Quick and Simple Valentine’s Day Gifts Can Mean a Lot!
If you have put off buying that Valentine’s Day gift, don’t fret; it’s not Valentine’s Day yet! There’s still time for us procrastinators to come up with a meaningful gift without having to spend a fortune or come up with something elaborate.
I have compiled some last minute Valentine’s Day ideas and quick Valentine’s gifts that won’t break the bank, but that your sweetheart will surely appreciate. After all, it’s really the thought that counts, and even simple Valentine’s Day gifts can mean the world to those you love!
20 Last-Minute Valentine’s Day Ideas & Simple Gifts They’ll Love
1. Surprise Love Notes
Grab a package of heart-shaped Post-it notes from the grocery store, write down things you love about him or her and scatter them throughout the house. They will love it! (Need some ideas? Check this post from Lana at With A Touch Of Luxe.)
2. Bake a Cake (or Brownies, or Cookies!)
If you like to bake, this is a fun, frugal Valentine’s Day gift idea. If Valentine’s Day falls on a week day, surprise him or her at work by dropping off a plate of their favorite goodies and a note. They’ll surely be the envy of co-workers! Bonus points for making them heart-shaped!
3. Giant Candy Bar Card
One of my favorite Valentine’s Day gift ideas for him is to put together a big card (made with poster board or foam core board) with candy bars attached and cute candy bar sayings. These are so much fun to do! The only hard part is resisting the urge to eat the candy!
4. Make a Pinterest Board
Looking for out of the box Valentine’s Day gift ideas? Look no further than a bespoke Pinterest board! Fill it with images, videos, and websites that speak to your significant other’s interests or that will make them smile.
5. Candy Bouquet
This is a quick Valentine’s Day gift bouquet I made for my husband last year. I was definitely in a “last minute” situation, but luckily I tend to thrive under pressure. :-) He loved it!
Related: Valentine’s Day Sour Cream Cookies
6. Make a Valentine With Household Items
Turn everyday items into a gift with a well-placed pun and a few simple supplies.
- “I donut know what I would do without you!” – donut
- “I love you a latte!” – Starbucks bottled drink
- “I get a charge out of you!” – AA batteries
- “You are the highlight of my life!” – highlighter pen
- “I am stuck on you!” – glue or stickers
- “You are the icing on my cake!” – cupcake
- “I’m bananas for you!” – banana or banana bread
7. Have a Netflix Night
Turn on Netflix, queue up When Harry Met Sally (or your rom-com of choice), and enjoy a night snuggled up together on the couch. My Rom-Com Checklist could come in handy here!
8. Valentine’s Day Crossword Puzzle
Go to Education.com and create a free customized crossword that incorporates words and clues from your relationship. For example: 3 Down: What you hate to take out. Answer: Garbage.
9. Make a Romantic Playlist (or Borrow Mine!)
Make a romantic playlist of your favorite love songs as a thoughtful throwback to the mixtapes we used to make “back in the day.” It’s a gift that will last well beyond Valentine’s Day and doesn’t cost a cent to make. (Feel free to use my Valentine’s Day Playlist instead — your secret is safe with me!)
10. Opening Day Tickets
Baseball season is just around the corner, so why not surprise the sports fan in your life with tickets to opening day? Put the tickets in a Valentine’s Day card, or pair it with a t-shirt or hat.
11. Frame It Up!
Here’s one of my favorite quick Valentine’s gifts: download a free printable (there are lots and lots to be found on Pinterest) and put it in a frame. I love this particular quote! :-)
More Ideas You'll Love
12. Take the Day Off From Parenting
Plan ahead to have the kids stay with Grandma or another relative overnight on Valentine’s Day (or around then — it doesn’t hurt to be flexible!) This will give you both some “alone time” to focus on each other, and to sleep in!
