The best gifts are the most personal, but just because the standard Valentine’s protocol calls for a big ole pile of mush, doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.
So, heart box of chocolate? No thanks! Karma Sutra love kit? Not this February 14th. Valentine’s Day is the day we show our someone special we care, but there is nothing special about typically mushy gifts. Expand your gift search horizons this year and think outside that conventional heart box.
For the foodie. Opinel is a famous French knife—a simple, wooden-handled pocketknife. It’s clean and simple, and you can hint that your guy should use it on your next picnic!
For the art collector. This might take some snooping (but I promise it’s the good kind!). Check to see if your guy has any artwork he’s purchased, but not framed. You’ll need to sneak it out of the house, but the look on his face will be priceless, when he sees the thought and care you took to have his artwork beautifully framed.
For the outdoorsman. Test out a sport that neither of you have done much of, but that you can do together. Rowing perhaps. Pay for a lesson at your local rowing club and hit the water together. Rowing requires you to be in sync. What better way to show your compatibility!
For the guy who has everything. A great piece of furniture that matches his current home/apartment/bungalow is a great way to show that you pay attention to his tastes, but is also a loving and thoughtful way to add a little part of you in to his home. Every time he sits in that chair (uses that lamp, writes at the table…) you bought, he’ll undoubtedly be thinking of you!
-Arianna Schioldager
