This Valentine’s Day, I think it is important to spread love to those who matter in your life more than ever. As a college student coming up on the tail-end of the holiday season, I know how tricky it is to come up with the money to purchase gifts, so I have compiled a list of my favorite cheap do-it-yourself gift ideas for Cupid Day. Plus, I’ve always thought that homemade gifts were more meaningful anyway!
- Shoebox Gift Basket
This is my go-to for nearly all holidays as I have gotten older because it is so customizable and can be as cheap or expensive as you want it to be! You can just decorate a shoebox with things your gift recipient loves and fill it with snacks, or you can fill it with more crafts that you have made for them. The world – and the shoebox – is your oyster with this one.
- Coupon Book
Making a little book of coupons to give to your loved one is a sweet way to show that you love them and think of them! Coupons could range from anything like a free massage to a date that you pay for and plan. This is a great gift for anyone that you want to give a gift to, whether they are a romantic relationship or even a parent!
- Deck of Cards
Since a deck has 52 cards, it is the perfect canvas for a creative and meaningful gift, especially if you and the recipient like to play card games together! You can decorate each card with pictures of you together or 52 reasons that you love and appreciate them. Anything goes!
- Sweet Treat
While not particularly crafty, I don’t think you can ever go wrong with baking or cooking something for your loved one. This Valentine’s Day, I have been loving the idea of making chocolate-covered strawberries for my partner, but you could truly make anything that they love!
- Museum of Love
I think this one is such a cute little idea, and all you need to purchase are mini figurines and a shadowbox. First, print out little pictures of you and the recipient, and glue them to the inside of the shadowbox with little frames, so that they look like they are paintings on the wall. Then, you can add little figurines of people to make it look like they are walking through the museum of your pictures. How cute!
- Kiss Frame
This is an incredibly simple and sweet way to give someone a gift this season. Just buy a frame from your local store and wear your favorite lipstick. Kiss the white mat that often comes with the frame, or kiss a sheet of paper to use as the backdrop for the picture you are framing. Either way, the results are super sweet and personalized!
- Embroidered Hoodie
An embroidered hoodie is a cute way to keep the person you love close to you or help them keep you close! Embroidering your initials on the jacket sleeve of a hoodie or on the rim of the hood is a subtle but sentimental reminder of your love for them this Valentine’s Day.
- Decorated Lighter
If your recipient often uses a lighter – perhaps they are a candle addict like me – a customized lighter is a cute way to show you care about their interests! Decorate the lighter with paint, stickers, jewels, or pictures; anything is possible with this simple gift.
- Matching Bracelets
I also think that sometimes the simplest craft is the sweetest one. For example, making someone matching bracelets is incredibly simple, but it’s a sweet way to keep each other close when you cannot be together.
- Love Jar
Similar to the coupon book or the deck of cards, this gift is a cute way to show someone that you love them and think about them. All you need is a jar, some colored paper, and a marker to make this sweet gift. On each color of paper, write little notes that fall under a theme, like the notes on blue paper are reasons that you love them, and the notes on pink paper are things that remind you of them. I highly recommend looking up this idea on Pinterest to customize your jar further!
Whatever you choose to do this Valentine’s Day, spread love to those around you. For many, this holiday is a dreaded reminder of something that seems to be missing, which makes it all the more important to celebrate your loved ones and make everyone feel special. Happy Valentine’s Day, love bugs!