Valentine's Day Under $30So you’re spending V-day on a budget. Or maybe you’re anti-commercialisation but you want to express your love with a nifty gift instead. Gift exchange on this holiday doesn’t have to blow your budget. February 14th is all about celebrating love and honouring togetherness, so don’t stress your pocket because we’ve got ideas to help you focus on the real meaning of Valentine’s Day no matter what the status of your relationship. Still Early DaysIn the early days, the Valentine season hosts a huge range of emotions, from the apprehensive “will we or won’t we?” to the passionate “yes, yes, yes!” If you’re unsure about how long you will stay together, but want to celebrate the season, look for gifts that say, “I like you,” without over-committing. Look for:
But even at the start of a relationship, you may already know what you want. And so, it is more appropriate to give gift that symbolises a more positive start and an early commitment to your future together. Look for:
The Long-term/De-facto/MarriageBeing in a long-term relationship, you already have a pretty good understanding of where you are and where you are going. It is easier to give more personal and romantic gifts, as the formalities and uncertainties have probably already been dealt with. Look for:
As relationships progress through time, couples often neglect the relationship itself as they focus on making a life together. Valentine’s day is an awesome opportunity to remind your lover of how special they are to you. Personal gifts, such as a handwritten letter, confectionery and baked goods made by you, or artistic or craft items that you spent time making are an ideal and inexpensive way to say, “I set time aside especially to do this for you.” Traditional Gift TipsFlowers and candy have been used for years to express love and friendship. Because of their age-long reputation, these can be very safe gifts to give to your Valentine. A well-presented box of chocolates such as Cadbury’s Milk Tray is a simple but thoughtful gift. Candy bundles also make a quaint gift, especially if you keep to the red/white/pink colour scheme of Valentine’s Day. Pink or white mesh fabric is inexpensive, and when garnished with a ribbon or a sprig of baby’s breath, makes a very attractive packaging. If giving flowers, save the dozen red roses for the Valentine you are passionate about, and the single red rose for the Valentine you love. For casual relationships or early-stage relationships, more informal flowers like azaleas, chrysanthemums, carnations and daisies will do. (for more information on flowers, check out our article on flowers; and you can find a huge list at the Prince’s Florist website) Stylish Home-Made Hampers – $30Ready-to-give hampers are lovely gifts that keep on giving. Unfortunately, the more beautiful ones tend to be expensive, and often contain second-preferences or unfavourite pieces. At the cost of only your time, you can easily put together a custom Valentine hamper for your lover. Valentine hampers need not be extensive and large. For $30, you will be able to put together a stylish Valentine’s hamper following the format of one star item, one secondary item, and frills for decoration. For example: Star item: Bottle of red wine Star item: Strawberry shower gel Star item: A pot of cream Star item: A stylish jar of pretzels NB. The star item does not need to be the most valuable part of the gift. The star item should be the most interesting looking and eye-catching piece; it is called the ‘star’ for presentation purposes only. Just a CardIf you and your Valentine are just exchanging cards this year, make yours extra special by making it yourself. Use interesting paper with marble print or embossing, instead of the usual white cardboard. Decorate your card with tissue paper, pressed flowers, stick-on baubles or a photograph of one of your happiest moments together. If you have the tools available, adding your own embossing, painting, paper charms, stamps or origami will give your card a more stylish and impressive look. When writing in your card, use a special pen to get your creative side working. Unusual coloured ink or scented ink adds that extra ‘especially for you’ touch to the final masterpiece. Or if you’re feeling really creative, make your card a mini scrapbook, with mementos of your special times together, musings for the future, magazine cutouts and pictures that remind you of little things that you have shared. Just a Friend Finally, a little something for sexy singles who are spending V-day with good friends – just because Valentine’s Day is more widely celebrated as a day for couples, it doesn’t mean you can’t make it a special day of your own. Get together for a movie night featuring the sweetest romances or the most punch-packed power flicks you can hire. Or spend a night out having fun with other swinging singles who are too cool to mope around on Valentine’s Day. For the more laid-back, pizza, beer and rude jokes will never steer your wrong. For great ‘just friends’ V-day gifts, look for:
Remember, no matter what gift you bring or however many songs you dedicate to each other, Valentine’s Day is about love and happiness and the joy of being together. With that in mind, your Valentine’s Day will always be special, even if you can’t afford $30. Happy Valentine’s Day, everyone! articles - (view all articles)
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