One thing I feel I would win an Olympic medal for, is gift giving. Or at least, I would’ve. Before I became a mom. I used to give Seth the most thought out and intricate gifts, everything with some hidden meaning. I was like Jim, giving Pam a teapot filled with inside jokes and a love letter, to boot. Now that I’ve compared myself with Jim, how is it that I’m sitting here, the day before Valentine’s day…telling you that I don’t have a gift for my husband. I’d like to say that opening Juniper Oak last week drained all of my creative energy. I’d also like to say that I don’t have time to brainstorm a gift idea as a stay at home mom(spoiler alert, there’s plenty of time). No, the real reason, is that I keep forgetting.
Not forgetting about the holiday. Never. I love Valentine’s day. I keep remembering the holiday, making a mental note to think of a great gift, and then forgetting said mental note. This is why my house is absolutely littered with half finished to-do lists, you guys. It’s a chronic problem. I’m ashamed to say that my Valentine’s gift to my husband this year will pale in comparison to the kind of gifts I usually give him. If you find yourself in a similar boat to me(although hopefully you don’t), here are a few of my last minute Valentine’s Day gift ideas.
1) Non traditional bouquet
There’s no reason why you can’t get your man a bouquet of flowers. Buuuut if that isn’t going to be received well, or he thinks it’s really just a gift for you, try something less traditional. Get a bunch of t shirts(also works with underwear or socks), and roll them tightly. Stick them on the edge of wooden skewers, and put them in a vase. Bonus points if you know how to make said rolled up clothing articles look even remotely like flowers. I like to fill the bottom of the vase with his favorite kind of candy, as well.
You can do this with basically anything he likes. Just stick his favorite candy/drink/snack, etc, on wooden skewers, and stick it in a vase. (I said it was last minute, I didn’t say it was beautiful)
2) 5 senses
Every blogger in America will suggest this one. However, I am here to attest that it CAN be done last minute. The first year that Seth and I were married, I threw together a 5 senses gift ON VALENTINES DAY and pretended I’d had it put together for weeks. The key with men, I think, is to get them things they’ll actually appreciate. That year, I made the mistake of giving him a CANDLE for scent, when it was truly, a gift for myself. Learn from my mistakes, and get him cologne instead.
3) Spell something out with smaller gifts
I’m the queen of combining a lot of tiny gifts and making it look like it’s a gift that was more thought out than it actually was. One thing I love doing, is picking a word, and giving him gifts that spell out that word. For our second anniversary, instead of getting him something made of cotton, I spelled out COTTON and got him 6 small gifts. Cards, peachOs, T shirt, Tank top, One pair of socks(I struggled okay), New Mug. Again, a last minute gift I got him ON our anniversary like the slacker I truly was.
4) Date night coupon
Okay, “love coupons” seem kind of ridiculous. I do remember gifting some to my husband for one of his birthdays, and the majority of them are still sitting in his wallet, untouched and very faded. However, going out on Valentine’s Day is a NIGHTMARE. It’s like everybody has to be in love TODAY. So, instead, gift him a date night for the future. It’s best to actually plan out and purchase everything you’ll need, to make sure that it actually happens.
5) Spa day for HIM
Okay, there’s no reason your man doesn’t also need a spa day. He works all day, he holds babies, he does the dishes(hopefully). Schedule a spa date for the two of you, if he would be more comfortable having you accompany you(the one time it’s okay to give him a gift that’s definitely also for you). This is as easy as calling a spa and setting an appointment. Bam. Last minute GIFTED.
6) Something for his hobby
Whether it’s games, books, or crossfit, you can’t go wrong getting something they’ve been eyeing for their hobby. This is personalized, because you KNOW they want it, but you’re more likely to be able to get your hands on it last minute, since it won’t be a hot valentine’s item. Unless his hobby is heart shaped boxes of chocolate, then you’re out of luck sorry.