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10+ Gift Ideas for Your Valentine and Galentines

Elle Horst Student Contributor, Brown University
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Brown chapter and does not reflect the views of Her Campus.

It’s that time of the year when we all get to celebrate the incredible people we love – whether that be significant others, friends, or family. As Valentine’s Day nears, so does a looming need to get a gift for our loved ones. This can be a stress-inducing and often daunting task. For those struggling to come up with gifts, here are some suggestions! 

The Classics 

No shame in sticking to what you know! But here are some tips to make these gifts more personalized. 

Flowers  

You could go for the traditional roses, but everyone does! Try to find a way to show your partner or friend you went the extra mile. Tie them to something they like! Maybe there is a specific flower you know they love, so you get them. Maybe they love the color purple, so you get them lilacs. Try to personalize as much as you can! Check out this Providence florist for the best bouquets.

Chocolate/Candy

Again, personalize! Get them their favorite candy or kind of chocolate – maybe it’s a specific brand or flavor combo!  

Stuffed Animals

Maybe they love a certain kind of plushie. Or if not, you can personalize them to their tastes. Buy a build-a-bear and dress it in something you think can capture them or yourself! 

Misc. Standard Gift Items: 

Here is a quick list of other physical items that are popular (and good!) gifts for your loved ones:

  • Perfume/Cologne 
  • Clothing from their favorite store
  • A Watch 
  • Jewelry 
  • Nice self-care products 
  • Gift cards
  • Their preferred drink (bottle of wine, spirit, or non-alcoholic bev)

Personalized Physical Gifts

Objects that tie to a hobby they enjoy

Do they like to work out? You can buy them work out clothes or a mini blender and protein powder. Are they into art? Get them a nice brush set. Find objects that tie to the things they love! 

Experiential Gifts 

These gifts are less about physical objects and more about taking the initiative to plan out something fun! 

The Personalized Dinner

Buy ingredients for their favorite meal and drink and chef them up something special! Set up the table nicely, dress nice, and invite them over for their perfect dinner! Or you can go out to dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants in Providence.

A Planned Day

Take the initiative and plan out a fun day of activities they’ll love! Maybe it’s an excursion to Newport for dinner, ice skating and a walk around Providence with a warm drink, taking a sip-and-paint class, or a museum day. Either way, make sure it is something you know they’ll enjoy. 

The Sentimental Gifts 

These gifts are all about thought, time, and effort – and can often be done with very minimal cost! 

This is not in my skill set, but if it’s in yours go for it! Write them a song, letter, poem, etc. about how much they mean to you and deliver it to them on the day! You can pair this too with something small like a box of chocolate. 

Make them an Art Piece

In whatever medium you feel is best, create an art piece that shows them how much you mean to them! Maybe it’s a recreation of your favorite photo together, or a memory from one of your favorite dates/hangouts. 

Create a Scrapbook

Scrapbooks are great ways to highlight all of the best parts of your relationships (platonic and romantic). Get a blank book and print out pictures of your favorite moments together. Write captions about what these moments meant to you and what you love about them. This will be sure to be met with a positive response.

Elle Horst

Brown '26

Elle Horst is a junior at Brown University concentrating in Business/Economics. She hails from the Bay Area, CA but has fallen in love with life on the East Coast and Brown! This is her third year as a member of Her Campus, for which she is the Director of Marketing. Outside of her studies, she is involved in numerous organizations on campus, including Women in Business as a Marketing and Communications Chair, Fashion at Brown as the Web Design Director, and the Kappa Delta sorority. In her free time, she loves cooking, work out classes, coffee dates, and reading! She can't wait to give readers a glimpse into life as a student at Brown and the greater Providence area!