Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. I love getting to spend time and get gifts for people in my life who I care about, and as someone who loves the holiday but isn’t in a relationship, most people get it wrong.
The holiday can be very stressful, especially for last-minute shoppers frantically searching for the perfect gift to get for their partners.
A gift doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive, it just has to be thoughtful. It’s time we let go of the kitschy heart-shaped box of chocolates and the pink and red balloons. Here’s a guide to what women like me actually want for Valentine’s Day this year.
1. A picnic or homemade meal
A meal prepared by you is more thoughtful than taking your date out somewhere fancy to eat. It also removes the stress of calling ahead of time—and yes, you have to make reservations ahead of time for Valentine’s Day dinner.
Homemade meals are a way of showing how much you care about that person by taking the time to prepare the meal, even if you aren’t a particularly adept chef. Bonus points if the meal has sentimental value, like maybe it was your partner’s favorite meal when they were a kid or their mother used to make it for them.
Even if your date likes a fancy restaurant, dining is nice any other day of the year. But during Valentine’s Day, it’s nightmarish. The restaurants are packed and that’s if you can even find a reservation available, which is another problem in and of itself.
Picnics can be an exciting spin on the homemade meal and allow you and your date time to spend outdoors. A picnic is also a great way to get some alone time with your partner rather than being in a crowded room.
2. A gift that they have been wanting
Now this one requires some listening, but remember that one time your partner mentioned needing a new mug to put coffee in? Or remember that time they mentioned that the author they love is coming out with a new book they’ve been excited to read?
Paying attention and then showing it through a gift is a very thoughtful way to give during Valentine’s Day, especially if your partner is more of a gift-giving sort of person. This one is also reliable because you don’t necessarily have to break the bank for it either, just get them something small they’ve been needing.
One year for my birthday, my best friend got me a subscription to a service that delivered coffee straight to your door. She knew that I loved coffee and it turned out to be a perfect gift that I used every single day.
3. Go see a movie they want to see
Seeing a movie is a pretty classic tradition on Valentine’s Day. Dinner and a movie are the first things you think of when you think of a date. Put a spin on this classic by surprising your date with tickets and a treat basket the day of.
I prefer having a variety of snacks to choose from at the movies, so it’s best to have a good amount of treats in these baskets. Getting to open a fun basket filled with treats that your partner likes would be the perfect way to combine the date aspect with the gift aspect of the holiday.
Recently, theaters like Megaplex have been doing re-releases of classic movies around holidays. This year they are showing “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,” if your partner is into rom-coms then this would be perfect for them. Or maybe your partner is more of a “Dog Man” kind of girl. Either way, I’m not judging.
4. Coffee shop date and a bookstore trip
Maybe your date is less of a fancy dinner kind of person and more of a coffee house and bookstore kind of person. This is perfect if you want to combine a date with a present, and you can be sure your partner can choose a gift they will actually use.
Couples on TikTok have recently been doing a bookstore shopping spree as a gift. These couples will give their date five minutes to look around the store for books they want, and then two minutes to pick up the books they want to buy. This is a fun way to spend time together and get a perfect gift.
5. Just spend time with them
The most important thing to keep in mind is your partner really just wants to spend time with you on Valentine’s Day. I hear this time and time again from people I know in a relationship. They just want to spend time with you.
So plan a date and make it as casual or as fancy as you want, just make sure you are there and spending time with your partner.
While gift shopping and date planning can be stressful this time of year, Valentine’s Day is more about showing your partner how much you care about them. It is way better to think deeply about what your partner would actually want based on who they are as a person than to buy one of those heart-shaped candy boxes.
