Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and this time of year we always want to show our friends just how much we care about them. Want to get crafty this year beyond boxes of cards from CVS? Here are some cute ways to make your valentines stand out!
Handmade Cards
Alright, so this one may be a bit obvious, but there’s a reason why it’s so popular. Hand-making a card takes time, even if it’s simply a heart cut out of construction paper. No matter how much or little effort you put into these cards, friends will notice that you didn’t just fork over $14.99 and slap a name on a card. You put thought and effort into producing something. That’s definitely going to boost your friend score.
Candy Bags
Once again, this one is pretty common. Still, it’s unique in its own right. Decorative bags filled with Dum-Dums and Hershey’s kisses are wonderful gifts that are cheap and easy to mass-produce. Instead of buying Dollar Store cards your friends will just toss in a few years (or even the next day), candy bags are supposed to be used up. Just buy some sweets in bulk, grab a pack or two of heart-covered bags and twist ties, and dish out treats to all of your Valentines.
Friendship Coupons
IOU’s are pretty common gifts when you are out of ideas or actually do owe a friend something. But, at the same time, they can be personalized for each Valentine to create a sweet gift that they’ll have to hold onto until they cash it in. So, maybe your friend likes Mario Kart—give them a slip of paper that says “IOU one round of Mario Kart, Valentine.” Or, maybe your friend is always treating you to dinner—try “IOU one dinner off campus, Valentine.” And what about if you keep borrowing money from your roommate and forgetting to pay it back? In that case, “IOU $47.39 (and I promise I’ll get it back to you please just give me some time), Valentine,” is sure to suffice.
Plastic Bag/Duct Tape Flowers
If you’re like me, you hoard plastic bags. See, I don’t want to throw them away, because that’s bad for the environment, but I have no use for them as is. If you’re like me, plastic bag flowers could be a useful way to make some cute valentines. I’m sure many of you are familiar with duct tape flowers, which are a cute alternative to the plastic bag flower.
Should you avoid SpongeBob or My Little Pony cards completely? No, not at all! Sometimes friends just appreciate getting anything at all. But a bit of extra effort when it comes to gifts can go a long way when it comes to making your valentines really stand out.