Valentine's Day

Celebrating Valentine’s Day is all about making a few sweet gestures and expressing your love to that special person in your life. To make your Valentine feel special and convey your feelings to him or her, there’s no better way to than gifting them a thoughtful gift that speaks on your behalf.

Remember, Valentine’s Day isn’t just meant to be celebrated with your romantic partner. You can gift or spend some quality time with your parents, a mentor, your best friend or literally anyone at all who holds a special place in your life!

Happy Valentine’s Day!

• Keep it meaningful.

Meaningful gifts don’t have to be expensive. They can be handmade or even specially made. The thought behind the gift is what is important. Did you really nail how you felt about your loved one? Finding creative ways to express your love can be the most important gift you could ever give.

Don’t just be stuck with buying a name brand item that brings no meaning to the one you love. They may want a brand new flat-screen TV but would be more inspired by going camping with you than having the latest electronic device.

When looking for the perfect gift, don’t just think about what, think about how and why.

• Think experience, not price.

Don’t put a price tag on a gift. That’s an age-old adage that some have taken to mean, you should spend a truckload of money on something for your loved one or spare no expense. But, that’s not necessarily what that can mean. It could just as easily mean you don’t spend a lot on their gift, but instead create an experience that they will never forget.

If you really want to make your Valentine’s Day gift memorable and perfect, try not to just buy a gift. Make an experience out of the whole thing. Sure, people go out to a romantic dinner and movie for their date. But, you could just as easily pick up a boxed pre-cooked dinner, drive out to your local reservoir/park and have a romantic night under the stars, watching your favourite movie on your smart device or tablet.

• The proof is in the details!

Thinking about the details is very important.

If you’re planning an experience, you’ll want to do research on what it would take to make that happen. Don’t forget that your loved one may work, and you’ll need to schedule around their job.

If you’re going somewhere, think about how much time it would take to drive somewhere. It may be that there is someplace closer that will work just as well and you’ll be able to spend more time together.

The details of an experience could be that you put a rose on their pillow before you leave for them to find when you’re back from your date or could be you remembering their favourite restaurant.  These little details matter when you’re making the perfect gift.

• Buy online.

Online shopping is easily the best way to find that perfect gift! You can use a search engine to search descriptive keywords about your Valentine and sites that will cater exactly to your loved one’s wishes will pop up - you’ll be able to find the perfect gift and spare your wallet at the same time.

Buying online is safe and secure too. You can use a variety of payment methods that will help you afford the gift.

Plus, buying online comes with great policies about refunds as well. You don’t want to find out that you bought the wrong gift and then can’t return it (the only way that might happen is if you had the gift specially engraved. Returns are usually not allowed on those sorts of items).

Even if you’re looking for the perfect piece of jewellery, online jewellery stores are very inexpensive and have a huge variety of gifts for your loved one. It’s a great way to find the perfect gift and doesn’t take a large amount of effort!

• Chocolates and Flowers - an oldie but a goodie! Can’t ever go wrong with the classic chocolates and flowers combo. Take it one step further by finding artisanal chocolates and forever flowers.
• Experiences - think dinner in the sky, tours and safaris, skydiving, pottery classes ... Find something they really like doing or have been longing to do and make a gift out of it!
• Travel - it can be to a local attraction, a neighbouring town or another country! Either way, travelling is always a special and welcome gift.
• Resorts - who doesn’t like the glitz and glam of resorts?
• Tech and Gadgets - this one’s for all the tech junkies. Show you care by getting them the latest Bluetooth speaker, AirPods, or tablet.
• Beauty and Grooming - bring on the pampering! This is all about spa treatments, manicures, pedicures, barbershop/salon treatments and everything in between.
• Fashion and Apparel - calling all the fashionistas. Get your hands on their favourite fashion brands and apparel retailers to really make their hearts melt.
• Jewellery - what screams “I love you” better than some bling? Be it a necklace, a chain, a watch, a bracelet, a ring ... your loved one will appreciate the gesture.
• DIY Gifts - a home-cooked meal, breakfast in bed, an arts and crafts gift, a cute poem ... Nothing says you love someone quite as much as a labour of love.

Should you choose to shop for a Valentine’s Day gift from the comfort of your home online, here are some tips and tricks to make sure you shop safely, securely and smartly:

• Shop with trusted online retailers or do thorough research before making purchases from unknown retailer sites.
• Never provide your credit card information if you do not see the ‘padlock’ on the upper left-hand side of your address bar, or if the address begins with “http://” instead of “https://”.

• Keep your information private. If the retailer asks for too much information such as your birth-date and social security numbers, do not complete the transaction.
• After shopping online, it’s a good idea to keep a close eye on all your banking statements, checking them weekly rather than by the month, just in case something slipped to a hacker. Notify your cardholder service if there are any discrepancies immediately.
• Maintain good virus protection on your computer to prevent spyware and other hacks from accessing your information. Many trusted anti-virus services are available online for free so you can take advantage of convenient online shopping.
• Avoid using public Wi-Fi to do your shopping, rather use secure connections.
• Be cautious of unsolicited emails and pop-up internet adverts with too-good-to-be-true offers. Use caution when a deal is drastically better than others and always double-check before clicking on ads.