13 Valentine’s Day Gifts
A crochet jumper to make her feel beautiful or this lovely bracelet. From $40.
A gripping short story collection you can read together — like Brawler by Lauren Groff ($27, to arrive 2/24); I missed Freddie so much last night because I wanted to discuss it with him! — or a bookstore date to browse together.
A ribbed beanie or pink socks to keep him cozy. From $7.50.
A heart-shaped favorite photo of the two of you, $65.
A 30-minute shoulder rub while watching their favorite show, priceless. (Extra points if you put her hair in a braid, then undo it, and repeat over and over and over.)
Plus, a charm of that favorite show, $28. ;)
A bouquet of fresh flowers, from $60. Or a bunch of a single kind from your neighborhood bodega; they’re always beautiful.
A cheese board for two, mouse chocolates, or the most delicious ice cream flavor that Toby and I just discovered. From $12.
The world’s best earplugs because you know what’s romantic? Sleeping! Reading a book! Not hearing your kids! $25.
A new tradition to start together. Here are a few ideas from CoJ readers:
“Every year, my husband and I watch the Oscar-nominated animated shorts. It’s fun to talk about our favorites and then we root for them when we watch the Oscars.” — Meg
“I make hot pot every Valentine’s Day! I used to live in China, and the smell really brings me back, plus our kids think it’s the coolest thing ever.” — Sara
“I make homemade Valentine’s cards for my husband based on whatever TV show we’re watching. So far, he’s gotten Seinfeld and Succession cards. This year, it’s The Sopranos, and I’m sooo excited for the possibilities. Puns are always appreciated.” — Annie
“My partner and I never really enjoyed Valentine’s Day, so we now invite our friends’ kids over and encourage our friends to go out. It’s one of my favorite days.” — Anne-Marie
“My mom always made a special dinner with chocolate dessert for us all to eat by candlelight. It always felt lovely, and I’ve replicated the tradition with my own family.” — Stacy
Whipped briefs (gahhhh) or pretty pink ones. From $10.
A special dinner at a magical restaurant, just the two of you.
A love note, $7, and a kiss.
What do you like to get (or give) for Valentine’s Day? I’d love to give my close friends my favorite shower product as a little treat. Xoxo
P.S. Our Valentine’s Day gift guide last year, and my #1 dating rule.
(Photo of cat on sofa by Tarik Kizilkaya/Stocksy.)
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Tags: gift guide, gifts, gifts for men, gifts for women
Comments
102 commentsFor years, our V-Day tradition has been: order Chinese food (a nod to our first date) and choose a charity to which we give all the money we saved by staying in and cozy on V-Day. Somewhere along the way, we started giving $10 for each of the V-Days we have spent together. This year, we’ll be gifting $280. ❤︎
My husb. is decidedly anti-Valentine’s, a view he came to me with (oh, that first V-Day, when we were long distance, and I sat distracted all day at work wondering if a sweet card might show up, and at 4:55 p.m. I got an email about how Valentine’s Day was a cheap mockery of love). HA! Well, 13 years later, I can laugh about it. When we are on top of things, we do our taxes on Valentine’s, and it’s an intense bit of together time that feels quite date-like (kids are in bed, we’re huddled together sometimes with a beverage, working together through the questions, cheering ourselves on and hoping for a refund). But I’m teaching our kids the sweeter way to celebrate the day I grew up with: heart-shaped pancakes, handmade cards, little handmade surprises for friends of family, and especially for grownup friends with no sweetheart. My five-year-old son is making me a box decorated with hearts to hold all my Valentine cards (my heart! though his will probably be the only one!). The box, dear readers, is a nursing “boob pad” box he salvaged from our recycling. Life!
I hope you also have a Friends Valentines gift list coming up. No shade to any happy couples ( I love my couple friends! ) but why does this holiday have only focus on romantic relationships?. My bestie and I started having a Gaylentine/Galentine dinner party years ago. We both love Valentines, but didn’t always have partners when it came around. It’s mostly singles, but we sometimes invite one of our favorite couples. Especially important for the newly single ( aww Joanna, thinking of you and sending hugs)people. It’s fun and festive and great way to share that love comes in all forms, not just romantic ones. I know this was a topic the only day regarding Galentines, but this includes everyone. I worked in the restaurant industry for years and most of the people I waited on looked miserable. Like it was just an obligation. Unless you know a cozy neighborhood bistro ( that isn’t doing an overpriced prixe fixe menu, why?) Valentines out is going to be expensive and usually disappointing. No matter my status I much prefer making dinner at home, even better with good, fun friends! Anyway, more gift guides for everyone!