13. Heartfelt Romantic Breakfast
Wake up extra early and start Valentine’s Day off special with a batch of heart-shaped pancakes! Just pour the batter in the frying pan in a free-form heart shape and serve with strawberries and whipped cream. This would definitely show your loved one how much you care. You could also make heart on his smoothie with strawberry juice or even bake some heart-shaped donuts and go crazy with sprinkles!
14. Play Tourist in Your Home Town
Plan some touristy activities that you and your honey have never gotten around to doing, and don’t be embarrassed to take a zillion corny couples pictures.
15. A Winter Picnic
Take a picnic blanket (or even a sheet) and set up a romantic picnic in your living room. Feature food from your favorite deli or gourmet shop, and maybe a fancy beverage. You could also make your picnic an outing, like parking your car at a scenic overlook.
16. Spread the Love
Valentine’s Day is a celebration of love, so consider branching out from romance into charity and friendship. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, send flowers to nursing home residents, or contact a local women’s shelters to ask how you can best show love to those who live and work there. Little things can make all the difference for people who are in need of a little extra love.
17. Do the Chores They Dislike
Is there a chore that your partner typically does? Is there something he/she has been meaning to do, but hasn’t found the time to do it? For Valentine’s Day, do something that will make your significant other’s life easier. Organize the garage. Take over laundry duties for a week/month. You get the idea.
18. A Dozen Roses + a Dozen Dates
Turn the traditional “a dozen roses” into something extra special. Think of 12 date ideas that suit the both of you, write those down in a card, and gift the card along with a dozen roses. Good Housekeeping has 130 Creative Date Night Ideas that can help you brainstorm.
Want to score extra Valentine points? Have them delivered at work. It will make your beloved’s co-workers sigh at your thoughtfulness and leave your sweetheart smiling.
19. The Gift of Pure Relaxation
If you’ve waited until the very last minute for a gift, a gift card for a massage is a fast option that doesn’t require you to wait for delivery! If you really want to kick up the romance factor, make it a gift certificate for a couple’s massage. Most spas these days offer gift cards or gift certificates!
20. Go Beyond the Chocolates
Chocolate-covered strawberries are my absolute favorite! If you have never tried these, you are missing out. My husband always buys me a dozen for Valentine’s Day. They are divine!
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More Sweet Ideas For Valentine’s Day
- In the mood for romance, or a sweet treat you can share with the fam? Here are some other Valentine’s Day ideas to consider:
- 6 Romantic Valentine’s Day Mocktails Your Sweetheart Will Love
- Valentine’s Day Dinner For The Whole Family
- A Romantic Valentine’s Dessert For Two
What’s the best Valentine’s gift you’ve ever received?
My husband took me to stay at a haunted hotel (The Crescent- featured on Ghost Hunters) in Eureka Springs– spooky romantic fun!!! It was very memorable!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I bought a fancy jar and put in 365 assorted Hershey kisses. A kiss for every day of the year! He loved it!!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I got engaged on Valentines Day 6 years ago–pretty good gift!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My best was tickets for a concert with my husband
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This year, my husband and I are flying to San Francisco and staying at a B&B in Half Moon Bay for Valentine’s day. We’re so excited! First time he’s been to the west coast.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I love when my hubby gets me plants for the house. I love looking and caring for them and in turn, they give me and my family cleaner air to breathe.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Hubby surprised me several years ago with a necklace. I hadn’t been expecting anything, but he came home with a heart-shaped diamond & sapphire necklace.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My favorite Valentine’s day present was mine and my husband’s first Valentine’s together. We had gotten engaged in December. My future husband asked me what I wanted for V day…I told him I wanted the set of Christmas China from Gayfers. Well lo and behold that is what I got. Since he didn’t have much money left after buying me the whole set of Christmas china…we couldn’t go out to eat. So…that was okay because we ordered Pizza and yes! we ate it off the Christmas china!!! We have done that every V day for 23 years now! We love to re-hatch this romantic-‘in love’ time and share this story with our friends especially our children….the simple things in life are so enjoyable. Pizza on Christmas China = worth all he had to purchase it with.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.nice. :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best Valentine’s day gift I ever received was a pug puppy from my husband. She was adorable and I named her Valentine. The best present I ever gave for Valentine’s Day was tickets to a theater show that my husband really wanted to see. It was a bonus for me because I got to go too!