Valentine’s Day is this weekend and what a better holiday than this one to show your loved ones how you really feel. There are many ways to do so, including a hand-made valentine, baking a cake or engraving a key chain that will only get lost or beat up. Some take the online shopping route for the latest tech gadget while others, who may lack gift revenue (aye), will opt for a more creative, hand-made gift.
My past hand-made gifts include a jar filled with pieces of paper that read personal thoughts about the gift receiver, a picture frame (not out of popsicle sticks), countless printer paper cards, scrapbooks, wine cork key chains, and the list continues to grow. Many of these can be found online while searching for gift ideas, however, the ones I chose are very adaptable per holiday and person.
Right after the day of love is my mom’s birthday and recently I’ve been researching gift ideas hoping to spark an innovative idea, except of course I’ve only uncovered ridiculous ideas. I don’t know about you, but I know for a fact my mom does not want a shirt that says “World’s Best Mom” for her birthday. That’s more of a Mother’s Day gift, or no gift at all because those are gifts you give at a young age. A personalized mug on the other hand, is overrated, and no she doesn’t need another mug..or a t-shirt. Moral of this story is that mom’s really want a lot of wine and wine related gifts that she’ll never use because she only drinks one type of wine, one type of way. She also wants a massage, a vacation and not another kitchen appliance or shelf decoration. Partners and sons, are you taking notes yet?
So, after I finally located a decent gift for my mother, I was forced to research Valentine’s Day gifts….oh joy. I’m referring to my boyfriend here, but these examples are good for any couple or loved one. My boyfriend does not wear jewelry, doesn’t drink or make excessive beer and doesn’t hunt or golf, so a majority of what I found on Etsy is out of the question. He does however like comic books, soccer, and drinking some craft beer. But again, this is for Valentine’s Day, what kind of gifts are you supposed to give? Chocolate, man lingerie, a card, a teddy bear to add to the shelf of past bears, etc. It’s the same type of gift every year. Perhaps a picture of us both, some candy and clothes is more practical.
Holidays are weird and so is giving gifts. Take the time each day to show your loved ones you care about them instead of spending too much money on something they wont use. Maybe its just me being tired of my boyfriend ruining the t-shirts I get him from every state I visit, or maybe its the necklace I’ve yet to see my mom wear, but I hate to see a gift wasted. If my gift is used frequently by the receiver, then I know it was useful and that I did a good job shopping or crafting.
I don’t have a solution to avoiding the suggestions silly sites give to people with no budget, but I do advise using those suggestions to craft your own gift. Every holiday is different and has a different purpose, so think about that before you buy another mug or t-shirt. The best gifts come from the heart and as long as you get a card, you at least put in 50 percent of the effort.
I prefer Etsy for a “_________ gift for him, her, mom, dad, brother, uncle, etc.”