Fun fact : in Peru (where I live), February 14th is referred to the as the “day of love and friendship”! So it’s super common for friends to give each other gifts and celebrate together, and some families even do it amongst themselves!
https://boldforkbooks.com/products/wild-chocolate-rowan-jacobsen For the chocolate lover.
My husband is a Seinfeld fan and we’ve been watching the show together from the beginning. Well… he’s going to get a sculpture of himself made by yours truly out of the wackiest pasta I could find and hot glue! Like Fusili Jerry. He’s going to laugh so hard, I can’t wait to see his face!
Hope nobody sits on it!
@ Emily: Hahahahaha! Touché! 😆
I wish we could see this sculpture so bad! Genius, HH9!
One year we’d needed to free up some space in the freezer and Thanksgiving had been at other people’s homes so we thawed the fancy turkey I’d gotten at the farmers market and we had a full Thanksgiving Dinner and called it Valensgiving. We loved it so much it’s now our 4th Valensgiving. Also one of the rules is we eat dessert first for that meal.
Love this!
PSA, I would not give my loved one earplugs. I once gave them apple ear buds and I regret it! Unless you like to repeat yourself :)
I am running my very first marathon on Sunday, 2/15, so for Valentine’s Day this year my husband got me a hotel room for Saturday night at a hotel that is right down the street from the start line of the race, with a hot tub and late checkout Sunday. Two years ago when I was running the half marathon part of this same race, I had to run a mile to get to the uber to take me to the start line (our house is smack in the middle of the course). So he was determined I wouldn’t have to worry about that this year! He will be at the finish line with our two daughters, and made reservations at my favorite restaurant for later that day (assuming I can walk, of course)!
I’m a 3x marathoner. Good luck, you’ve got this! Trust your training and let it rip! 🔥🔥🔥
Stacey – good luck with your marathon! Enjoy it!!!
Curious how you are doing with the breakup as you approach Valentine’s Day @Joanna Goddard. My heart is hoping yours is hurting slightly less but still open and brave.
what a lovely note, CES. thank you so much for your sweet thoughts. I’m doing okay, although missing him. xo
First: thank you for sharing the best kiss in all of TV history. Swoon, new girl. Second: my husbands birthday is Valentine’s day so it always feels like a ton of pressure. 2 months ago I planned a very low key weekend away to a nearby small city (New Ulm – for any MN folk), rented an airbnb and asked my sister to watch our girls. We will go antique-ing, drink some fun cocktails, and have grown up time where we dont have to worry about waking the kids. I asked him what he wanted for his birthday otherwise and he said nothing, that he would be donating (with my permission) most of my last commission check to the local families in need. We’re just outside of Minneapolis and he’s on the PTO and setting up a matching program for families that donate. My heart melted in a thousand pieces.
I have two kiddos, 5 and 2. My husband and I never cared about Valentine’s Day but our new tradition is heart-shaped pizza and candles at the dinner table with the kids. Some places make heart-shaped pizza just for the day but it’s also easy to make at home!
This will be the third year that my husband and I gift each other a custom Spotify playlist for Valentine’s Day ~ low/no cost, fun to think of them while picking and ordering the songs, the mixed tape vibes is good for our GenX souls. Highly recommend!
What are the chances, my sister and I were waxing poetics about the chocolate mice that we grew up getting as a treat from a local bakery last night, and then today you posted these ones from another bake shop! They are so nostalgic and a total treat. If anyone reading this happens to live in Upstate NY and wants to support a local shop that makes chocolate mice, Villa Italia Bakery in Schenectady is the place to go!
So excited to see this! I grew up in Niskayuna and we went to Villa Italia all the time. Xoxo
So funny, I’m also a Sara who used to live in China and our kids also think hot pot is the coolest thing ever.
My sister and I have kids the same age, so this year we are hosting a Valentine’s Day party for them. We will set up a checkered table cloth, cook a spaghetti and meatballs dinner, watch Lady and the Tramp, and eat red velvet cake grandma Edie makes. It’s the most excited I’ve been for Valentine’s Day in years!
