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!
More Ideas You'll Love
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?
The best gift I ever got was the year before my husband and I got married. He and his little son argued over what kind of flowers to get for me so they did a mix of red roses and red tulips. It looked like a six year old assembled them but absolutely melted my heart. It was so sweet.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I plan to decorate my significant other’s apartment with balloons, not only for valentines day, but also with balloons for his birthday since it is the day before!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.We celebrate Valentine’s Day as a family. I make a special dinner and we all eat together, which doesn’t happen often enough. My wedding anniversary is only ten days from Valentine’s Day so we opt to do the family thing. My kids love it. Anyway, the best gift I have ever received was a simple macaroni necklace my son made for me when he was four. It is just a piece of yarn and dried pasta. Now he’s 16. I still have it and it is more priceless to me than any diamond necklace!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I liked on FB
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best gift we received was the news that we were expecting. Yay!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.For valentines day this year I wrote 14 reasons why I love him. It started on February 1, he received one card from me every day up to valentines day. I hand made all of the cards and envelopes myself making each one resemble the reason why I love him. So far he’s said he enjoys them and thinks it’s thoughtful. Plus he enjoys getting mail. (Were in college so getting mail is kind of still a big thing.)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.About 3 years ago my dad got me a box of chocolates, pink paisley heart box, and some yellow roses.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best Valentines Day i received was a scavenger hunt set up all over my house and ended with a spa day.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.When our kids were younger, we would make personal pizzas shaped as hearts for Valentines Day dinner and have a kid friendly vegetable tray and some bubbly soda or milk shakes. I gave up buying the hearts of candy in the grocery store that are so overpriced before Valentines and asked the kids what their favorite candy was and bought it and wrapped it. Lemonheads, SourPatch, Hersheys kisses, etc. were enjoyed. After Valentines when the Russell Stover hearts were marked down, I would pick up a few for me and save the boxes to refill with the kid’s favorites for next year. Win-Win.
My husband says that the best and most romantic gift I ever gave him was a pocketknife he wanted. Who could have guessed that?
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best Valentine was one my husband made using pictures of us and things that make me happy.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.He wrote a loving message inside, and yes, I still have it..
My best Valentine’s Day gift came early from my husband, the love of my life. He delivered it in person on Saturday afternoon,2/8/14, after working a 16 hr shift, only to find me still in bed at noon. It was unlike him to be early with a gift and especially one so well thought out and yet so simple and perfect. He gave me a cute gift bag with little hearts on it, with a box of my favorite (hard to find) coffee for my kuerig, a little bag of my favorite powdered sugar donuts, a long stem beautiful pink rose and a card that said ” I love the just-woke-up you, the laughing-out-loud you and the cute-without-trying you♥ After almost 33 yrs together he can still surprise me and take my breath away♥
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Very awesome and thoughtful gift! :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One year when we were just starting out as a married couple, we had very little money so I asked my hubby to dedicate a song to me. In turn, I would dedicate a song to him. It’s been probably fifteen years, but I still remember those songs today and they have a special meaning every time I hear them and it was free!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.I sent my sweetie on an elaborate treasure hunt that started with a note in his car after work and among other things took him to a coffee house where the barista gave him a prepaid coffee and the next clue and a chocolate shop where he got chocolates and another clue. The hunt ended at a restaurant where I was waiting for him. I had great fun planning and arranging the clues but while I was waiting at the restaurant I became very nervous that my clues would be too obscure or that the coffee or chocolate shop would give my clue and accompanying gift to the wrong fella…. I shouldn’t have worried though. He showed up right on time, gifts in hand with a big grin on his face.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Many, many years ago my hubby bought me a little heart shape trinket box (probably from the dollar store). It doesn’t have to be expensive to show you care. Recently my grand-daughter was given that little trinket box…..guess that’s recycling the love :)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The best Valentine’s gift I have ever received was my husband – we were married 38 years ago on Valentine’s Day!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Cute ideas! After a really tough breakup in college a few weeks before, my dad sent flowers and book to my office on valentine’s day with a note that made everything ok :) my dad is the greatest man!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Receiving a geeky computer made valentine card, which led to our first date and then marriage 21 years ago. Still crazy about him!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.The most creative that I have gotten is putting 365 (one for each day of the year) candy kisses in a box, wrapping it up and giving it to him for VDay.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My husband was away on a long business trip during Valentine’s Day one year. We rarely/never celebrate Valentine’s Day with anything more than a special dinner at home, but on this Valentine’s Day, he sent me the complete 10 year anniversary bind-up set of Cook’s Illustrated magazines (he knows I love to cook!). Also, for the same Valentine’s Day, I received a dozen roses. Again, my husband never gets me flowers, but his boss, whom I had never met and who lived on the other side of the country, had roses sent to me (from my husband), because he felt bad for having my husband away from home on such a long business trip and wasn’t sure if my husband would have time to do anything special.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.It sounds silly but once my husband left a pyramid of my favorite yogurt for me in the fridge on Valentine’s Day. So funny, and so sweet. Plus- I’m a sucker for practicality!
Please log in or create a free account to comment.that’s adorable :-)
Please log in or create a free account to comment.Years ago my husband (then fiance) took me on a dinner cruise. The cruise was nice, but what was so special was that he involved my friends to pull the whole thing off. He arranged for babysitters and diversions so the entire evening was a surprise. It was wonderful. A photo from that night is on our refrigerator. He is not an outwardly emotive person, but that year he showed the world, at least my world, just how much he loved me by bringing then all on board, to get me to that cruise.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My birthday is a few days after Valentine’s day so I often get combo gifts but probably my favorite is my jewelry armoire. It’s beautiful and I use it every day.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.One year my dad got me flowers and a little tin heart of chocolates. Nothing big but he never paid attention to me so it was a suprise and I still have the card. One of my best memories of him.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.sweet
Please log in or create a free account to comment.sugar free chocolates when I was pregnant and gestationally diabetic. My Dear husband looked in 3 towns for a store that sold the ones I loved.
Please log in or create a free account to comment.My best gift were concert tickets to see my favorite singer.
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