Do you buy your SO a Valentine's day present?

[chemgirl]

I don't!

This is only our second Valentine's day, but last year I made him cookies and he took me out for poutine! This year we are planning on a nice dinner out. I thought this was the norm, with maybe the addition of flowers and candy.

The last few days girlfriends have been asking me what I'm buying him, and then telling me about the presents they are buying their SO's. The list includes fancy pens, cufflinks, a watch, video games. Most of them are expecting jewelry in return.

I never realized that Valentine's day was a present sort of holiday. Am I the only one who doesn't do gifts?

 

[tyty333]

Nope, I dont either...we usually have dinner out the weekend before Vday and have a nice dinner at home on
Vday. I get him a card and he gets me flowers and a card.

I like to "save up" any gift money for a larger gift at my bday. The only jewelry I really want cost more than what I would
expect him to spend on a Vday gift. It doesnt really do me any good for him to go blow $100-$200 on jewelry for Vday when what
I really want cost $2k+.

 

[Tuckins1]

Nope. Honestly, we buy things for each other whenever we feel like it, and go out to eat whenever we feel like it. We will get each other a little card sometimes, but other than that, it really doesn't mean anything to us. I love him every day.

 

[elrohwen]

We don't do gifts - we're not big on gifts in general and really only do them for Christmas. All other gifty occasions usually involve dinner out or a trip. For Valentine's Day, we don't even do those things and will just eat at home like any other day. It's partially because my bday is about a week later, and partially because we're just not into the holiday.

 

[Dancing Fire]

nope,if i did she'll be in shock

 

[makemepretty]

I don't usually, it might just be a love note or a special candy. I was eying some heart shaped jerky on etsy though, I think a guy would appreciate that.

 

[slg47]

Nope, I dont either...we usually have dinner out the weekend before Vday and have a nice dinner at home on
Vday. I get him a card and he gets me flowers and a card.

I like to "save up" any gift money for a larger gift at my bday. The only jewelry I really want cost more than what I would
expect him to spend on a Vday gift. It doesnt really do me any good for him to go blow $100-$200 on jewelry for Vday when what
I really want cost $2k+.

haha tyty I am with you. I am not married yet but have already 'planned' that I would like a 10-year anniversary OEC pendant, so would rather have that than smaller gifts on each one!

 

[kenny]

Some years yes.
Some years no.

I'm just as likely to give a random gift any day of the year.

 

[Bleed Burnt Orange]

We have never done gifts for Valentine's day. He'll get me flowers, especially since we are never together on the actual day. If we are together, we may just go to dinner a few days before. We've never actually celebrated it.

We also don't do gifts for our anniversary, just dinner.

 

[D&T]

we actually gift each other presents, not only to each other, but to our DDs. Nothing fancy, more pratical than anything, and everything goes. I like to put a little gift for my DDs in a cute V-day gift bag next to their bedside for them to wake up to it. I've done this now with my oldest DD since she was three. This year, they are getting cute little matching hot pink/polka dot dresses. Really its just another day for us to give gifts. I don't think its all about the women for this kind of holiday - I don't feel comfortable when its all about me day (even on birthdays) I give gifts to my DDs as well on my birthday...

 

[gemgirl]

We don't do gifts - we're not big on gifts in general and really only do them for Christmas. All other gifty occasions usually involve dinner out or a trip. For Valentine's Day, we don't even do those things and will just eat at home like any other day. It's partially because my bday is about a week later, and partially because we're just not into the holiday.

Wow, mine would be the same answer from start to finish - presents only for Christmas. Birthdays and anniversaries - dinner out.
Valentine's day we're home because my birthday is the day before and VD is more for those who are newly in love. We're on our nineteenth year..... Dinner at home, a Netflix movie, the horizontal hoo-chi-koo and zzzzzzzzzzsss.

 

[chemgirl]

we actually gift each other presents, not only to each other, but to our DDs. Nothing fancy, more pratical than anything, and everything goes. I like to put a little gift for my DDs in a cute V-day gift bag next to their bedside for them to wake up to it. I've done this now with my oldest DD since she was three. This year, they are getting cute little matching hot pink/polka dot dresses. Really its just another day for us to give gifts. I don't think its all about the women for this kind of holiday - I don't feel comfortable when its all about me day (even on birthdays) I give gifts to my DDs as well on my birthday...

My mom did something similar when I was growing up! Every valentine's day she would put some chocolates and a new shirt or something at my spot at the breakfast table so I'd see it when I woke up in the morning. It progressed to a Valentine's care package when I was away at school. She will still send me a card and money to "buy myself a treat" even though I'm married. DH thinks its weird, but I like it. It was actually pretty comforting when I was in my early twenties and single. There is so much emphasis on being a part of a couple on that day. I would get a bit down, but the card would cheer my right up! I know, pretty lame, but at least my Mommy loved me!

 

[D&T]

Chemgirl - that is so awesome, I think that its really cute, fun and like you say comforting. My coworker is single and every V-day her father sends her Red roses to the office each year to her and her single sisters, and I told my DH about it, and think that we'll start that tradition as well once they get out of high school .

 

[chemgirl]

I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who doesn't do gifts for Valentine's day.

I have his birthday present wrapped in the closet so if he does surprise me with something I can pull it out and pretend like I planned it.

