Wondering what to buy on Valentine’s Day? These gift ideas for couples are both expressions of love and tips for relationships that go beyond Valentine’s Day…
“My wife’s love language is ‘acts of service,’” writes Gary Chapman in The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts. “One of the things I do for her regularly as an act of love is to vacuum the floors. Do you think this comes naturally for me? You couldn’t pay me enough to vacuum the house. There is only one reason I do it: LOVE. You see, when it doesn’t come naturally to you, it is a greater expression of love.”
Vacuuming the house isn’t the best way to say “I love you” on Valentine’s Day — it’s one of those acts of love that are better suited to weekly or monthly expressions of love! On Valentine’s Day, do something different and special. Buy your sweetie an edible chocolate high heel shoe — it’s fun and creative for both men and women!
And, here are several more tips and gifts for saying I love you on Valentine’s Day…
What to Buy on Valentine’s Day – 7 Gift Ideas for Couples
1. First, learn what says “I love you” to your partner. A day of manicures and pedicures at the spa isn’t the best way to say I love you on Valentine’s Day if your partner doesn’t care about her fingernails or feet! My husband gave me a manicure and pedicure for Christmas one year, and it was nice…but not my first choice of gifts. I feel loved when he reads and comments on my blog articles, and helps me with my writing career. Other people feel loved when they are pampered with flowers, romantic dinners, or jewelry. Still others feel loved when they get physical affection: hugs, caresses, foot massages, back rubs. The best “gift” to buy on Valentine’s Day is to put yourself in your partner’s shoes, and do something that makes him or her feel loved.
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2. Wall or table art. One of the best gifts my husband ever gave me was a “Believe” sign, which I see every time I walk upstairs at home. There are so many encouraging, inspirational, motivational signs that will lift your lover’s heart and show her how much you love her every time she sees them:
- Metal “Live Love Laugh” sign
- “Believe” Silver Metal Word Art for tables or walls
- “Loved you yesterday Love you still” wall sayings in vinyl lettering
3. A romantic gift bag of messages and toys. For Valentine’s Day last year, I gave my husband a homemade cloth bag of sensual goodies. My favorite are the love notes: there are 15 or 20 notes that we draw out of the bag with our eyes closed, which contain beautiful acts of love that we both enjoy. Our drawstring bag also includes massage oil, a pen and paper for new love ideas, a book, candles, and other assorted goodies. This is an inexpensive, romantic way to say I love you on Valentine’s Day.
4. A blog that says “I love you” on Valentine’s Day. Starting a blog takes less than five minutes, and it’s a creative, inexpensive gift for couples in love! “Build a webpage with special content and pictures, and share it with friends and family members, so they can comment on it and add their own stories and memories,” says Kathleen McFall, who wrote The Cowboy and the Vampire: A Darkly Romantic Mystery with her husband, Clark Hays. They’ve been married for 11 years, and decided early on that “normal” gifts were unsatisfying and expensive. This online expression of your love could be the start of a whole new relationship with your partner.
5. Jewelry – a heart necklace, bracelet, ring, or earrings. My husband gave me a red heart necklace for our first Valentine’s Day as a married couple. I haven’t given him jewelry yet, but I know he needs a tie clip and cuff links. Jewelry is a traditional expression of love and commitment for couples in love — even for people who don’t wear jewelry all the time. I rarely wear my red heart necklace, but I see it every time I go into the bathroom. It’s a visual reminder of our love.
Here are some gorgeous pieces of jewelry for Valentine’s Day:
- Gold 3-Stone Diamond Heart Pendant
- 10k White Gold Round Diamond Stud Earrings
- Sterling Silver Italian Mesh Bracelet
- Citizen Women’s Diamond Accented Stainless Steel Watch
6. Chocolate aromatherapy. How about a gift of Valentine’s Day chocolate — without the calories? “Chocolate is said to produce the same europhic feelings as those experienced during sex, so chocolate combined with aromatherapy is the ultimate indulgence!” says Sharon Falsetto, who created her own Chocolate Shop. “Using true cocoa butter, with the added ingredients of essential oils, there are true aromatic and therapeutic benefits from chocolate aromatherapy. Cocoa butter is also good for the skin; used correctly and with true aromatherapy ingredients, ‘chocolate’ really is beneficial in aromatherapy!”
7. Valentine’s Day plush teddy bears. When I asked my friends on Facebook for the best Valentine’s Day gift they ever received, someone said a giant stuffed plush teddy bear. It certainly is cute, and a huge visual expression of love! I’ve never been given a bear like this, but I’ve snuggled up to them at friends’ places while watching a movie. It’s a sweet Valentine’s Day gift.
The most important gift for couples on Valentine’s Day (and the best love tip) is to remember that your partner’s “love language” may not be natural for you. If you need help expressing love in different ways, remember that those ways may feel awkward and uncomfortable. If you can’t say “I love you”, you need to learn how. The five love languages are words of affirmation, acts of service, quality time, physical touch and gifts. In 80 Ways to Say “I Love You”, I describe how to express love in each of those different ways.
What do you think of these gifts to buy on Valentine’s Day? Comments welcome below…
More “Quips and Tips” for Valentine’s Day:
- Gifts for Wine Lovers
- Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Husbands
- Valentine’s Day Getaways – 10 Tips for a Romantic Maui Vacation
- Gifts for Chocolate Lovers and Chocoholics
- 14 Creative Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Him and Her
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That first point you’re making is so so important! Don’t buy or book something you would love. Instead make sure it’s something your lover thoroughly enjoys, something that shows how well you know him. If it’s a gift connected to a specific hobby of him, it shows him that you care about his interests and that’s probably the best gift of all.