My kids’ school always serves “love-pasta” for lunch on Valentines day. Spaghetti with tomato sauce and meat- (or veg) balls. (We’re in Sweden so hot lunch every day)
Sorry to hijack the Valentine’s thread, but I’m in desperate need of recommendations for a kind of specific type of shoe and I’m hoping some of you ladies can help . . . I tend to do a LOT of walking when I visit cities on vacation. I also tend to stay out for the entire day and pack in a carryon, so I need one pair of shoes that does it all. I need something casual and comfortable enough for maybe 12-15 miles of city walking but also presentable enough for rolling up into a nice restaurant in the evening. I’m thinking maybe a Chelsea boot, but open to really any comfy but semi-attractive style shoe. The big catch — I don’t wear leather. Would be so grateful for any recommendations.
I would honestly recommend cool sneakers. people wear sneakers in New York, Paris, London, every city I’ve visited. the trick is to wear something streamlined that looks good with jeans, like this: https://nordstrom.sjv.io/jeMAdZ https://nordstrom.sjv.io/e1OP7X https://nordstrom.sjv.io/Z6P3Wg
Blundstones are incredibly comfortable for all day walking and have a vegan boot that looks (and stays) gorgeous – they’re super durable. https://www.blundstone.com/collections/vegan-boots If you’re open to a sneaker, Vejas have an extensive vegan line that might do the trick. https://www.veja-store.com/en_us/vegan
My teenage daughter has some Onitsuka Tiger canvas sneakers that she says are her most comfortable, and they have a similar aesthetic to the leather sneakers that can be somewhat dressed up. We do similar travel to what you’re describing and also do carry-on only. I ususally wear a super comfortable sneaker (like Hokas) because there’s nothing worse than sore feet when you’re trying to enjoy site-seeing, and then I pack a neutral sandal (small to pack) that can be dressed up for dinner. A compressible ballet flat or similar could work too. That all said, depending on where you are travelling, the sneaker trend seems to have made all types of shoes acceptable, even at nicer restaurants. Once you’re seated, it’s likely that nobody is looking at your feet anyway – nice earrings can go a long way. :)
Thanks! I do like sneakers but my current pair gives me blisters after a lot of walking. Time for an upgrade.
For warm weather, what about a pair of fancy vegan Birkenstocks? Or Allbirds ballet flats? For cold weather, check Clark’s shoes. They make gorgeous and comfy loafers and Chelsea boots, and they usually have good sales if you’re not close to an outlet.
https://www.allbirds.com/products/womens-tree-breezer-sienna-blush-knit?size=5&variant=41220635820112 Allbirds 50% off sale right now.
My favourite move is to buy cool sneakers a half size too big and buy good insoles for them. I wore Converse low tops for years every summer, traveling on vacation and walking everywhere when I lived in NYC and my feet would’ve died if not for some rad cushy insoles hiding inside!
I also vote for the blundstone boot or this brand https://intl.anothersole.com/collections/all-anytime-flats/products/lucie-ii-tobacco they are made in singapore, don’t sweat and are seriously comfortable.
Blundstones! They make a vegan version. I’ve walked all over Europe, averaging 15-20 miles a day. Worth every penny!
For basically our entire 15 year relationship my now husband and I have celebrated a special Valentine’s Day the week before. It’s more cost effective, less gimmicky, and feels like we are pulling one over on consumerism. We go out to a nice dinner and for a long walk. Then on the holiday itself, I usually make a special dinner for our kiddos and my husband is in charge of getting them a sweet treat.
That’s really nice. A friend of mine owns a fancy french bistro and he says that valentine’s day is the worst WORST worst shift to work in hospitality.
Smart move!
My VDay hack is to go to lunch, not dinner. The restaurants are quieter, they are gearing up for dinner service so you get the kitchen and servers before they are exhausted and cranky.
this is so smart!
totally agree. we always do day dates. we never want to be up late anymore anyway!
Loop earplugs are wonderful! I have three very loud children and these take the edge off the noise, but I can still hear.
My online Loop order arrives today! Cannot wait to give them a whirl. I use Hearos at night and for loud events, including vacuuming. My younger self did not consider the harm of loud spin classes and concerts. As they say, “Youth is wasted on the young.” :)
Can’t wait to see what my parent have in store
OK – my Loop earplugs arrived. They work!! What a miracle and affordable. Gifting these to my loved ones through the year. Thanks everyone :)
so glad, Anna!
