Traditional or Non-Traditional?
A Guide to Selecting the Perfect
Valentine's Day Gift
 Without fail, every February 14, love fills
the air as candy, flowers, and gifts are
exchanged to express the love and affection
shared between lovers and special people in
our lives.
There are many tales behind the history of
St. Valentine's Day, but the general consensus
is that it started during the early 1400's
when a man smitten by love penned message
proclaiming his love to a special woman in his
life. During the 15th century, a
Valentine greeting depicted a drawing of a
knight and a lady, with an arrow sent from
Cupid to pierce the knight's heart. Original
Valentine's Day gifts consisted of handmade
cards and love poems that summed up the true
feelings between lovers. As years passed,
commercial Valentine greetings contained
delicate messages and were constructed of the
finest papers embellished with satin, ribbon,
and/or lace. Today's Valentine cards are
typically accompanied by gifts of candy,
flowers, perfume, jewelry, and other creative
tokens expressing eternal love for that
special someone in your life.
As time evolves, so does the art of gift
giving. While many still prefer
giving/receiving traditional gifts, others are
becoming more creative in selecting that
perfect gift that says I love you in a
non-traditional manner. If you are looking
past traditional gift items or desire to meld
tradition with creativity, here are a few
suggestions to express your sincerest feelings
toward the special love in your life.
-
Try a
non-traditional approach to those coveted
roses. Buy her a dozen roses and place a
pearl inside each rose bud. As the rose buds
open, the pearls will be revealed as an extra
surprise. Take them to the jewelry store and
have them strung into a necklace - something
your true love will be able to hold onto once
the roses are gone.
-
If
funds are sparse, instead of a traditional
expensive dinner in a restaurant, take her
somewhere she will never suspect. Pack a
picnic basket filled with her favorite treats,
a bottle of wine, and candles. Take along a
couple of blankets, a battery-operated CD
player, and several romantic CDs. Drive to
the park or somewhere with a secluded
atmosphere and treat her to a picnic for two.
Surprise her with a small token of your love -
something you have made for her on your own.
-
Say "I
love you" for 12 entire months with a coupon
book filled with favors that she can redeem
throughout the year. Choose a different favor
for each month of the year that she can redeem
on any day of the month. Suggestions include
a foot massage, a back rub, cleaning up after
dinner, a night out alone, etc.
-
Finding
a perfect Valentine's gift for that special
man in your life is sometimes difficult. I
ran across a wonderful idea that was shared by
a housewife who found it harder and harder to
grab some quality time with her husband. She
came up with a plan to make the 14 Days of
Valentines a whole new way of celebrating the
holiday. Starting with February 1, she did
something special for her husband each day. A
few suggestions include: a candlelight dinner,
running him a bubble bath complete with
candles, leaving a love note on the bathroom
mirror, sending him flowers to work, giving
him a massage, watching a movie together while
cuddling, and hiding a love note in his lunch
box. With a little imagination, you can fill
up the 14 days with special moments he will
remember all year!
-
Hershey's Kisses automatically say, "I Love
You." Try a new twist to a traditional gift
by carefully unwrapping each kiss, taking out
the paper tag, and replacing the tag with your
own handmade messages that start off by
saying, "I love you because…" - think of as
many different reasons as you can come up
with. Then carefully wrap the kisses back in
foil with their new tags clearly displayed
through the top of each kiss.
-
Purchase the dozen roses you are
accustomed to buying on Valentine's Day, but
do not give them to her on the stems.
Instead, create a romantic atmosphere by
running her a hot bubble bath complete with
candlelight, soft love songs, and fragrant
bath oil. While she is enjoying her
relaxing bath, gently pull the rose petals
off of the stems and sprinkle them from the
bathroom door to the bedroom, creating a
path for her to follow. Sprinkle
several petals on the bed and one long stem
rose on her pillow. Enhance the
magical night by purchasing some exotic
massage oil and treating her to a massage
she will never forget!
-
Are you
looking to get your man out of Dodge and
celebrate a romantic evening together in a
whole new atmosphere? Tell that special man
in your life that you are going to treat him
to a romantic adventure out of town, but do
not tell him where you will be going. Phone
ahead to make reservations for a room and
dinner. Pack an overnight bag and make
arrangements for the kids. When your man gets
home from work, whisk him off to the car - you
drive. For an added surprise, insist that he
wears a blindfold all the way to where your
destination. You are in control of the
overnight plans - you call the shots. Treat
him like your King for the night.
There are really no limits on Valentine's
gift giving - just make sure you do not give
her a small appliance unless you have tickets to a special event, flowers, chocolates , or
diamonds tucked away inside!
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