Valentine’s gift guide for that special woman in your life, whether it’s a sweetheart, family member, or friend.
In my 20s, I may have been that person who would say, “Valentine’s Day is a commercial holiday to get people to spend money on things they don’t need.” Which is true. But it’s also a day to celebrate LOVE, and that’s never a bad thing, no matter how you choose to do it. Even at my most cynical single self, deep down I was still disappointed that some unknown secret admirer didn’t pop up out of nowhere to surprise me with a bouquet of flowers and a confession of undying love. To be human is to want to be loved. It’s just the way it is.
These days, I have a wonderful husband who shows his love through gifts and grand gestures. I have kids who think Valentine’s Day is a great excuse for candy and gifts. And for me, it’s something to look forward to during the doldrums of winter.
We don’t go all out, but we do mark the day. It’s fun for the kids. Depending on what is going on in a given year, the celebration can include decorations and pink heart pancakes for breakfast. Or I might be running out to Target the night before to throw together a gift and some candy to give them in the morning. I always get a beautiful bouquet of flowers from my husband, usually roses, and we try to go out to a nice dinner. Again, it’s an excuse to actually make ourselves go out for a date night and I’ll take it.
My husband and I don’t usually do gifts besides the flowers he gives me. Although one year, since it was too hectic to make it out to dinner, I did pick up some new boxers and socks for him and surprised him with a wrapped gift for probably the first and only time. Sometimes I’ll make his favorite dinner on the actual day of Valentine’s, and then we go out to a restaurant over the closest weekend when the restaurants aren’t too crowded or have limited menus.
So even though we don’t do a lot of gift giving for Valentine’s, I do have ideas if you are looking to give your sweetheart something special this year.
Valentine’s Gifts for the Lovely Lady in Your Life
Gift Card & Freedom
What’s the store where she goes to “just get one thing” and walks out with a full cart? Or the store where she just goes to browse and walk around but has enough self-control to not actually buy anything (this doesn’t actually happen, does it??). Some stores that come to mind are Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Sense, World Cost Plus Market, Whole Foods, The Container Store, Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, Barnes & Noble…you get the gist. Give her a gift card in whatever amount is comfortable for you, and tell her to spend the afternoon just walking around browsing and using her gift card to bring home whatever strikes her fancy. No judgement, no guilt. And especially if she is a busy mom, the hour or two to just wander around Target by herself, actually walking down EVERY SINGLE AISLE to browse, with no one demanding snacks or asking if they can go home yet, is truly the ultimate gift.
Spa Gift Certificate (or any experience)
Here’s the deal for any type of experience gift certificate. MAKE THE APPOINTMENT. It doesn’t matter if you have no clue what her schedule is. Make the appointment when you buy the card, even if it is for a month out. This means that she will either have to confirm that it is a good day and time, or call to reschedule. The hardest part of using a gift certificate is actually picking up the phone and making the appointment. If you make the appointment for her, not only does that take one thing off her plate, but she is so much more likely to use it.
Cozy Socks & Blanket
Valentine’s Day happens to take place in February, which for much of the country, is so…freaking…cold. And this year, it’s even cold where it’s supposed to be warm. So cozy warm things are totally on the table, especially if it is something she might not buy for herself. Fuzzy socks and blankets are my love language, so here are my favorites:
Northeast Outfitters Cozy Cabin Sherpa Blankets
~$30 at Dick’s Sporting Goods (on sale right now, buy one get one free!)
We have at least four of these blankets. They are always on sale (I think the “limited time only sale” is actually a permanent sale…) and are so soft and warm and I just can’t stop buying them. The top is silky smooth and the faux wool underneath is so cuddly. Perfect for snuggling up while watching a movie or extra warmth in bed during the winter. They have held up really well too–they still look nice after at least a year and haven’t gotten pilly. There are multiple colors and designs, so search the Dick’s site for “Northeast Outfitters Blanket” to find them all.
Northeast Outfitters Women’s Cabin Socks
~$15 at Dick’s Sporting Goods (some styles on sale–buy one get one free)
I wear these socks ALLLLLL winter. They are cozy warm but no too thick–I can still fit my feet inside my winter boots or shoes while wearing them. The outer design layer does wear out and develop a hole after 6 months to a year (I actually wear them in the summer too because A/C is cold!) but you can cut off the outer fabric and still have a cozy sock that lasts for a couple more years. They have men’s and kids styles too–search the Dick’s website for “Northeast Outfitters Cabin Socks.”
Scent-Sational Shower Steamers
Sometimes, the only downtime a mom gets is when she locks herself in the bathroom. We’ve all done it. Make those showers a bit more relaxing and luxurious with shower steamer tabs! These are the easiest form of self-care–just throw one in the shower and breathe deep! The steamers are hard tabs (kind of like a bath bomb) that you put on the floor of the shower and they disintegrate in the hot water. The brand I use is called The Herbal Zen, and they only use essential oils for the scents. They have scents such as Cold Kicker, Sleepytime, Headache Rx, Morning Energy, Stress Fighter, Hangover Helper, and lots more. They also have a variety pack to try out the different scents. Our favorite is the Cold Kicker–pair that with a hot steamy shower when you are all stuffed up and you will definitely feel better!
If you are going for presentation points, add a spa jar to make storage easy and pretty. If the steamers are sitting out on the counter in a pretty jar instead of shoved under the bathroom sink, she’s much more likely to remember to use them. Etsy is a great place to find them–search Bath Bomb Jar–and usually you can ask to customize to anything you want (“Kate’s Shower Steamers” for example). This one is from the BallonYourRoom store on Etsy.
Look for Deals on Roses
If you do want to go with the traditional flowers for a gift, don’t use a delivery service. So over priced. It’s at least $60 for a simple bouquet and a crazy amount for delivery on the special day. Your local grocery store likely has a lovely section. I think Giant does a nice job, and their prices for balloons and add ons are much better than other places. Also, Lidl and Whole Foods always have a sale on roses for Valentine’s and Mother’s Day–usually around $20 for 2 dozen roses. That’s a steal. Last year my husband got roses for me from Whole Foods (the only time he will ever cross their threshold) and I got roses for my daughter at Lidl. The Lidl flowers were far superior and lasted much longer.
What’s your go-to Valentine’s gift? Share in the comments!
Tried & True 