Well, this Valentine’s Day I’m apparently fixating on the silken tails on those chocolate mice. Why not edible tails, chocolate-mouse makers?! As a wildlife-hospital volunteer I used to have to thaw frozen mice and chop them up for our raptor patients, so those sweet little rodent bonbons linked above took me right back to ye olde grisly piles of unwanted actual mouse tails. I would eat the silken chocolate mouse tail out of a twisted sense of solidarity with feeders and end up at a walk-in clinic. I am really into Casey Weldon’s Love Cats (valentines with kittens + pop/indie/metal lyrics of yore), speaking of unwanted actual mouse tails, so I will probably hide some of the sticker versions on my husband’s stuff in startling places (also A+ for snail mail pen pals). https://www.caseyweldonstore.com/product/pink-and-blue-love-cats-sticker-sheets
Hi Lauren – I am a chocolate buyer/product developer and I work with a chocolatier who makes these! Solid white chocolate mice with strawberry liqourice lace tails. Handmade in England. They are so cute and so tasty. Polar Post sell them at Christmas time.
I love that, Natalie, and what a delightful job you have! May the rest of the chocolate-mouse-producing world follow in that chocolatier’s footsteps!
https://swmsweets.com/collections/bonbon-books For the book lover. Chocolate books.
I LOVE stick with me sweets, the chocolates are soooo good.
I love Annie’s idea about the tv themed cards based on what you’re watching together- it reminds me of my hubby and I before we became parents. We loved playing video games together and would leave silly notes for each other referencing said video games and character love interests. Stardew valley anyone? Sooo many love stories, we did them all!!
My husband is a gamer but I’m not besides some Mario Kart or the Sims sometimes. However he adores Stardew Valley and get me to play a bit. I really did enjoy it. Such a cozy game!
That’s so fun Kate! If you ever want to play with him more there are lots of lovely cozy games out there. Recently enjoyed Carto and Animal crossing :)
We don’t usually do much, but we’re going to see Brandi Carlile in Boston on the 12th and going to dinner and getting a hotel. A rare night away from our son! Then I’m visiting some of my best friends over the weekend and looking forward to an Galentine’s weekend of snuggling babies and dogs.
Brandi Carlisle…!
Brandi Carlile ! Listened to The Mother on repeat last night ( as one does ) bawling. Also recently watched video from her appearance on Colbert from back in early 2020. She did a cover of John Prine’s Hello in There, a song I also love. He died of Covid in the early days. She covered his song as a tribute to him and to “old people” in general. My husband and I watched John Prine sing that song often, back in early days of Covid also. I like her live version of The Mother she did in Texas years ago. That video comes with a neat intro. Anyway, have fun !
Perfection! (Fellow BC fan).
Like Dottie, our Valentines tradition involves cheese. It’s always homemade Mac & Cheese. Mac loves cheese. Cheese loves mac. They are inseparable. Divinely in love. And they are a hug for the tummy, too. Sigh.
My parents have been married for 63 years. They have been exchanging the same two valentines cards every year for that whole time. They keep them in their sock drawers. Yeah….I’ll be taking possession of those someday.
I love this.
That’s adorable and such a great idea!
This is adorable! Do they sign/write a new note somewhere on the card every year?
That’s so beautiful
I misread the subtitle as “heated underwear” and was so confused!!! Hahahahah
It’s so cold where I am right now, that would definitely be a winner!
I’m melting over the 30 minute massage with a hair in a braid and then undone over and over. That is all I want. All I ever want. Hahaha. Just sent to my husband!!
That’s the one that got me, too!
Yes to fondue! And, not just for V-day. Mom is turning 90 on Tuesday and we are braving the coldest Sunday of the year to take her to a new fondue place in New Haven to celebrate.
My husband and I don’t usually make a big deal for Valentine’s Day, but our local cinema is showing Amélie that day!! It’s been 25 years since it came out in the theaters, you all! So we had to get tickets. It’s a lunchtime showing, so we’re going to get brunch first. For dinner, I ordered a fondue pot for a cozy dinner at home. Looking forward to just hanging out together.
Such a wonderful movie!
Lovely! My favorite movie forever
Just now putting together my daughter’s Valentine’s care package for her first semester away at college = OOF! We always made Valentine’s Day special over here because my family had the same tradition. Pink paper hearts hanging from strings down the stairs, a “love” banner my hb made over the fireplace, and little gifts of sweets and homemade cards placed on the table for breakfast. I’m low key ;-) dreading the holiday without her, but picturing her lovely face all lit up when she receives the package from home. <3
Hope, my mom used to send these to me when I was in college and I felt so LOVED. She will absolutely love it!
