Think Outside The {Chocolate} Box: 21 Last-Minute Valentine’s Gift Ideas!
If you have put off buying that Valentine’s Day gift, don’t fret; it’s not Valentine’s Day yet! There is still some hope for us procrastinators to come up with a pleasing and meaningful gift idea without having to spend a fortune to do it!
I have compiled some last minute Valentines gifts that won’t break the bank, and will still have your Valentine’s heart going pitter-patter!
Here are some creative and modestly priced Valentine’s ideas for procrastinators (like me!):
Surprise Love Notes
Grab a package of heart-shaped Post-it notes from the grocery store, write down things you love about him or her and scatter them throughout the house. They will love it!
Giant Candy Bar Card
Put together a big card (made with poster board or foam core board) with candy bars attached and cute candy bar sayings. These are so much fun to do!
Candy Bouquet
This is a bouquet I made for my husband last year. I was definitely in a “last minute” situation, but luckily I tend to thrive under pressure. :-) The hubster loved his “last minute” present.
Bake a Cake (or Brownies or Cookies)
If you like to bake, this is a fun, frugal Valentine’s Day gift idea. If Valentine’s Day falls on a week day, surprise him or her at work by dropping off a plate of their favorite goodies and a note. They’ll surely be the envy of co-workers!
Netflix Night
Turn on Netflix, queue up “When Harry Met Sally” (or some equally romantic classic film,) open a bottle of bubbly, and enjoy a night snuggled up on your comfy couch.
Make A Pinterest Board
Try browsing the web for your sweetheart’s favorite things and make a board of images, videos and websites that will make him or her smile.
Make A Romantic Spotify Playlist
It’s a thoughtful throwback to the romantic mixtapes we used to make “back in the day”. It’s also a gift that will last well beyond Valentine’s Day and doesn’t cost a cent to make.
Make Valentines from Household Items
Turn everyday items into a gift with a well-placed pun and a few simple craft supplies.
- “I Love You a Latte” – starbucks bottled drink
- “I get a charge out of you” – AA batteries
- “You are the highlight of my life” – highlighter pen
- “I am stuck on you” – glue or stickers
- “You are the icing on the cake” – cupcake
- ‘Donut’ you know I love you! – donut
- “I’m bananas for you” – banana or banana bread
Valentine’s Day Crossword Puzzle
Go to puzzlemaker.discoveryeducation.com and create a free customized crossword that incorporates words and clues from your relationship. For example: 3 Down: What you hate to take out. Answer: Garbage.
Opening Day Tickets
Baseball season is just around the corner…surprise the sports fan in your life with tickets to opening day. Put the tickets in a Valentine card and to make it extra special purchase a t-shirt or hat to pair them with.
A Day Off From Parenting
Plan ahead, and arrange to have the kids visit Grandma on Valentine’s Day and stay overnight. This will give you both some “alone time” to focus on each other. It also will allow both of you to sleep in the next day. The day off doesn’t necessarily have to happen on Valentine’s Day. Move it to fit around your work schedules.
Heart-felt Romantic Breakfast
Wake up extra early and start Valentine’s Day off special with a batch of heart-shaped pancakes!. Just pour the batter in the frying pan in a free-form heart shape and serve with strawberries and whipped cream. This would definitely show your loved one how much you care.
Profess Your Love On The Web
Let the entire world know how special your partner is with a website in their name. For as little as $10, you can buy and register a domain name. Stick a dot-com or dot-net on the end of your two names together, or try ilovehernamehere.com. Upload some photos and a romantic Valentine’s Day message, then post the link on Facebook to show your friends!
A Winter Picnic
Take a picnic blanket — or a sheet will do — and set up a romantic picnic in your living room. Feature food from your favorite deli or gourmet shop, and maybe a few adult beverages.
You could also make your picnic an outing, like a car parked at a favorite overlook, a high-rise office building with a glittering view of the city lights, or a borrowed boat or RV.
Play Tourist In Your Home Town
Plan some touristy activities that you and your honey have never gotten around to doing, and don’t be embarrassed to take a zillion corny couples pictures.
Spread The Love
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, so consider branching out from romance into charity and friendship. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, send flowers to nursing home residents, or contact a local women’s shelters to ask how you can best show love to those who live and work there. Little things can make all the difference for people who are in need of a little extra love.
Chore Relief
Is there a chore that your partner typically does? Is there something he/she has been meaning to do, but hasn’t found the time to do it? For Valentine’s Day, do something that will make your significant other’s life easier. Organize the garage. Take over laundry duties for a week/month. You get the idea.
A Dozen Roses – A Dozen Dates
Turn the traditional “roses for Valentine’s Day” into something extra special. On each stem attach a note for a FUTURE date! Make each “date” something that she would enjoy. For example: Going to the ballet.
Want to score EXTRA Valentine points? Have them delivered at work. It will make your beloved’s co-workers sigh at your thoughtfulness and leave your sweetheart smiling.
Chocolate Never Fails
Chocolate-covered strawberries are my absolute FAVORITE! If you have never tried these, you are missing out. They are DIVINE!
The Gift Of Pure Relaxation
If you’ve waited until the VERY LAST MINUTE for a gift….a gift card for a massage is a fast alternative that doesn’t require you to wait for delivery! If you really want to kick up the romance factor, make it a gift certificate for a couple’s massage.
What’s the best Valentine’s gift you’ve given and/or received!
