12 Valentine’s Day Gifts

For the first time in adulthood, at 34, I’m single. I have a positive relationship with N ex-husband, and have recently come out as gay. I’m feeling very much on the cusp of a new life, but also alone. After years of wondering why I didn’t seem to feel love the way other women did for their husbands, I finally feel capable of falling in love, and I want it so badly. But for this year, Valentine’s Day is just a Tuesday.

Somewhere along the line, I was given the perspective-shift that Valentines Day need not be limited to romantic love, and could include all kinds of loving relationship. Galentines Day is a successful adaptation of this idea. I once sent my mom a Valentine for being my ‘first true love.’ Someone you know deserves a shout-out for bringing love into your life. A teacher, mentor, neighbor, grandparent, child, niece/nephew, friend…celebrate that love with a little token – even a text message is a sweet way to expand the love on that day. Although I adore a corny exchange between myself and my husband, I enjoy the little surprises I get to spring on the unsuspecting even more.

I used to be a florist, so Valentine’s Day feels very different to me; something between mild PTSD (just kidding! But also, whhhheeewww), and also nostalgia for the insane 16 hour days, the collapse into an epsom salt bath at the end of them, and the sweetness of asking folks to describe their loves to me while I arrange bouquets. But a pro tip, because I know we love those around here: the growers raise their prices that week, so the shops have to too. If you want to do flowers for Valentine’s, buy them early. You’ll get props for making the lead up to the day more romantic, and you won’t have to spend a zillion dollars. And if you can, try to support a small, locally owned shop. They’re competing with grocery stores who sell flowers as a loss leader, and it’s a rough game out there.

I read the necklace recommendation as “effortlessly slutty” and I’m still reeling

I just want to say that these are all brilliant ideas but the idea that that selection is the “best” of British chocolate makes me want to scream NO NO NO. Where is the Twirl?! The Wispa Gold?! The Cadbury’s Whole Nut?! The Curly Wurly?! The Milky Way?! (I recently learned that these are a different thing in the US and my mind was blown). Honestly, they may be packed full of history, but those Fry’s abominations can get in the sea.

I feel Teen Jenny rejection vibes around this holiday despite being grown and objectively fabulous. Gonna get myself a necklace with a ring for vintage charms and feel both anointed and like I have tiny armor, tremendous value.

As a kid and in college – and maybe for a few years after – my mom would always give (or mail) me a little collection of stuff. Candy, socks, a card, a little silly stuffed something from Walgreens. A Valentines care package. Highly recommend doing this for your kids and friends – it’s such a treat to give and receive and takes the romantic pressure off of the day.

Husband and I have been married 11 years and the Valentines efforts are getting increasingly tame and hot at the same time. Let me explain.

Tame: We now have a tradition of taking our kids on dates on Valentines Day. They are 6-year old boy/girl twins so we each take one to dinner and spend time with them.

Spicy: Gifts to one another are generally something provocative to have some fun.

I also have a yearly tradition of making a Chatbook for him for Valentine’s Day because I find the Feb 14 date is the perfect time to recap the previous year and it forces me to do make the album! I need deadlines or I won’t do it. But now I let the kids unwrap it so maybe it doesn’t even count. Ha!

Valentine’s is my favorite holiday. My parents always made it sweet growing up– dyeing the milk pink (lol) making a heart shaped cake (highly recommend a heart shaped baking pan, giving us cards, getting the heart-shaped pizza from Papa Murphys (!!!) I only have positive memories from this holiday. Even the times I was single, it was just a reminder to come back to myself and find bits and pieces to love, even when that wasn’t my first inclination… Plus I just love chocolate, pink, and glitter and what a day to incorporate all of those :)
I’m getting married in March (!!!) and actually plan to use this Valentine’s as conscious day to slooowwwww down and savor in this special time with my honey. Everything feels so GO GO GO now that I’m really looking forward to Feb 14!

My husband and I have never celebrated Valentines, it’s just not our thing, but my 6 year old son said to me earnestly the other day “Mum, we need to start making our Valentines Day cards, we haven’t long left!”. So maybe we better start making a bit more effort!

