Now’s the time to start thinking about a Valentine Day’s gift for your significant other because you really don’t want to be making a last-minute run to the store! Your partner deserves a gift from the heart, and those only come with some time and effort planning your V-Day surprise.
Give something special this Valentines Day, whether the present is thoughtful and affordable or a splashy extravagance. Make it a gift that you know they’ll enjoy and that shows that you care for them. Here are ideas to spark your romantic creativity.
Send him on a scavenger hunt for his V-Day gift.
Plan backward. Start planning from the last stage and work backward. This will reveal what you want your loved one to do to find their gift.
Decide whether you want to intrigue your partner with small gifts along the way or stun them with one big fabulous gift at the end.
Personalize the clues. Create hints that only the two of you will understand. For example, “Do you remember where we first met?” or “Head for the spot where we had our second date.”
Practice the trail. If a great big interstate highway now blocks your way to that old favorite picnic spot, you’ll want to know before your scavenger hunt turns into a wild goose chase.
End at a special place he’ll love such as his favorite restaurant or his sports team’s venue.
Surprise her with a road (or flight) trip.
Keep your plan a need-to-know secret. Her boss or secretary will need to know the dates your SO will be away. But don’t divulge your secret to anyone who could accidentally let it slip.
Use a secret email address. Make sure any incriminating emails don’t go into your regular email inbox. Don’t hand out your home phone number to travel companies involved in your trip.
Don’t use a shared credit card to book travel arrangements. You don’t want your beloved to see charges that give away the secret on the credit-card bill. If you share all your credit cards, see if a relative will let you use their card.
Learn to love flight connections. A layover on the way to your destination can heighten the surprise. It gives you more time to play the guess-the-destination game.
Arrange a personalized gift.
Make a scrapbook of your relationship. Collect photos of your relationship, meaningful receipts and old ticket stubs to make a beautiful book you’ll both treasure! Or make a heart-shaped collage of your favorite pictures.
Choose a romantic font and print out your wedding vows that you can frame for the ultimate romantic addition to your home decor.
Create a customized playlist of romantic music.
There’s nothing like a good love song to create the Valentine’s Day mood. This gift is easy-peasy with the help of online music platforms. People create playlists for everything and you can borrow some ideas.
Leave it to the experts to put all these lovey-dovey feelings into poetic words and beautifully packaged melodies. Go online to find suggestions for the best modern love songs or the old standards, then let Spotify tell you how to pull it all together.
Cook up a cozy romantic dinner for two.
A special home-cooked meal can be so much more personal than going out to a crowded, noisy restaurant. If you forgot to make reservations far in advance, good luck booking a table now. Start by leaving rose petals from the door to the kitchen so that your partner can find you ready to whip up a memorable meal.
If you enjoy cooking together, now’s a great time to bond over a drink as you prep dinner. If your SO never cooks, you can still make a memorable dinner you’ll both enjoy.