day and give it to her with the sleeve already on the cup. $39
3. For the mom on the go, working lady or just fashion lover, these high-quality bags would be a very nice Valentine’s Day gift. You can get it monogrammed – or not – and choose what kind of pockets it has inside. Nothing makes a mom feel frumpy like carrying around a giant diaper bag, and very few laptop bags or briefcases for women are sexy. You can’t go wrong with this one. $90 to $150
4. These cotton rope necklaces are such a unique take on the classic infinity sign jewelry, and are perfect for any beach lover or preppy New Englander. Bonus points if you give it in tandem with an Allison Cole Jewelry bracelet to match! $30
5. This year, I’m going DIY and I encourage you to do the same. Find someone to watch the kids and plan a staycation (use these cute, custom “tickets” to take it up a notch – $5) to focus on each other. Set the table and serve dinner from your favorite restaurant, make a playlist of your favorite songs, play your favorite board game and get fun custom cookies (I like @mrbutterscotch – DM him on Instagram! – $40) for desert. Putting effort into something is the best gift you can give someone.

BONUS! I’m usually all about giving experiences as gifts, but obviously the pandemic has nixed basically any fun gift ideas. But one way you could still surprise your honey with a fun thing to do together is through Cozymeal.com. This website hooks you up with chefs in your area (yay local!) who are willing to do private cooking classes for relatively reasonable fees. Many chefs will come to your home (following all the COVID-19 protocols) and teach you two how to make a romantic meal for as low as $95. If you aren’t comfortable with that, you can also do online classes! I love that Cozymeal hooks you up with a local chef and doesn’t just sell the same hour-long class pre-recorded to 1,000 people across America.