Chocolates or sweets
A bouquet of flowers
A piece of jewelry (such as a necklace, bracelet, or pair of earrings)
A romantic dinner or cooking experience at home
A spa day or massage
A weekend getaway or vacation
A photo album or picture frame with memories
A new handbag or accessory
A fragrance or perfume
A cookbook or kitchen gadget
A smart home device or other tech accessory
A book or album by their favorite author or musician.

i love my daughters.

I also HIGHLY recommend the Smitten Kitchen red wine chocolate cake. It’s the sexiest cake.

We don’t celebrate. Sometimes my husband brings home flowers. As we’re getting older, we’re realizing how unusual we are as a couple and I’m growing to appreciate it and he isn’t.

Reading all these beautiful stories of love and care makes me happy for you all, but for me it’s bittersweet. There’s no extra money for gifts or going out. Every attempt at talking about our relationship ends up in tears. We were never in love and we still aren’t. Slowly we’re learning to be friends, two decades late. We love our kids.

Our standing valentines tradition is scallops. I don’t know why I love them so much but I do. If they’re on a menu I can be counted on to order them, and it feels so indulgent to serve up a big plate of oysters and bacon for a mid week dinner with a side of crusty bread (but they’re actually so easy to cook).

Can’t wait!

I got a Lake & Skye sampler pack, and wow every scent is sooo good. Warm, subtle, feel like a hug.

For anyone that has people they love in their lives but doesn’t like Valentine’s Day. I get it. Don’t buy the extra stuff you don’t need. Do take extra time to celebrate/dote on the ones you love!

I ordered my husband and me our own pints of delicious ice cream from a local shop (Bebe Zito’s Fold in the Cheesecake for Minneapolis friends). I can’t wait to dig in together!

My husband and I have a standing Valentines date (10 years running!) to go see the Oscar-nominated short films in the theater (usually the animated ones, sometimes live-action). It takes all the pressure off of finding The Valentines Day Gift. They’re so fun to watch, then debate which one will win! We feel very cultured, which is key when you have two kiddos under six and your usual short films feature Bluey and Bingo.

Just here to say I’ve been making that Smitten Kitchen cake for the past 5years and I’m still not sick of it.

My husband and I have yet to celebrate Valentine’s day after 8 years together! Neither of us have ever cared. But tomorrow morning I am hosting 6 elderly ladies for a Valentine’s day brunch with eggs cups, raspberries, TJ’s chocolate heart cookies, and a few other snacks. Lots of pink flowers and candles around the house, and I borrowed my sister’s collection of gorgeous mix matched plates and mugs. We are all going to share our love stories and old pictures. I’m really excited. They are the sweetest friends.

This is cute list! In Australia Valentine’s Day is not as huge (or maybe that’s just in circles I am in) but I still remember getting a rose and a card when I was 11 or 12 from someone. My heart swelled so big and I’m sure I saw sparks and rainbows and unicorns dancing around me. I had no idea who the person was and I was in love! I like the idea of celebrating the magic of love be it with a partner or friend it’s such a sweet celebration. This year I going to get into it.

So excited for this post today, Joanna! I really needed something fun and lighthearted, so thank you for that!!
I absolutely LOVE Valentine’s day. It comes the day after my birthday- it’s so much fun having 2 special days in a row. For many years, we had our son with us, as he didn’t want to be alone without a girlfriend. This is the first year that he has a wonderful girlfriend, and we are so excited to celebrate the two of us! We are going to spend the night in Boston, go to one of our favorite restaurants- Myers and Chang on my birthday, then the next morning- on Valentine’s Day- we will go to a bakery in the South End for breakfast, then onto the MFA to look at beautiful art. The last time we were in Hawaii, when we got out of the water after snorkelling, there was a beautiful rainbow. I snapped a pic of the two of us and am having it printed and framed for him. Can’t wait!!!

Vibrator note: fyi Dame’s Eva doesn’t serve all bodies the same and mat or may not work as advertised for you. When I “wear” it, it’s no where near my… pleasure center, and so doesn’t work like I was told. I bought it from all the hype here, so rather disappointing. As Emily Nagoski says we have the same parts, arranged differently! That said, it’s a very well made product, and I can still use it hand held (but I wish I had gotten a different model made just for that use). Good luck friends!

the perfume links seem to be broken!