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I always treasure the valentines I get from my children!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I cant remember what year it was, but hubby got me a “journey” necklace. I really love necklaces and although we don’t have a lot of money, he surprised me with this. I just love it, and wear it most every day!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It might not be a great gift for anyone else, but to me, I got the perfect Valentine’s Day gift one year when a past boyfriend ordered a heart-shaped pizza to share on the couch while watching our favorite movies! Simple yet awesome, especially since pizza is my favorite food :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best Valentine’s gift I “never received” was in 2001. My Mother was living with us because she was sick and her husband had left her. My husband came in with a huge, beautiful teddy bear, a big box of chocolates and a dozen roses. I cringed because I did not want to be getting these things in front of my Mom that particular year. Well, he just walked right past me and gave all these things to my Mother. I have never been so proud of him as I was at that moment. You should have seen the look on her face. It was priceless. I have received many things from him over the years but nothing will ever match that.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best Valentine’s Day gift I have ever received was from God. I found out on Valentine’s Day, fourteen years ago, that I was pregnant with my first child. She’s been a blessing and a gift every day since.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best gift I ever received was from my parents when I was in highschool – a baseball shirt with red glittery sleeves and a set of foil lips! I wish I still had that shirt – it was my favorite for so long! It was always nice that my parents got me something, because in high school, being single on vday was a bummer!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.This will be our 24th Valentines Day together… Our best one so far was last year spent as a family sitting around the table with chocolate fondue and we all shared things we love about each other. Our kids were 5 and 3 and they got a kick out of the chocolate fun and we all had some fun laughs! This year will probably be a similar experience, but we might go see a movie, too.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Each year I copy a song on to a CD and put it in the CD drive in his car. When he starts his car in the morning, the song plays. Some years it’s a funny song, some years it’s a sexy song and some years its a romantic song. He never knows what it will be. Years ago I taped the song, now do the CD thing. Not sure what I’m going to do when he buys a new car because I think they are discontinuing CD drives …..now you know how old I am :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.A few years ago my husband made me a card filled with pictures of places we went to and hung out in college. We live two hours away from that town now and it was fun to remember those days and also very sweet that he thought of it.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My late hubby ordered the “Gangster of Love” from Vermont Teddy Bears on our first Valentines’s Day. It was a teddy bear dressed in a cravat, vest and spats, with a jaunty little fedora on his head. He carried a violin case that when opened held a bouquet of roses. It was the sweetest most romantic gift I ever received. I still miss him.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When my now husband and I first started dating I had to work a double shift at work. He took the keys to my new place and worked his magic. When I got home at 11:30PM I found candles lit all over the entire house, food in the oven and a bottle of wine on the table. It was the sweetest thhing ever.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.While my husband and I were still dating I casually mentioned that this one particular ring was pretty in a sale ad, never thinking he would actually get it for me…but he did!!! It was such a nice surprise :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My best gift has been the gift of time, just taking the time to sit and be present for each other in the midst of all the hustle and bustle of life!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Went I was first married we did not have much money. My husband surprized me on Valentines Day with a new pair of shoes which I desperately needed. I’m all about practical gifts and was pleased that he knew the need and size!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The sweetest gift I’ve ever received was my husband making a fancy dinner when we were dating (he even made bread bowls for the soup) He set up a table with a speaker and plywood because he didn’t have a table, and made chocolate cheesecake for dessert (my fave). :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best gift I received on V day: 17 years ago I found out I was pregnant with my daughter on valentine’s day.
That was a fun surprise.
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