Whether you're looking for romantic gift ideas or ways to make yourself feel loved, “Your Trusted Cupid" brings you top-notch advice from relationship experts. Here, find Valentine's Day gifts and ideas with five simple clicks to make the holiday memorable.
Feb. 14 marks the day when Cupid sharpens his arrow, ready to strike all whose hearts are open to love. If your significant other expects to be lovestruck on Valentine's Day, there's no need to panic — it takes just five clicks to make the 14th memorable.
Whether you've just started to date or are celebrating your 40th Valentine's together, these steps will create a wonderful evening of romance!
The 5-step click list
Click 1: The setting
For a classic romantic setting, choose special china, crystal stemware, and cloth napkins. Use what you have, but take time to make it look attractive. Set out candles — votives or taper candles in candlesticks. The more, the better, and spread some red rose petals across the table.
If you haven't yet walked down the aisle (and thus haven't received an abundance of registry items), then make the setting a fun, romantic one using easy-to-source items or what you already have on hand. Juice glasses or mason jars (or even buy two stemless wine glasses) for wine, mason jar mugs for beer, love-themed cocktail napkins are the details that will wow. A fun, personalized tea towel can double as a napkin. Buy a package of tealight candles (mason jars can be used for candle holders as well—or buy a prefilled one.).
Flowers
The table's piece de resistance? Gorgeous, fresh flowers of course. Anyone can pick up a dozen roses on the way home, but when's the last time you ordered 24 red roses for your love? Two dozen roses will remind your "other" that's she's "significant" to you. The setting will be festive for the evening, and the roses can be a lovely gift for your Valentine.
Pro tip: When choosing your vase color, consider a clear container that makes red roses the center of attention. (Just how your loved one will feel when she takes in this decadent display.) Otherwise, a red container reinforces the holiday's color scheme for a more thematic look.
Click 2: Appetizers and wine
Even if you're a culinary master, take a night off to focus on your special someone rather than the stove. If there was ever a perfect excuse to enjoy a delicious meal with minimal effort, this is it. The Ribeye Meal features two USDA Prime boneless ribeye steaks, perfectly complemented by a decadent New York-style cheesecake, creating a restaurant-quality dining experience right at home.
We've been spending a lot of time at home with our partners. Still, we should see it as an opportunity for growth as a couple, says Eros Miranda, a relationship expert, TikTok influencer, and host of the Eros to the Heart podcast. Having more time at home and a holiday devoted to romance are opportunities to learn each other's love language, he adds.
No Valentine's at-home celebration is complete without a cheese board and a little vino. You'll find all needs covered with meat, cheese, and a wine gift box to create the perfect meal for two.
Set up a plate or a wooden cutting board with some slices of the various cheeses, summer sausages, and salami, a small knife for mustards, and crackers and breadsticks. Dried cherries or olives make a nice addition, as do slices of apples or pears and nuts. Again, the thoughtfulness and time taken are more important than finding the finest preserves for your selections. Your sweetheart will appreciate the gesture.
Click 3: Fun and games
A fun way to connect is by joining the surge of couples who enjoy playing games together. Use the holiday to connect on topics you might not have thought to talk about on your own with the Couples Bucket List. Don't like a particular card? Skip to the next! Don't let anything get in the way of connecting with your loved one.
Want to take the couple-bonding games even further? Combine Truth or Dare while building a personalized puzzle together. The Love Connection Personalized Mini Heart Photo Puzzle is a gift that will keep you entertained all night long — and beyond.
Click 4: Dinner and dessert
If you're still set on cooking for your love, focus on dinner and outsource dessert. Is there anything more romantic than fondue? Order this Valentine Fondue Set complete with four types of cookies, which are both fun and delicious.
An absolute must with any present? A heartfelt note — complete with X's & O's. If there's ever a time to be effusive in your declaration of love, this is it. "Spill your heart on the pages," says Miranda. His tips for writing a loving card? "Be yourself. Don't be distracted. Don't be forced," he says.
Another dinner option: Chinese takeout. It can be spicy, hot, and sultry — plus, you don't have to chop, prep, or braise! Instead of the restaurant fortune cookie, order a nickel-plated Fortune Love Personalized Fortune Cookie, which is especially useful for those who want to propose marriage. Have it personalized with "Will you marry me?" on the fortune, pop it among the white paper takeout containers, and watch her eyes light up when she sees that you planned this clever way of sharing your love.
Click 5: The gift
Our top pick for a gift that says true love is Tiny Tags' Pavé Heart Necklace. It's a beautiful and classic piece that looks stunning by itself or layered with her favorite necklace. Whatever gift you choose, make sure it comes from the heart. Thoughtfulness is most important, not cost, or how much time you spend picking something.
AUTHOR
Elizabeth Craig Wells is a former senior editor at Real Simple magazine, where she focused on the life, style, and simple solutions sections. Wells holds a B.A. in French and B.M. in flute performance from Northwestern University. She lives with her three children in Connecticut, where she coaches soccer and tennis and is working on a series of contemporary novels.
