Gift Guide: Valentine's Day for Her

It’s February, and you know what that means! (Besides the Super Bowl, that is.) 

Source: bakerella.com via Veronica on Pinterest

Valentine's Day is coming!

Well, ideally we would start to plan for Valentine’s Day on February 1. Unfortunately, my local grocery stores have been brimming with Valentine’s Day candy for a good month now. Regardless, I thought I’d take this opportunity to share a few gift ideas with you. Now, I’m not the biggest Valentine’s Day person. Personally, I think Valentine’s Day should be an opportunity to spend some quality time with my significant other, not to buy each other gifts. In fact, that was generally our rule in high school: No gifts; let’s go do something romantic instead. However, considering this will be our fourth Valentine’s Day in a long-distance relationship, we’ve had some practice discovering small tokens of affection that can be sent via USPS.

Today, I will focus on “Gifts for Her," a.k.a. gifts I would like to receive on Valentine’s Day. (So maybe I’m doing Her before Him to give my boyfriend some ideas … so what? It’s called good planning.) Disclaimer: I do not represent every 20-something woman in this world, but I think I’m a fairly average example when it comes to gift-giving and -receiving. I am not liable for any disappointment on the part of your significant other if your chosen gift is not well-received.

Gifts for Her
 

 

Photo via Edible Arrangements

1. An Edible Arrangement. Yes, flowers are nice, but they die. And they can be a little passe. (See "Gifts to Avoid," below.) But who wouldn’t want a delicious bouquet of chocolate-covered fruits? Now that is a good delivery! And they even have a variety of options under $50! (Which is even cheaper than a nice bouquet of flowers.) Note: This gift would also work for Him. I wanted to send my boyfriend an Edible Arrangement last year, but he doesn’t have a store near him. Boo. 

 

Chinoiserie Bird & Butterfly Note Cards, Papyrus, $17.95

2. Pretty stationery. Snail mail is the best, as I’m sure most of my female peers would agree. With so many different options out there to choose from, selecting the perfect stationery can be overwhelming, but Papyrus is usually a good place to start. (In addition to the set pictured above, I also quite fancy these and these.) It would be a nice touch to include some stamps with the stationery, so the lucky recipient can start writing right away - probably to you! This is also healthy for your relationship, as it encourages a new method of communication between the two of you that doesn't include single-letter "K" texts.

Ticket Stub Diary, Uncommon Goods, $10

3. This neat ticket stub diary! This is especially nice if you’re in a more serious relationship and plan on attending lots of events together (or already have). I have a shoebox filled with little mementos from my relationship with Jonathan, and I just think this little book is one of the best ideas ever. There’s also a travel stub diary if she suffers from wanderlust.

Source: juniperbooks.com via Megan on Pinterest 

4. If your wife/girlfriend likes to read, you can’t go wrong with a gorgeous book (or two). And if she doesn't like to read, well ... maybe you should rethink that relationship.

 
Gifts to Avoid

1. Unless it’s your first Valentine’s Day together, avoid the teddy bear. It’s a sweet first gift (I still have the one Jonathan gave me when I was 14!), but a girl only needs so many stuffed animals after her 8th birthday.

2. Flowers. As mentioned above, flowers are nice, but we’d rather get them on non-holidays. I love a sweet “miss you” bouquet - or even better, flowers for no reason at all except that you love me! - but Valentine’s Day is a chance for you to show your creativity and get personal - don’t get stuck in a rose rut! If it's a new relationship and you don't feel comfortable with gift-giving yet, at least go with some fun balloons instead! (I apologize in advance to all the girls out there who are probably mad at me for even suggesting we don’t want flowers. If that’s you, just drop some strong clues about your love of pretty blooms. He’ll get the hint.)

3. Lingerie. Please, that's just a present for you. Gifts of gorgeous underthings are appropriate only as surprises (see flowers) or as an acknowledged gift for yourself. 

Final Thoughts

Good luck shopping! And don't forget the most important part: the card. Pick a good one and write something meaningful. That on its own is always enough for me (despite what the long, specific list above might lead you to believe). Cheers!