In the middle of the winter, when the spring seems so far away and the temperatures are freezing, there is one thing that warms up the heart. The upcoming Valentine’s Day is a lovely occasion to celebrate and appreciate your loved ones. When February 14th approaches many people are left clueless what to buy for their special ones. The clichés such as roses and chocolates are a dull way to express your love.


There is no reason to give into the commercialism of this holiday. Give something from the heart, personalized, and unique this Valentine’s Day... all while protecting the environment.

Valentine’s Day Treats

Instead of buying expensive chocolate boxes, make simple treat packages and forgo the elaborate (and often cheesy) displays. All you need are recycled paper bags, red ribbon, and a few favorite treats. You can pick anything from heart-shaped thumbprint cookies or lollipops to mini fudge hearts or dried fruits and berries. The recycled packages will give a vintage and quirky touch. It may require a little prep time and planning, but it's well worth the effort!

• You could even get fancy and surprise your loved one by saying something sweet with meringue love letters. The mixture is easy to make and it doesn’t require a lot of time. You can write the word “love” by piping it on a plate and embellish it with little meringue hearts.
• Go pro and make hand written cupcakes that will bring smile to every face.

• Make the Valentine’s morning unforgettable with heart pancakes and strawberries.
• Another lovely eye-opener is a cappuccino heart foam which you can make it with a toothpick and hand deliver to your not yet bright-eyed sweetheart.

Cards & Bookmarks

Replace the conventional Valentine’s cards with seed-starters with a message. Giving a plant is green way to show your love and care. Indoor plants can purify the air or provide your partner with fresh ingredients (plus herbs smell heavenly!). You will just need seeds and white coin envelopes. Decorate the envelope with a loving doodle, phrase, or note. Be sure to add a note including the type of seeds and instructions how to grow it. (Pour the seeds and place the envelope in a pot.) This is the perfect symbol of a natural and growing relationship.

If your loved one is into the books, you can make a lovely bookmark. There are many templates online. Choose one that you think will appeal to your partner. Make it from an old card box, upcycled papers, or even fabrics. In this way you are recycling, while creating original gift. Get creative with shape cutters, confetti, and more.

Sharpie Mugs

This is a practical, popular, and inexpensive gift idea. If you have a plain white cup (or saucer!) that you no longer use, you can turn into amazing Valentine’s Day present. All you need is an oil based Sharpie! The design will work for any mug shape. The oil based Sharpies are a little harder to find, but the ink lasts longer and will not wash out or get scrubbed when cleaning the cup.There are different colors to fit your preferences.

• The first thing you need to do is cleaning the mug. 
• Feel free to free-draw something yourself or get a template. Write a quote or make a funny drawing.  The creativity is up to you!
• Put the cup in the oven for 40 minutes on 450F.
• Allow the mug to cool down in the oven.
• Package it in a beautiful wrapping paper and there you go – a perfect Valentine day’s present!

Make Life Easier

Although Valentine’s Day is all about romance, sometimes what your partner wants is simply to get home without needing to take care of the domestic cleaning. Make a set of coupons with different household tasks like washing the dishes or doing the laundry. Write it down on decorative paper and put it a beautiful envelope. Your gift of cleaning may even win you some favors. If you are not into home cleaning, you can hire a cleaning company (which gets you both off the hook!) Be sure to find a cleaner that uses non-toxic products, or who is happy to use cleaners provided by you.

You don’t need to go wild with the Valentines’ day gifts. A simple, personal and meaningful gift can mean so much more to the one you love.