What's Here:
Valentine’s Day DOs and DON’Ts.
Gift Ideas for Him.
Gift Ideas for Her.
Date Ideas for Couples.
Single & Fabulous Valentine’s Day DOs and DON’Ts.
Outfit Inspiration – tips (pics soon).
My loves, I really wanted to put together a comprehensive blog, because holidays like Valentine’s Day can put unnecessary stress on us. From trying to figure out what to get the other person, to what we’ll do on the date or the clothes to wear, there are so many questions about this day and many of us could use some inspiration.
I’m here to inspire you today, and give you as many ideas as possible. If you LIKE what you see, help out one of your friends and share. I ❤️ you! Happy Valentine’s Day!!
P.S. This week's video is the gift that'll keep on giving: How To Be His Queen. Enjoy it and good luck!
DO:
1. Find out if your other half likes celebrating V-Day in the first place. I personally dislike going out, so it would be weird if my guy assumed I did and booked us @ a restaurant. Thoughtfulness meets half way.
2. Plan ahead – when leaving stuff last minute, we risk all sorts of things going wrong, stress, and passing that unsettling energy onto our partner. That’s not sexy! Plan ahead, but remember that there’s no need for over-scheduling; romance needs some breathing time.
3. Make it a whole day event. Why stick to evening events? Start with breakfast in bed, move on to a sexy text in the afternoon, and then off to your dinner plans.
4. Be on time. If you know it typically takes an hour to get ready and you have to leave the house at 7, start getting ready at 5:00. It’s wise to count in some buffer time, being V-Day and all… Timeliness helps set the mood right.
5. Silence the gadgets while you’re with your Valentine. Checking the phone or instagraming during your time together, is NOT cute!
6. PDA away! Public displays of attention are fabulous and typically make one feel safe and loved. Grabbing my face with your hands, kissing me long and sweetly, holding my hand and not letting go of me in private AND in public, is many times more precious than flowers and candy.
7. Do stay away from unromantic gifts. Sure I like to juice, but getting a juicer for V-Day? Not so much! Valentine’s Day is not like Christmas, and practical gifts are not sexy! (There are lots of gift ideas below)
DON’T:
1. Over-think the date or you’ll start freaking out. That will lead to wrong outfit choices, weird body language, sweating, so on. Close your eyes and take a big breath! Things work out when we’re level headed, everything WILL be all right!
2. Mention the ex… under NO circumstance!
3. Don’t do and get as a gift what you did and got last year. Try something different (ideas below).
4. Don’t get drunk. 2 drinks maximum!
5. Keep it to one day. Thoughtfulness and displays of love and affection are sexy year-round, not just on “special occasions”.
6. Don’t make it overly sexual. It’s not all about sex, and good taste always goes further along.
7. Don’t buy into the pressure. The day’s about romance and thoughtfulness, not crazy expensive gifts.
According to the National Retail Federation, the average amount spent by individuals in the US for Valentine’s Day gifts in 2014 was $134 and this year that amount is expected to go up by almost $10, to $142. Collectively as Americans, we might spend as much as 18.9 Billion this Valentine’s Day. WHOA!
It doesn’t cost much to give the other a breakfast in bed experience, yet it’s lovely and speaks volumes! Picking flowers instead of buying them can also do the trick! Cooking dinner at home with your loved one is great alternative to going out for dinner. Light up some candles, turn on some music, have a bottle of red handy…. great choice!
8. Don’t have unrealistic expectations. Just go with the flow and take in every little second. Enjoy the love!
9. Don’t give a generic card. Add a personalized message, definitely longer than 2 sentences. You can share how much you love the other, what they mean to you, the first sweet memory you have of them, what you love most about him/her, etc.
When it comes to gifts….
Give something that reflects where you are in the relationship. Nothing should be forced, this not quite the right time and place to push the relationship to the next level unless you know FOR SURE that’s what the other wants as well. In other words, if you’ve been dating for a month, getting him cufflinks that would go well with a “tux” *cough isn’t … you know…
Gift ideas for Him:
· Homemade Valentine’s Day card.
· Make him a playlist/CD or mix tape of sorts, with his most favorite songs.
· What about a “spa in a bag”? If you don’t have time to DIY or $60 to spend, you can get something like this.
If you want to save coins and make it more personal, recreate this concept by using a basket, add in your own DIY body scrub (recipe below), a lip balm, a hand and body lotion and even a DIY after shave lotion if you’re feeling “frisky”. Here’s how you can do that:
Minty DIY body scrub:
Mix 2/3 cup Epsom Salt with 1/3 cup organic olive oil and 5-7 drops of mint essential oil, depending on how powerful you want the fragrance to be.
Take a mason jar, and fill it up with the mixture. Print a label and glue it to the jar using modge podge. You can add a ribbon or some hearts if you want to add pizzazz to the jar.
Here’s a DIY shaving lotion recipe I found.
To help you out I got you some label ideas too. ↳Just click here and print 
· Like candy is for women, bacon candy is for many men. Resources: here and here.
· For the techie guy, I love Google Chromecast – $35
· Is he a gamer? How about getting him some tokens for in-app purchases of his favorite game apps?
· I love this DIY Instagram Canvas Print idea.
Here are some other ideas all under $120:
· Around the World Beer Bucket.
· The Gentleman's Guide to Cocktails.
· Billy Jealousy Beard Envy Kit ($25)
· Brooklyn Dapper Gift Set.
· LoveCoup Personalized Love Coupons for Couples ($24.95)
· Jack Daniels Whiskey Filled Chocolate Truffles ($19.99)
· Dejamor Gift of the Month Club for Couples ($4.99)
· GQ subscription.
