The L Word.

Wearing Zara Blouse, 7 For All Mankind Extreme Bell Bottom jeans

Valentine's Day is exactly one week away.  Now, some of you may cringe at the thought, some of you are smiling with excitement while reading this, and others indifferent to the whole "love celebration."  But what's wrong with reserving a day to showcase your love for someone?  Why is Valentine's Day considered "cliche" or even referred to as "Singles Awareness Day?" Ok, so maybe in current times, the holiday is promoted heavily for the mass production of greeting cards, but let us not take away its original intent!   Some of you do not like Valentine's Day because you are bitter.  Don't be bitter.  I mean, you probably have a reason why you're bitter, but let's try to turn that frown upside down!  Channel your energy in a positive manner by showing some love!  If you don't have a boyfriend/girlfriend, no worries!  Do a little exchange with your best friend, or someone in your family!  Show them how much you love and appreciate them!  Saint Valentine wouldn't want it any differently! 

To be honest, this will be my first year celebrating Valentine's Day with someone besides my mom and dad (LOL), and I'm excited about it!  

If you're still looking for Valentine's Day gift ideas, I got you!  Yes you can always buy your love jewelry, go out to dinner, see a movie, concert or show, but I wanted to share with you some CREATIVE and INEXPENSIVE ideas for those of us whom are on a tighter budget! 

(All of these ideas can be applied to either sex)

For HER:

Message in a bottle: Decorate a unique-looking jar or box with craft items.  Write numerous love notes on small pieces of paper & fill the jar with them.  Present the jar to your sweetheart.

OR

Write "I love you because..." notes and insert them into Red/White/Pink transparent balloons.  Blow up the balloons and spread them throughout the room for your Valentine to pop & capture each message!

Photo Collage/Make a gift from a memory:  As you obviously know, I'm a big fan of photography (hence this blog), and I love to capture moments for future memories.  Find a nice, but affordable frame (Try a HomeGoods or similar store that has quality, but discounted prices), and frame your favorite photo of you and the boo! Don't know where to print your picture?  Walmart or CVS is always an easy option, and very inexpensive!

Chocolates & Flowers:  If you plan ahead, this can be a relatively affordable gift, rather than waiting until the day of Valentine's Day to purchase!  Supermarket florists are usually a lot cheaper than florist shops/online floral delivery services, and if you order in advance & pay up front, you'll most likely miss the increase of prices for V-Day!  As for the chocolate, get your boo something rich and creamy!  Leave out the Hershey's kisses this time around!

Treasure Hunt of Love: Write a few poems, wrap chocolates inside, meaningful photos etc., and hide them around the house.  It may even be cool to choose a theme for the treasure hunt.  Each find should contain a clue to finding the next one.  Make sure the final clue lands your mate where you would like to spend the rest of the evening! ;)

For HIM:

Spa Day:  Create an at-home day spa for your mate.  Buy a basket and fill it with inexpensive candles, rose petals, & massage oil.  Set up your "spa area" and give him a nice long body rub.  When the massage is almost done, take a moment to heat up some towels in the dryer for a warm, fuzzy, & happy ending!

All About the Boo: Make the entire day full of his favorites: the breakfast of his dreams, Netflix his favorite tv show, play his fav music, etc... Don't say anything about it, just continue to surprise him for fun!!

Restaurante de Casa: Bring the restaurant home!  Set up your table with a white table cloth with cutlery settings and glasses (as if you were out dining at a restaurant), and even make a "dinner menu" including what you'll be serving your Valentine!  Ex: "Entree: Spaghetti & Meatballs made with passion and love for you"  Also, title the name of your restaurant at the top of the menu.  Have fun with it, and be creative!

Love Letter: In the morning, tuck mini love notes in his pocket or wallet (and other easy to find places).  Jot down some meaningful words on a piece of paper "Cant' wait to see you tnite" "You make me happy"  "I can't wait to hold you" "I love you so much,"  and wait for it to be discovered during the day!  Although this gesture is on the smaller scale, it can be very meaningful for the receiver, and could be a nice addition to something else you have planned for your special Valentine!

"I'm a lover not a fighter." -Michael Jackson


-Kris