It’s finally February, the month of love, or at least the month that we show our love with flowers, chocolates and gift exchange cards at school. While these are traditional types of Valentine’s Day gifts, I think it’s okay to think outside the heart-shaped box.
Depending on your loved one’s love language, spending time together or doing a fun activity might show your love more than something you put in a gift box, yet gifts are still nice, especially when they’re thoughtful. That’s why I’ve put together a list of gifts I know I would love for Valentine’s Day (hint, hint to my hubby), things I know my husband loves, and some of my kids’ favorite gifts plus some other gift ideas that probably wouldn’t be perfect for my family, but I definitely see how they could be perfect for some.
One thing that makes this list of Valentine’s Day gift ideas unique is that I’m not suggesting you buy bouquets of red roses, boxes of heart-shaped chocolates or fancy jewelry (unless you plan on popping the question, and then, by all means). Scroll down to find the perfect, thoughtful Valentine’s Day gift for everyone on your list. The best part is that they’re all available on Amazon. If you’re a Prime Member, that means free and quick shipping – perfect for all those procrastinators out there! (If you’re not a Prime Member, you can still get free and quick shipping with a free trial. Sign up here.)
Dash Mini Waffle Maker
I keep talking myself out of buying myself this waffle maker. I love waffles, and cute waffles with a unique shape are especially fun to make. My husband got me a Mickey Mouse waffle maker for Christmas, and I love it! It made me want to get ever more unique waffle makers. If you have a loved one who loves waffles and making things like pancakes, they’re sure to love this little cutie; however, if you i think your loved one would prefer a waffle maker that makes more than one heart-shaped waffle at a time, this option would be a great alternative.
Ninja Coffee Maker
I have a similar but older Ninja coffee maker to the one pictured above. Like the one pictured here, mine can make different styles of coffee such as classic, over ice, or specialty. What I particularly like about it is that you can make anywhere from a whole pot of coffee to one cup at a time. I usually brew coffee one cup at a time, but when we have company over, it’s helpful to be able to make a whole pot.
I’ve had my Ninja Coffee Maker for about 4 or 5 years now, and it still works great; however, this one caught my eye because it also includes a milk frother (which mine does not) and more serving size options than mine. My Ninja has 4 options (full pot, half pot, travel mug or coffee cup) while this one has six options (full pot, half pot, multi-serve travel mug, travel mug, XL cup and cup).
If you have a coffee addict in your home who is still using an old Mr Coffee, I can almost guarantee he or she would gasp in delight when opening this coffee maker. It could also be a great gift for anyone who is trying to cut down on the number of trips they make to their local Starbucks.
Bath Salts
One great gift idea for the person who likes to relax in the bath is to make a gift pack with some bathtime essentials. Perhaps some candles, a new book and definitely bath salts. I’m not a bath person. My husband is actually the one in our family who likes to take a bath. I often give him bath salts as a gift anytime I notice that he’s running low.
The Five Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts
When my husband and I had been married for just a few months, we read the book “The 5 Love Languages.” First, it’s helpful to take the quiz that is included in the book or online to see which love language you identify with most. Then, you learn about each of the love languages and how a person with that love language feels loved. Chances are, your significant other is a different love language than you are. For example, my husband is a love language called Words of Affirmation. That means he feels loved when I say nice things about him. Meanwhile, my love languages are tied for Quality Time and Acts of Service, which means I feel most loved when we spend quality time together and/or when my husband does something nice for me. If we hadn’t taken this quiz and read the book, our marriage might be rocky, but I’m happy to say that over 15 years later we’re still going strong. I highly recommend this book for any dating, engaged or married couple. It could be a fun date activity, and it will most likely result in strengthening your relationship.
Kinder Joy Eggs
My kids LOVE Kinder Joy Eggs. The combination of a delicious treat with a surprise toy is too much for them to resist. They ask for one almost every time we’re at the grocery store or a big box store that sells them by the register. I’ve seen these eggs in store for over $2, so buying them in bulk from Amazon can be a great way to always have a little surprise ready for your kids, but at Valentine’s Day, I think it’s even better because these eggs would be great for a Valentine exchange at school assuming your children’s school is okay with kids bringing in candy for their friends.
