Valentines Day Gift Ideas

Ah, Valentine's Day! Hands down the most hated holiday by singles yet a favorite of many couples. Arguably a holiday that is lost to over-advertising, Valentine's Day brings to mind expensive romantic gifts, chocolates, and lots of long stemmed roses. Not to mention Cupid! Yet very few people stop to consider how much effort goes into choosing thoughtful, unique Valentine's Day gifts that are not overdone with cliché red and pink hearts.

Avoiding the typical Valentine's Day gift ideas can be a chore, but at the same time will garner attention from the recipient of something specially chosen just for them. For unique Valentine's Day gifts that don't induce the gag reflex, try Valentine's gift baskets.

Filled to the brim with special things for a special someone, Valentine's gift baskets can cost as much or as little as one chooses, and can include anything under the sun such as gift cards, date memorabilia, coupon books for free kisses, hugs and dates, and chocolate. Another perk of a gift basket at Valentine's Day is that it can be mailed to the recipient if a face to face meeting cannot be arranged. Stores such as Harry and David offer this type of shipping for a small fee.

A fun variation on a Valentine's Day gift basket is a picnic basket. Simply fill the picnic basket that already contains the necessities (utensils, plates, glasses) with favorite foods and wines. Not only is a fine feast created, but so is a great date, and a totally unique Valentine's Day gift idea.

If the idea of chocolate at Valentine's Day is a must, create a picnic with one of Godiva's towers. Godiva towers are gift baskets that include a large array of chocolates that both can enjoy until happily ladled with tummy aches. These can be purchased online or at one of Godiva's stores. The only downfall to purchasing online and not in the store is the lack of yummy samples and mouth-watering tastes.

If Valentine's gift baskets aren't up one's alley, a romantic message in a bottle is another gift idea that is expressive and thoughtful. For $15, one can write a message or poem for their loved one, stopper it in a bottle, and send away!

Other variations of this include daily reminders of love, which is essentially a jar or some container filled to the brim with 365 reasons the gift-giver is enamored with the recipient. Each day for a year, the recipient can be reminded of that special someone. A perk to this Valentine's Day gift is that it can be done on a budget at home, or for those who aren't great at expressing themselves, ordered for $30.

Some people simply can't live without giving the flowers on Valentine's Day. An updated idea that contains a degree of longevity is to give potted flowers. Instead of the flowers drying out and creating a flaky mess three days later, potted flowers are fragrant and can bloom and remind the recipient every day of how much he or she is loved.

Valentine's Day does not have to be a nauseating holiday for those who are romantically challenged. Most Valentine's Day gift ideas can be translated into fun gifts or outings between friends. Valentine's gift baskets can be made up for single friends, and potted flowers can be given to wish Mom a happy Valentine's Day. Valentine's Day picnics for friends can also be a fun way to alleviate the pain of being single on February 14th.


Sources:
Romantic Greeting in a Bottle. Personal Creations. 2007. 11 April 2007. http://www.findgift.com/Holidays/Valentines-Day/Valentine's Day Gifts. Red Envelope, Inc. 2007. 11 April 2007. http://www.redenvelope.com/giftcatalog/Ccat10478.j sp
Gift Baskets and Towers. Godiva Choclatier, Inc. 2007.  22 April 2007.  http://www.godiva.com/catalog/collections.aspx?id= 71
Harry and David.  2007. 22 April 2007.  http://www.harryanddavid.com/webapp/wcs/stores/ser vlet/BECHomePageView?langId=-1&storeId=10051&a />