Valentine’s Day Gift Giving Guide – for everybody in your life

It’s finally February, and with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, those of us with the love language of gift giving are squirming in our seats just thinking about the gifting possibilities ahead of us. Gifting is a perfect way to show your love to someone, whether that be a partner, a family member, or a friend; Valentine’s Day, despite being over-commercialised, is a great excuse to splurge on our favourite people and get them a well-deserved treat – after all, we’re living through tough times! Here’s my guide to some gifts and experiences for that special person (or special people) in your life. I have tried to make this list as non gender-conforming as possible, as well as being low-cost friendly.

Personalised Socks  

A hilarious way to make sure your loved one is always thinking of you – putting your face on a pair of socks for them to wear on the daily. This website has all the different colour options you could think of, and, adorned with your face, your recipient simply couldn’t ask for more. If the thought of someone wearing your face on their feet makes you slightly uncomfortable, there are options for couples socks, pet socks, or even family socks. Of course, if your special someone is particularly vain, you could pull all the stops out and decorate the socks with their own face – the possibilities are endless. There’s even a 10% student discount. You’re welcome.

Pamper Kit 

Simple, thoughtful, and sweet, a classic hamper of all your special someone’s favourite self-care products is always a hit. Fill up a pretty basket (or a box, or a bucket, or go eco-friendly with an old shoebox) with face masks, creams, lotions, potions… there are so many things you could do with this! For a low-cost option, I would recommend the 3 for 2 selection at Superdrug, which includes everything from face masks to foot peels and even hair treatments. Whack in some soap, fluffy socks and their favourite snacks and you’re good to go! This is a perfect gift to reproduce, for multiple friends, for example, to hold a galentine’s pamper party – cute vibes all round!

Ring Making Experience

For a really, really special someone, this memorable experience is sure to make this year’s Valentine’s Day one to remember. It also supports a local (Newcastle) small business. The Glamorous Owl’s Silver Ring Making Workshop provides two lucky people with the chance to make their own matching silver rings from scratch, with the help of an expert jewellery maker. Whilst not the cheapest gift idea, both people not only leave with fun memories, but also with a new piece of jewellery, handmade by either themselves or for each other! It’s a great way to express your love for someone, whether that be a partner or a friend, and the one-of-a-kind rings you created together will always remind you of such a special experience together. The shop also offers a bangle making experience, if you don’t fancy matching rings. It’s certainly a unique gift idea to share with the people you love most!

Writing

Nothing says ‘I Love You’ more than a handwritten message that says just that. The time and effort that writing takes nowadays, rather than sticking to the convenience of typing out a quick text message, symbolises true affection and care to many people. I highly recommend writing out a dedicated love letter to your special someone this Valentine’s Day; picking out the perfect pen, writing on a nice sheet of paper, maybe even including some cute doodles, stickers, or decorations. Alternatively, if you feel a love letter is too romantic, or you’d like to write to someone other than a lover, annotating some writing with personal messages is equally, if not more, meaningful. This Waterstones blog post highlights a selection of romantic poetry collections which are perfect to read through and annotate for your loved one, and of course, the bookshop stocks a wide range of poetry books of all genres for you to explore. Find one that reminds you of your person, and spend some time highlighting, underlining, doodling, and writing messages alongside the poems that reflect the relationship you have with your loved one. It’ll be something they’ll truly cherish.