The Good Life For Less: Gifts From The Heart
I know that there are many people out there that believe that Valentine's Day was just created as a commercial holiday to sell boat loads of chocolate and keep the flower companies busy another day of the year besides Mother's Day.
I'm always on the fence about Valentine's Day. On one hand, I don't find it bad to set aside at least one day a year to just celebrate love and get a little mushy and tell the people around you that you love them.
On the other hand, I do find it silly that people spend oodles of money to impress their significant others and the all the pressure that I know some people go through finding the perfect gift.
Because of that, I've put together a list of some really nice (inexpensive) romantic ideas that you can do for your significant other. Remember, it's the thought that counts!
Plan a movie night: Pop some popcorn, grab a bottle of bubbly and curl up on the couch. Pick out your partner's favorite romantic film and make a night of it!
Breakfast in bed: Who doesn't like waking up in the morning to fresh coffee and the smell of your favorite breakfast food?
Homemade card: Use your computer or your craft skills and whip up a homemade card that expresses your feelings. Can't put it into words? Make a mixed tape. OK, so maybe not a tape, it is 2010 after all, but a CD or MP3 playlist of the songs that make you think of your loved one is always a nice way to express the way you feel. Make sure to dance together when you play it, or pop it into their car so they can listen to it on the way to work. For a list of 40 of the most popular love songs (according to allwomenstalk.com) click here.
Clean up: Making the house shine from top to bottom is a pretty nice way to get your significant other to relax and enjoy the day. Dusting those hard to reach places or maybe finally getting around to organizing that junk drawer might be an extra added touch to really wow your spouse.
Don't forget to clean yourself up too: A nice haircut, a clean shave, or your partner's favorite outfit can impress. Also spritzing on a favorite smelling perfume/cologne or wearing your hair the way they like it can be nice too.
Cook a nice dinner or have a pizza picnic: A little candlelight, some mood music and their favorite meal or dessert will have them eating out of your hand (not literally, I hope). Click here for some dinner-for-two recipes.
At my house, we do pizza picnics as a great date night. Spread a blanket on the floor and dine picnic-style right in your living room.
Create a coupon book: So this one may seem a little old-school -- like the ones you used to make for mom. But who wouldn't want to cash in a coupon for a backrub anytime? Get creative with other ideas like a cook-dinner-for-the-kids certificate or a get-out-of-the-doghouse-free card. Kodak has a pretty nice template to make your coupon book here.
Finding the perfect gift doesn't have to break the bank. It's much more about the effort and showing your loved one that you care about them. You don't need a holiday to tell them that!
What have you done as a low-cost romantic gift? Click on comments and share then with other Good Lifers.
-Alison Lorge is a web producer and consumer blogger at WCCO.