LEGO Icons Orchid 10311
My son loves LEGOs. I love orchids. He knows that. About a month before Christmas, he saw a picture of this orchid lego set and told me that if I bought it he would put it together for me as a gift and then I could have an orchid that is always in bloom and never died. I thought that was so sweet, so I surprised him with it the week before Christmas, and he had it built in about an hour. He’s truly amazing at LEGO sets. Now, this LEGO orchid is proudly on display in my home office. I love it, and I love that my son built it for me.
With all of the above in mind, this LEGO set is perfect to build for someone who both loves LEGOs and Orchids or someone who loves Orchids and appreciates LEGOs. If you like to build LEGO sets, you could buy it and gift it preassembled. This could be a sweet gift from a parent to a child or vice versa as a project to work on together that can also be displayed in the home. Other similar LEGO sets include this floral bouquet, this wildflower bouquet, and this Bonsai tree, which would be a great gift idea for anyone who loves “Karate Kid” or “Cobra Kai.”
Luxury Throw Blanket
One of our first Valentine’s Days together, my husband got me a blanket with hearts all over it. He didn’t wrap it. I just came home from work, and it was there. I still love it and use it. While the blanket he got for me was not this exact blanket, I like this one as a gift idea because it has over 4 stars on Amazon with over 2500 reviews. People seem to really love it! While the one pictured here is pink, if that’s too girly for your loved one, this same brand has a lot of other patterns to choose from, such as a red blanket with hearts, a blanket covered in pictures of sea life like coral and seahorses (perfect for someone who loves the ocean and is dreaming of summer), and one that’s covered in a subdued grey plaid (perhaps more of a gift for the man in your life). In all, there are 30 designs to choose from!
Shearling Fur Indoor/Outdoor Scuff Slippers
I live in a fairly warm place (Los Angeles), but my feet still get cold. Our house has hard wood floors, and in the colder months, I’m almost always wearing slippers around the house. I love slippers like the ones pictured here that can easily be slipped on and off. This particular pair also sounds super warm and cozy and got over 4 stars on Amazon with over 12,000 reviews. These slippers come in 15 different colors. Dusty Pink is my personal favorite, but there are also more neutral colors like sand, black and grey. If you’re shopping for slippers for the man in your life, I recommend these, which are similar to the ones pictured here but for men.
Valentine Coloring Books and Crayons
Besides Kinder Joy Eggs, another idea I like for a school gift exchange is to gift little coloring books and crayons. My kids always like getting crayons and coloring books, and as a mom, I love the little sets that easily fit in my purse so I can take them with us when we go to a restaurant or a day trip somewhere. I particularly like this set because with 28 coloring books and 28 stacked crayons, there should be enough for everyone in the class. If you want to get your kids a Valentine’s day gift, I think a coloring book featuring one of their favorite characters would be very much appreciated. In my kids case, right now that would mean a coloring book featuring Spiderman, Harry Potter, Paw Patrol or My Little Pony.
If you saw something on this list that you wish your significant other would get you for Valentine’s Day, instead of dropping hints, I prefer a more direct approach. I’ve been known to create an Amazon wish list and send it to my husband.
I hope this list helped inspire you to think outside the heart-shaped box of chocolates for Valentine’s Day this year. The key to a great gift is to get something the giftee likes but hasn’t already gotten for themselves.
Even a Gift Card Can Be Thoughtful
This isn’t such a unique idea, but if you’re really running short on time for a Valentine’s Day gift where even a gift from Amazon won’t arrive quickly enough, or if you aren’t sure what to get, a gift card is the way to go.
I prefer gift cards that are for a store where I can spend them instead of like a Visa gift card that I might just use to pay my gas bill.
Amazon gift cards are great because they can be sent via email or text, and you can decide exactly when you want the gift card to be delivered. Hint: February 14th! There are even some fun Valentine’s Day designs to choose from, and you can choose any amount you want to put on the gift card. Check out all the options by clicking here.