I want to first point out that while I generally always gave my significant other a gift of some sort, it's not entirely necessary for the female to do so, but I do think it is good courtesy. And it isn't about the quality or price. Seriously, you could bake a guy a cake, and he'd love it (not to mention, I think girls would too...baked goods are always a safe bet). But try to remember that for guys, this time of the year can be somewhat stressful. If you've been together for a while, he's probably spent weeks, maybe months, trying to figure out what to get you for Christmas, and then less than two months later the Valentine's anxiety kicks in. So try to make this a mutual thing...
I don't think that any gift should be extravagant for this day of the year...even though Valentine's is terribly commercial and overdone, I do have to say that it is one of my favorites. I don't know if it's just the fact that I like baking strawberry cupcakes for people, or if I am just still a hopeless romantic at heart.
But like I was saying...avoid extravagant...meaning...please don't propose or anything crazy. haha. Honestly, you can go for the cliche ideas (like flowers and chocolate) and this is the one day of the year, you're allowed to be a little cheesy. But still, there are plenty of girls who are very particular about what they receive... :/ I'll go through and help a little both "for her" and then what I can for the "for him"...
So what to get her (girlfriend/crush/etc.)...And really, a lot of this works for guys too, and I will add to the list as I think of things. If anyone has ideas they'd like to share, I'm more than willing to add them.
1. Stay away from jewelry and clothes unless you know her style. This can be a very tricky category, but if you can get it right...girls love jewelry. Definitely keep it simple. But do not buy cheap Claire's or Icing jewelry...she can do that on her own. While the things on this website can be a little expensive, it has some nice ideas for jewelry that you can probably find at a store like Things Remembered for a much more affordable price...and get it personalized.
*Remember: if she tends to wear gold jewelry, don't buy her silver and vice versa!
If you're going for clothing, also go with something solid like a red dress, and please save her the gift receipt. And don't be offended if she goes to exchange. Like I said...I'd stay away from this category.
2. Anything heartfelt is perfect. I did the cheesy write a letter and poem once and bind it with ribbon, sprayed with perfume. It worked as a fifteen year old. And when I was a little older, I got heart shaped sticky notes and wrote "I love....insert something you like about the person" on every sticky note. I did a little over a hundred to use in a basket type thing and added some candy, snacks, etc. Write something for her. You don't have to be Shakespeare.
3. Perfume is another tricky area. However, if you find something that you personally like the smell of, I guarantee you she will wear it. Why else do girls wear perfume?
4. Don't just buy her candy (unless this is for someone you admire, a crush or something...then a small box of chocolates is perfect.) If you're going for chocolate, accompany it with something you made (a scrapbook?) or the message in a bottle type thing. Or you can get the personalized M&M's that have recently been a big thing. Also, chocolate covered fruit like the ones from Edible Arrangements (which you can totally make at home for a fraction of the price) are fantastic (and sorta healthy) too.
5. Make her dinner or get her favorite takeout. You can go out to eat, but it's always nice to be cooked for. And also, you can add watching a movie to the agenda. While I'm not a huge fan of cheesy chick flicks, there are a few I'd recommend (other than the obvious, like The Notebook), as well as some movies that are more based on another genre with a love story woven in.
- Love Actually (girls happen to love this movie...)
- Sense and Sensibility (anything with Hugh Grant, really or anything of Jane Austen's)
- You've Got Mail (Meg Ryan movies are all great chick flicks)
- Hitch (Will Smith and Eva Longoria - definitely a comedy)
- Last Song (the only movie I will ever watch with Miley Cyrus in it..haha)
- The Proposal! (a personal favorite)
- 50 First Dates
- Sweet Home Alabama
- Serendipity
- Two Weeks Notice
- Music and Lyrics
- 500 Days of Summer (the lovely Zooey Deschanel)
- Letters to Juliet (extremely cheesy ending)
- Eat Pray Love
- 10 Things I Hate About You (A very young Joseph Gordon-Levitt)
- Breakfast at Tiffany's (An Audrey Hepburn classic)
And the last two are just personal suggestions...I'm a lot more into action/crime/sci-fi with somewhat of a love interest...
- Thomas Crown Affair (Remake 1999, not 98! Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo)...awesome movie, crime/romance
- Adjustment Bureau (Matt Damon and Emily Blunt)...very well done movie, sorta sci-fi
6. The movie Safe Haven comes out on Valentine's Day. It's from a Nicholas Sparks novel I recently read, so definite chick flick. Click here for the trailer. (Josh Duhamel, Julianne Hough...and my favorite from HIMYM, Cobie Smulders)
7. Magazine Subscription to her favorite magazine (Glamour, Lucky, People, InStyle, Nature, Psychology Today, etc.)
8. Gift cards are highly underrated. Girls generally love shopping, and it's even better if you know her favorite clothing store. If you still really think that gift cards require no thought, go for some sort of pampering Spa Treatment, like a massage or manicure.
9. There are a lot of "____ of the month" clubs you can sign her up for. If it's a wine club, she gets a new bottle of wine delivered every month. There are all kinds of these...food of the month, dessert of the month, flowers of the month, etc.
10. Crown Candles - hidden jewels...actually a really cool idea.
11. A book. I got a book of poems once from a guy, and I have to say I was speechless. It doesn't necessary have to be poetry...you can write anything...your favorite memories with her maybe..
But there are all kinds of companies that bind books if you don't want to put it together yourself. OR a love note jar.
12. Concert Tickets- this takes a bit of planning..you have to know if she is available the day of, how you guys are going to travel there, accommodations, etc. However, if you can pull all that off, a concert date to one of her favorite musicals or concerts.
13. Personalized iPhone case- a picture of the two of you OR Things Remembered has metallic ones that you can get engraved with Initials or names or whatever. For the guitarists, there is a such thing as a personalized guitar pick too!
14. A class, such as painting or dancing (even better) for two.
15. If you have the resources, take a road trip. I don't think anything could beat a road trip with your significant other. Go to your hometown and let him or her experience what it was like for you growing up. Go to your high school, local parks, and other places memorable to you. If I were to be really into a guy, I'd want to know all about what his life was before and what it was like where he grew up. Take a bike tour, a mountain hike, try scuba diving, anything that you think she would be in to. Obviously, if she's like me and is terrified of fish, stay away from the scuba diving/snorkeling idea. hahaha.
16. For the traveler, a map... One that you can mark off the places you have been. Anything unique to the person and fun!
17. Lovestagram
-->- valentine creator storyline or cards(sign in with Instagram) DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible for any dissatisfaction with any gift you may give. You know the person better than I. K thanks. :)
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