It’s that time of the year again. We’re officially in the month of love.
As you know, your choice of gifts can make or break your experience on the most romantic day of the year. (A few years ago, I gave my husband exquisite, mouth-watering chocolates, but they weren’t a hit. So guess who ended up eating them?)
I asked a group of people to share their best and worst Valentine’s Day gifts. What came next was, of course, side-splitting, chuckle-some, and uproarious recollections. If you don’t want to end up as a funny Valentine’s Day story, then take note and shift your strategy.
You can score major points this time around by opting for something from my curated list of Valentine’s Day gift ideas.
If you’re looking for a cute, fun, or romantic gift for the love in your life, this list will give you plenty of options. And, if you need to hint at some gift ideas for you, it’s an easy wink, why not forward this post? Click To TweetAll these items are from Amazon which makes them easy to order. Look no further for simple and classic gifts that are sure to make Valentine’s Day special for you both!
Disclaimer: This blog post may contain affiliate links. Keep in mind that I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you when you click my links and make a purchase. However, this does not impact my opinion in any way. I only promote brands I believe in and products that I use and love myself. I try my best to keep things fair and balanced to help you make the best choice for you.
Valentine’s Day by the Numbers
Valentine’s Day is popular world round, but especially so in the USA:
- Americans spend over $20 billion on Valentine’s Day gifts each year.
- $2.4 billion of that amount is on candy and chocolates alone.
- People spend on average $196 on Valentine’s Day gifts.
- Men spend on average $291 compared to women who spend about $106.
- According to Hallmark, a whopping 145 million Valentine’s Day cards are exchanged every February 14 (not including kids exchanging cards in the classroom).
Keep these interesting facts in mind as you ponder over your Valentine’s Day gift ideas.
Funny Valentine’s Day Stories
“Mine weren’t bad and they weren’t good”, joked Jolene. “They were exactly the same every year. A bubble bath and body lotion. For 20 years. A little vanilla here, a little lavender there. And, I always smiled and acted surprised.”
Gemma says, “the best was a day hike to a hidden waterfall in the mountains of Colorado. Then, a few hours at an outdoor hot spring called Manitou Springs in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. The worst was a Chia Pet – seriously.”
Hope claimed, “I don’t really remember any Valentine’s gifts, except one: pajamas with hearts about five sizes too large.” Oops!
“When I was a married man, Valentine’s Day was a nightmare for me. One year I gave my wife a new bicycle but she wasn’t too enthusiastic about it. But my biggest fumble was giving her an assortment of premium flavored coffee mixes. I thought she’d like it because she loves coffee. I was very, very wrong. We’ve been divorced 8 years and she still won’t let me forget it.” moaned John.
Jessica shared, “I have given socks (cute socks, but maybe not the best gift for a guy to receive). I have a particular dislike of red roses, so I can’t say I’ve been terribly appreciative of red roses I’ve received on Valentine’s Day (though that’s not really a fair one). Best gift? (After hearing and remembering that I don’t like red roses) Purple Irises.”
Ashley insisted, “I really never got a Valentine’s Day present!! Red roses were the worst, I hate that color, but he stopped that. Another was bad candy from Walgreens. The best is what I buy for ME!!!”
Chrissy said “OK, Valentine’s Day is kind of a non-holiday (retail has damaged me), so it’s not especially important to me if I get a fancy gift but the worst: a stuffed teddy bear holding a heart that says, “Be Mine”. Yuck! The best: an anatomically correct heart necklace. I loved it!”
“It’s an easy one: the worst gift was the first year my husband and I were dating: an electric broom! (I mean, really!?) Next year he wised up – a beautiful pair of earrings! Another year, he bought a great set of sheets (I know, but they were like a 900 thread count – silky, luxurious, sexy!)” remarked Olivia.
Lydia boasts, “the best valentine gift I ever received was a pair of diamond stud earrings. The worst? I never received a bad one, lucky me!”
“I remembered receiving a lovely romantic note from a boy I liked very much in Junior High School. I must have read it a million times!” recalled Sophie.
“I would say my worst gift was no gift from a man I was dating. No card and showing up late to the restaurant to boot! On two other occasions, I was also disappointed by yet another two men I was seeing. Why? They each got me a box of chocolates when I had bought one a $300 leather jacket and the other a box of boxer shorts.” sighs Becky.
Emily reminisces, “I think my best was a pleasant surprise – I came home and found an ex-boyfriend had come in (he had a key) and set up flowers and candles all around the room.”
Mary explained, “one year the kids wanted to do a Secret Santa version of Valentine’s Day. We all drew names and then bought little trinket gifts that we would secretly give to our Valentine for 3 days before Valentine’s Day. My husband had no idea what Secret Santa was so he bought 3 packages of M&Ms and gave the same gift every day. Obviously, he was “Ousted” on day 2. No female would have given the same thing each day! We repeated it other years and he stuck with his M&M system…. what can I tell you?”
Avery declared, “I don’t even remember getting a good or bad Valentine’s Day gift. Why?? Because I was single for about 12 years. Last year my boyfriend and I broke up literally on Feb 15th for 3 days. I decided that this thing would NEVER work out. I guess you can say that was the worst gift ever. I cried to all my friends. Mind you, I don’t ever cry. That’s when I realized that I really loved this fool. And by day 4 we were back together. It’s been over a year now and I’m positive that this is my last stop. I married this guy!”
Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Him
Based on the stats listed above, it seems ladies need to step it up when it comes to gift-giving. Here are 8 awesome Valentine’s Day gift ideas that he’ll love:
- UGG Men’s Ascot Slipper
- Fun and Romantic Game for Couples
- Thanks for Always Feeding Me and Telling Me I’m Beautiful Card
- What I Love About You Fill in the Blank Gift Journal
- Beard Grooming Kit
- Best Husband Ever Mug
- Timex Men’s Expedition Scout 40 Watch
- Large Leather Travel Duffel Bag
Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Her
For the men, significant others, besties and loves, who don’t want to end up as someone’s worst gift story, here are 8 Valentine’s Day gift ideas that she’ll actually appreciate:
- UGG Women’s Fluff Yeah Slide Slipper
- Infinity Heart Symbol Charm Bracelet
- Why You’re my Bestie Fill in the Blank Gift Journal
- Swarovski Infinity Heart Necklace
- Kendra Scott Ari Heart Pendant Necklace
- Shower Streamers and Aromatherapy Gift Set
- Just Love Velour Kimono Bath Robe
- The Body Shop Gift Set
Funny Love Quotes
Love is telling someone their hair extensions are showing. – Natasha Leggero
Love thy neighbor — and if he happens to be tall, debonair, and devastating, it will be that much easier. – Mae West
All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt. – Charles Schulz
Women marry men hoping they will change. Men marry women hoping they will not. So each is inevitably disappointed. – Albert Einstein
What the world really needs is more love and less paperwork. – Pearl Bailey
Only time can heal your broken heart, just as only time can heal his broken arms and legs. – Miss Piggy
What Valentine’s Day gift ideas do you have this year?
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Comments 10
What a wonderful collection of ideas. It can be hard to come up with gift ideas so soon after the holidays. In my case, my husband’s birthday is tucked between Christmas and Valentine’s day, so I’m really running dry at this point. Add to that the fact that he never wants or needs anything. Well, this year he is having trouble with dry skins on his hands (so much hand washing!), so I got him a couple of creams to get him through, and some chocolate/peanut butter treats that he loves. Keeping it simple, but remembering the day!
These stories are marvelous, Ronni! The gift ideas are good, too.
Ronni- I LOVE Valentine’s Day, and why am I not surprised that you do too. It’s the love thing. 🙂 My parents started the tradition early and that’s probably why I love it so much. It wasn’t about the gifts, although I did love the Nestle’s Crunch bar my mom tucked into her handmade Valentines. But it was more about saying out loud that we loved and were loved. When raising our family, I kept the tradition going…and still do, even with our daughters long out of the nest. I decorate the table (in Vday colors,) make a nice breakfast, and share some cards and small gifts. I still enjoy making Valentine cards.
Best Vday gifts have included chocolate (of course), flowers, nice lingerie, my favorite perfume, and spa gift certificates. My husband knows me well, and that chocolate, flowers, and a card spells “loved” to me. Plus he’s so sweet because he goes along with my love of Valentine’s Day and pretends to enjoy it as much as I do.
Linda,
Your story sounds like a fairytale. You have so much love in your life. I. am sure you are aware of how blessed you are.
It was many years ago,I wasn’t even in the double digits yet. I’ll never forget when my mom gave me a Valentine’s card. On the front was a heart filled with tiny red cinnamon candies. The candies were spicy and hot, not the taste of a nine-year-old. But I do remember the sentiment all these years later. It really grabbed my heart and I’ve loved the day ever since.
Great ideas for Valentine’s Day gifts. I love the funny quotes. =)
We have exchanged gifts over the years, and Valentine’s Day gifts have been the smallest and most creative. I created a picture frame with our wedding song lyrics on them. I also created a framed collage with pieces of our wedding cards from guests in the background and glued our wedding invitation in the front of the collage for our first anniversary. For the kids, I buy something small that is fun and doesn’t clutter the home and, of course, something to eat, like chocolate. =)
Sabrina,
You are definitely creativity personified. (I’m creative too but I’m not crafty.)I’ve given fun gifts; such as a stuffed animal singing an old 60’s hit, “ Do you love me?”
I just sent the most beautiful online Valentine’s Day cards to my immediate family. To be received on Valentine’s Day. Then, I realized that some of them were received a week early. I guess that’s better than a week late. LOL
I have extra added stress because we got married on Valentine’s Day. We learned pretty quickly that that is not the best day to go out to dinner or anywhere really. Everything is too crowded. We usual buy something practical for each other and make a nice dinner at home. I know, pretty boring but it’s worked for 33 years.
Janet,
Happy almost anniversary! I think your story is lovely and you’ve had 33 years of sweet celebrations. One day of fanfare couldn’t possibly make up for all the days you’ve shared together.
The stories made me laugh. I think that Valentine’s Day is a lot like Christmas; the people who observe it really put a lot of pressure on themselves and/or one another. I can see, maybe, giving a fancy gift to really make it clear you want to push a relationship forward, but otherwise, I think it shouldn’t be too big of a deal. The best Valentine’s gift I ever got was $40 in cash — it was an in-joke for us, so I thought it was hysterical! And it came with a card with a handwritten message that meant everything.
I love the Pearl Bailey quote, and not just because I loved her. Love is good, but as an organizer, I love paperwork, so if people want to spend more time on love and less on their paperwork, that feels like a win for them and a win for me. 😉
Julie,
I am a romantic at heart, so hallmark knows where to find me.
I do get what you’re saying. All the holidays have a common thread. Valentine’s Day is somewhat like Christmas in that you’re hoping something special is around the corner. It sparkles like the Fourth of July and you realize how many people you love and who love you, at Thanksgiving.
All those quotes are funny. Anything Mae West grabs my attention. Pearl Bailey is always the remarkable Pearl Bailey.