Valentine’s Day can be hard to shop for because it is not a birthday or anniversary, but also not an ordinary day. Valentine’s Day is a time to reignite a spark in a relationship. It is a day to celebrate love and the appreciation that comes with it. 

Chocolate and flowers are wonderful gifts, but they can be gifted on a Wednesday evening before a date night. In this day and age, standards are high, and if you celebrate the 14th of February, then now is the best time to start planning. 

Let’s start with the best gift ideas for your female partner. Keeping these gifts short and sweet is important, no need to set the bar too high. But it is important to not fall under the flowers and chocolate spell, because they will sell out in an instant.

Starting in fifth place, we have the dainty and simple “love letter”. It requires paper, pen, and some thoughtful words written down on paper. This gift speaks volumes to a woman; it not only shows the emotional side that all women strive to see, but it has more meaning to it than any bouquet will. 

If emotional writings are not for you, make it fun to read. Crack some inside jokes, but try and avoid making it about yourself; no girl wants to hear about your day in a love letter. The most important thing about writing a love letter is to make it more than 2 sentences; you could go to a grocery store and buy a card for that. A thoughtful paragraph goes a long way, so channel your inner 1965 lover. 

In fourth place, now this one is a bit pricey, a darling charm bracelet. Now, this is no promise or engagement ring, so if the relationship is fresh, this is a really good option. The best part about gifting someone a charm bracelet is that it is customizable. As their partner, you are able to showcase your great listening skills and customize this charm bracelet to her liking. 

If you are feeling anxious about customizing the bracelet yourself, but still like the idea, taking her to get a customized charm bracelet is a great alternative. 

In third place, a book, whether that is a color book that calms the nervous system down, or a book she has been dying to have in her possession. Coloring books can be very relaxing for some girls because it brings them back to their childhood. There are plenty of adult coloring books out there. For the girls who find coloring overstimulating, reading can be a better alternative. Hold her accountable for her New Year’s Resolution, get a book so she can finally “read more.”

Pro tip: If she is a little jokester, then getting her favorite childhood book can make her laugh and cry at the same time.

Coming to the end, in second place, we have picture collages already in a frame. Do not be the person who makes her go out and buy a frame; she already has to find time to hang it up. Shutterfly is a great resource for this gift because they can actually send a frame with the picture collage when you order. 

Picture collages are very sentimental because they are almost like a recap of the relationship. Pictures are taken to show memories, so putting your favorite pictures together is such a cute gift idea. 

Disclaimer: When you find yourself making this collage, please use pictures she has verbally expressed to you that she likes. Using pictures that are not her personal favorite can start an argument.

And finally, in first place, we have the ultimate gift… a bling basket. We have the boo basket, and the burr basket, so presenting to you this Valentine’s Day season, the bling basket. Its name originated from the idea that love shines bright like a diamond, and a diamond can be described as having “bling” to it. 

A bling basket goes above and beyond. In here, you create a basket full of things that she loves. If she loves candles, put them in this basket. Creativity is important when curating this basket to her liking. It is supposed to look aesthetic, so make sure things are not just thrown around. 

Pro tip: Inspiration from boo and burr baskets is necessary. 

Avoid the flowers and the chocolate this year. Celebrate this special day with your girl by going out and surprising her with a gift that she will not expect.