· Working man's hygiene kit ($50)
Gift ideas for Her:
Gentlemen, please remember that ladies will typically interpret the gift as a sign of how you view your relationship. For example, if you’ve been together for 2 years and you get her 10 roses and a card with 1 line in it, she might not take to that kindly…. On the same token, expensive jewelry if you’ve only been dating for a week doesn’t fit either, does that make sense?
· Cook for her. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy! Breakfast in bed is a good idea… For dinner, don’t forget the champs or her drink of choice. And please… unless you’re taking me on a surprise overnight trip to Mexico, tacos and beer are NOT right for V-night.
· Offer her a massage.
· Diptyque candles. Always a favorite among fashionistas everywhere!
· Write her a love letter. Most of us women LOVE this sort of details. It shows us that you took time and put thought into it.
· The perfect bubble package from Lush.
· For the fashion obsessed – give her the gift of affordable Christian Louboutin ($50)
· Don’t get her lingerie. Sorry Victoria’s Secret people, but unless you know the exact size and taste, you’re entering dangerous territory. Personally? I love a VS gift card instead. Why? Because I can get whatever I want + surprise YOU!
– same applies for clothing.
· Statement earrings in her favorite color.
· Jewelry with meaning – love necklace ($32)
· Surprise her with a spotless home. I don’t know any woman that wouldn’t love not having to clean and do laundry for a week.
· If you want to go the candy route, don’t go average. Meaning – try not to get the typical candy box on sale at the grocery store. Show how creative you are by looking for locally made chocolates, or the opposite: some cool, imported brand of chocolates you can’t get everywhere… You see where I’m going with this…
· Have flowers delivered at her work. Gentlemen, we’re suckers for public displays of love. But don’t get roses unless they’re her favorite flowers. As much as I love roses, they’re a little boring and quite overused, they don’t show any creativity in my opinion. Pink/red/purple tulips are great, Iris flowers, Calla Lilies, pink Azaleas, heart-shaped bamboo – all modern and a little more unique choices. Like her (there’s a card idea for you).
Date Ideas:
· Go on a scenic drive up the coast and picnic at sunset.
· Couples massage.
· Put together a scavenger hunt around the house our even outside the home if you have the option. With each clue, share something about the other, like how he/she is sexy, smart, loving, wonderful…
· Go ice skating.
· Take a cooking class.
· Recreate your first date. This is also a great way to remember how and why you fell in love in the first place.
· Spend time together, creating a signature cocktail for one another. A twist on hot toddies or spiked hot chocolate is always yummy!
· Listen to a night of live music. Your local fab jazz club is fun, local bands or big name acts that might be performing in town.
· Snuggle up at a movie.
· Take a dance class – salsa, ballroom, fox trot – are great choices for Valentine's Day.
· Play hooky. If you’re both working with stressful, demanding schedules, one of the greatest gifts would be a whole day of not having to do anything.
· Be a tourist in your own city. Be adventurous and explore new places. Check out different restaurants throughout the day, an art gallery or museum. Things that maybe you and your loved one wouldn’t really visit normally.
· Scratch off an item from your bucket list together. This is a great bonding opportunity, not to mention an outside-the-box way of celebrating Valentine’s Day. Doing something off each other’s bucket list or one thing that you both happen to have on your lists. It’s a great way to get to know the other person better as well.
· Create an indoor picnic atmosphere. It’s easy to do, but it shows a lot of thoughtfulness. Depending on what your partner can eat/drink, you'll need a bottle of wine, 4 glasses (wine and water), cheese, crackers, some salami meats if you want to add some more flavor, utensils (forks/knives for cutting and spreading), fruit and chocolate. Spread a blanket on the floor, open the windows if it won’t get too cold, and even play a favorite movie. All this can be accomplished by spending a few minutes at the grocery store, not bad right?
· Cooking at home together.
· Make a dessert spread. You can use your coffee table to display different types of chocolates, cookies, pies or cakes maybe… A couple of bowls with different types of berries and fruit, whipped cream… Yummy!!
If you’re single this V-Day…
DO:
1. Go out with your friends.
2. Get yourself a V-Day gift. You deserve it! (stay within the budget tho)
3. Feel good about yourself. How about a congratulatory V-Day card for not being in a crappy relationship?
DON’T:
1. Dwell on past relationships. It’s water under bridge and your job is to live life NOW, not in the past.
2. Don’t drink too much or get drunk.
3. Don’t drunk dial exes. Eeek!
4. Go out on a blind date. It’s too much (unnecessary) pressure on Valentine’s Day.
5. Go out with couples, so you don’t feel like the odd one out. Respectfully decline.
6. Most importantly! Don’t stay home alone. Doing that will fill your head with all sorts of questionable thoughts. It’s not you, it’s just how it is… Men typically aren’t as vulnerable, but women are the ones usually vulnerable on this day. Don’t feel bad by staying home. Go out with your single friends and meet other fabulous singles, live it up!
Ladies’ Outfit Ideas:
Fashion is a great way to stay true to who you are, and visually and creatively express yourself.
Here are some tips:
Don’t be afraid to wear rich-colors, reds and lace. You love pink? I do too! Go for it!
Pops in make-up are extraordinary too – stand out with a red or coral lip, smoky eyes or cat eyeliner… But focus only on one feature. In other words, if your eyes are dark, don’t go out on the lip front too, the lip should be a nude, light pink, more natural color. If you’re only doing mascara or a cat eye, go nuts with those red lips.
Think of your accessories. They can give any outfit a Valentine’s Day feel.
Dress appropriately for the date though so you don’t feel self-consciously out of place. Jeans won’t work at the opera, but they would our for a picnic. If your partner has a surprise in store, ask them what the dress code should be and always take a jacket, you never know!
— Pics coming shortly
Do you have ideas and tips? I/we'd really love to hear about it! xoxo
