Valentine’s day may have started as a romantic festival but today it is celebration of love not just between lovers but also siblings, friends, parents and so on. Ironically, many hearts are actually broken on this day of love since most of us have high expectations of our partners. When someone we love falls short of those expectations, (regarding the ideal gift or how we feel we ought to be treated), the result is an antithesis of what this day is meant to be. Given below are some Valentine’s Day ideas for her, him, to celebrate at home with husband/wife or even alone!
1. Celebrate the day before or after 14th February
Why keep just one day for love when you can have all 365? Make every day a Valentine’s Day celebration. There are serious markups on this day and stores sell things at a much higher price. Why not just celebrate a day before or after? You can wait until February 15th and get normal or even bundle pricing on hotels, airfares, valentine’s day cards, candy and flowers. You can also stock up on cards a couple of months before and after the day when prices are a lot less.
2. Valentines day gift ideas that are highly appreciated and inexpensive
The best Valentine’s Day gift ideas need not break the bank. Give your partner a romantic massage. Use essential oils mixed up with scented lotion or some carrier oils. Many essential oils like Rose, Jasmine and Lavender are known to have aphrodisiacal qualities and can help you set a romantic mood. Note that pure essential oils can be quite expensive so if budget is a concern, go for fragrance oils instead of pure ones. Other top Valentine’s Day gift ideas are:
- Fruit basket– for the health conscious lover
- A spa hamper with her favorite oils, gels, soaps and perfumes. Does she enjoy scrap-booking? Give her that.
- Chocolates– these are of course a favorite.
- Coupon to a restaurant/movie. Better still, a booklet of coupons which can be used all year round with stores she/he uses and loves. Foot massage, spa coupons are all time favorites and your partner will appreciate using them all year round!
3. Give the gift of time
You are busy all year round; so why not use this festival to spend some quality time with her/him? Take a cooking or dance class together or just drive down to a scenic spot (a meaningful place of which you have fond memories) or just have a quiet romantic picnic or dinner? Fill up the picnic basket with wine bottle, her/his favorite treats; blankets and a battery operated CD player.
4. Get creative and give her/him the gift of writing
Give the gift of writing – write her/him a Valentine’s day poem or letter. You can also create a Crossword using Crossword Hobbyist for the word lover. It takes no more than 10 minutes to get those creative cells working and does not cost too much. S/he will certainly appreciate your effort.
5. Opt for a local getaway
Air fares tend to skyrocket during this season especially if Valentine’s Day comes on a weekend. Keep your romantic getaway local. As suggested above, go for a quiet picnic nearby. You can look for no frills B&Bs or motels.
6. Spend the day at home with top Valentines Day ideas
There are many Valentine’s day ideas for her and him to spend V day at home. Here are our favorites:
- Valentines day décor– Balloons, hearts, candy, candles and tea lights all go a long way in creating a romantic décor without costing too much. Decorate the bedroom with satin or silky red sheets and heart shaped pillows. Fill up the bath tub with bubble bath and rose petals. Create a path for her/him to follow with rose petals leading to the bedroom.
- Food– Finger foods, heart shaped pizzas, carrots and other vegetables arranged in form of hearts.
- Set the mood– Play some romantic music, give each other massages, and indulge in bubble bath and cuddle together to watch a romantic movie.
- Staycation– Paris, London and New York too expensive? Why not have a staycation? Have a Parisian themed meal for two complete with the bubbly and watch Paris themed romantic movies.
7. Celebrate with kids
Do not leave the kids out of the day. Give them inexpensive V day gifts like stationery which is always appreciated. Plan a trip to the zoo or organize a scavenger hunt game where each player needs to find her/his Valentine card. Pick up Valentine’s Day coloring books or download some free printables and have the kids color them. Coloring is a fun activity which everyone will love. This is an inexpensive idea which can keep your home clutter free.
8. Get creative with the flowers
We know what you are thinking- roses and chocolates are overly done each year. How about infusing some creativity into that? Hide a love note or a pearl inside each rose bud. As the buds open up, the pearls will be revealed and she can take them to the jeweler to have them strung into a necklace!
9. Love notes in Hershey’s kisses
Hershey kisses are the best ways to say I love you. How about twisting this a bit? Replace the note inside with your own handwritten notes. Include messages why you love her/him!
10. Find free activities to attend
How about checking your town website to find free activities nearby in the city?