My favorite V-day tradition is to give small gifts to my female friends! Just a “I’m thinking of you” moment!
Gah! I love love love that Murray’s Cheese box!
Jeni’s for the win! After I tasted it I said life is too short not to eat this ice cream every day😄!
I’ll take dinner out and the whipped underwear please
Small request to use “their” in place of “her or his” and similar references. An easy and inclusive-of-more-ppl switch!
Great feedback. Thank you, Kristen!
I noticed the references to “them” (post-edit, it looks like!) and felt a little more seen here today — thanks for sharing the feedback I’m usually too shy to say, Kristen 💙
Thank you so much for not including a single Amazon link!
Yesssssss!
Brawler sounds very interesting. https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/05/13/brawler (I like to read about authors) For us, a rom-com after brunch. This year, Solo Mio. A fairly new-ish fig tree farm opened a restaurant. Brunch courses always include something figgy. Valentine’s rez was hard to score so we’re going Sunday. 🍒♥️
Aww the heart shaped photo!! Also “put her hair in a braid, then undo it, and repeat over and over and over” I WANT!!!!
I’m not really into Amazon or dupes in general but this Negative Underwear Whipped dupe is ON POINT. https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/6437F4B7-7860-46FE-B803-D8ADFB1EA912?ingress=2&lp_context_asin=B0FD9MG66Q&visitId=fa187d54-854a-4694-b1d9-d13540274264&store_ref=bl_ast_dp_brandLogo_sto&ref_=ast_bln
Oh excellent, thanks for the tip!!
Ok I’ll read that same book and then we can go to a dinner at Sailor to discuss xoxoxoxoxo
yes!
My birthday is February 13th, so obviously, that’s always been the big night out. On the 14th, we always do something together, but super low key. I love that I have two days back to back to celebrate and enjoy. Now that our kids have grown, we’ve gotten into the tradition of babysitting for our daughter and son in law on the 14th, so they can have some time for themselves. Also, going to order some of my husband’s favorite cinnamon bread as a treat for breakfast on Valentine’s Day.
that’s so sweet, Marisa. and I love avoiding the restaurant crush on February 14th :)
My hubby and I are not super tradition oriented folks; however, we have done the same thing for Valentine’s Day each year of our marriage. Cheese fondue! When we were engaged and wandering through Williams-Sonoma, the only thing he adamantly wanted was a fondue pot. He was so excited to receive it and declared Valentine’s to be for fondue. It is fun and special and I love our tradition!
this sounds like so much fun, Rebecca! what do you dip into the fondue?
I love fondue and your husband was smart to want a fondue pot. My husband and I have a tradition of making cheese fondue during one or two winter storms each year. We light a fire, dip cubes of bread into fondue and let the snow fall. Our fondue pot is a bright red Dansk one, which would be great on Valentine’s night. We missed our traditional meal during the last storm, so maybe we’ll do it for Valentine’s dinner this year. Thanks for the idea. Also, if anyone wants a cheese fondue recipe, here’s a link to the one I use )https://seasaltandsailorstripes.com/cheese-fondue/). Hopefully no one will mind that I’m linking to my site here.
@Joanna Goddard, we usually just dip bread. I tried to be healthy the first few years by including veggies and apples. We both agreed that we liked cheese only!
love this tradition!
This is too funny! I just posted about buying a fondue pot for our Valentine’s Day dinner this year! I’m planning to make a spread with cubed bread, cornichons, potatoes, apples, and some other veggies.
I love fondue! My favourites to go with it are baguette, potatoes, and broccoli. I’ve also tried apples and grapes. The broccoli is best, in my experience to leave on the plate and just drizzle the cheese over so it doesn’t fall apart in the fondue pot.
Ladies, which cheeses are your favorites for fondue?
My family has been doing meat & cheese fondue since I was a kid. Always on xmas eve. Cheese recs for Hillary – my mom does a mix of emmental, gruyere, flour or corn starch and white wine. Happy fondueing!
Thanks for the cheese fondue method Meghan! I haven’t had fondue in years and the pot is still in our dining cabinet staring me down! Time to revisit.
Someone already mentioned broccoli, but the surprise hit for us was halved Brussels sprouts! If you leave them whole the cheese slips off, but cut in half they make lovely scoops. I love bread and potatoes too… but I find it fun to mix it up in different bites.