 

[yssie]

we actually gift each other presents, not only to each other, but to our DDs. Nothing fancy, more pratical than anything, and everything goes. I like to put a little gift for my DDs in a cute V-day gift bag next to their bedside for them to wake up to it. I've done this now with my oldest DD since she was three. This year, they are getting cute little matching hot pink/polka dot dresses. Really its just another day for us to give gifts. I don't think its all about the women for this kind of holiday - I don't feel comfortable when its all about me day (even on birthdays) I give gifts to my DDs as well on my birthday...

My mom did something similar when I was growing up! Every valentine's day she would put some chocolates and a new shirt or something at my spot at the breakfast table so I'd see it when I woke up in the morning. It progressed to a Valentine's care package when I was away at school. She will still send me a card and money to "buy myself a treat" even though I'm married. DH thinks its weird, but I like it. It was actually pretty comforting when I was in my early twenties and single. There is so much emphasis on being a part of a couple on that day. I would get a bit down, but the card would cheer my right up! I know, pretty lame, but at least my Mommy loved me!

That is really sweet



We don't give each other anything big but we'll do chocolate and a book or something. Last year I got fuzzy socks

 

[kama_s]

I don't like celebrating Valentine's day - so much so, that I've forbidden my husband to get me flowers/candy! I also hate going out for dinner because there are so many silly kids running around town - boys looking all silly and girls with single roses swooning over their teenage love. I guess I'm just not a lovey-dovey kinda person. Ugggghhhhhhh!!

I do, however, break my own rule and make little packages of candy for my husband and brother. I used to actually make it for my little brother, but then started making one for my hubby too - just so he wouldn't feel left out!

That said, on the first Valentine's Day my husband and I were together (now this is going back some 7 years), we were both still in school and dating long distance. My hubby (then bf) sent me a cute care package with a box of quality street chocolates (I used to love quality street growing up - but you can't find them as easily here) which he hunted high and low for, and a card with a picture of pink lillies because he was unable to send me real pink lillies. It honestly came out of no where and was truly not expected. He caught me off-guard and I spent the whole day sitting in the lecture hall day-dreaming. Essentially, turning into one of those kids I was kvetching about earlier

 

[canuk-gal]

HI:

Yes, one of those Hershey marshmallow hearts for 89 cents!

cheers--Sharon

 

[vintagelover229]

Last year SO and I started dating on valentines day offically so I wasn't expecting anything for the holiday bc we were long distant and hadn't started dating in time for valentines day. However he did have roses delivered w chocolates anyways the day before (it was on a Sunday last yr) and I was SO surprised! We became Bf and gf on valentines day and It was so sweet and special. Had a webcam dinner date and everything lol.

This year we are taking an anniversary trip to Ottawa. We used points for the hotel and got a room w a kitchen to save money on food. We will be eating out on the 14tg bc it's our anniversary but normally we don't eat out.

I got him a wii game, Mario kart w the wheel. We are trying hard to save money and so we don't buy things often and I'm not expecting a gift at all (hoping for a proposal though!) and so if we don't get engaged I won't be getting anything. I've told him no gifts for Xmas/bdays/etc this year so we can save. The rings already bought though so that's ok to give me
He should know I got him something bc I always do something small but I never ask/want anything in return

 

[cookies]

Nope. DH and I only give each other presents for birthdays. Sometimes we "remind" each other what presents will be appreciated.

 

[Strawdermangrl]

I got him WWII in HD on blu ray. LOL, too bad it is going to take 32 days to arrive at his house.

Thus is the struggle of a LDR that is 10k miles.....sigh.

 

[kittybean]

Yes, we usually do gifts for Valentine's Day. I have a tradition of getting him a bottle of nice scotch or bourbon, and he usually gets me a smaller gift I've been wanting (spa gift certificate, pretty new dress, etc.). This year we're taking a quick weekend trip, though, so we decided not to do gifts.

 

[charbie]

DH and I aren't really valentines gift people. I think he gave me some chocolates last year that a vendor gave to him. I ne er ended up eating them.

We've spent quite a bit of money recently, so im not anticipating anything. Plus he will be out of town to top it off. We would have gone out to eat since we were doing interior selections for our new house that day, but with him going out of town, seems like it'll be just another day.

My dad used to get us each a box of chocolates every year, and mom mojm would always pick up some costume jewelry with hearts or whatnot for us to wear to school. I plan on continuing the tradtion with my own kids.

 

[zoebartlett]

No, we don't really buy gifts for each other. We plan short get-aways instead, or we do something simple like go out for dinner or get tickets to a concert/play/show. That's generally what we do to celebrate birthdays and Christmas anyway, and we've done that for Valentine's Day in the past as well. Occasionally my husband brings home flowers but he doesn't done that in a few years.

 

[pinkstars]

Usually I do. Last year I gifted him some coupons, one for a reflective vest(since he commutes on his bike) and one for a spice grinder...we never ended up getting either.
This year I'm thinking about getting him a swiss army knife because he's planning a big trip on his bike and I imagine that would come in handy. He'll be carrying a lot of tools though, so it's really hard to figure out what he might need and use.

He usually makes me some sort of gift. One year before we were living together and he was studying a lot, and my mom had moved away...I was sad most of the time, so he made me a photo album of about 10 pictures of him making different faces for different emotions he has for me. Some were pretty silly, "his face when he's feeling all lovey towards me," "his face when we're driving around." I'll have to look at it when I get home. I think that might be my favorite.

 

[diamondringlover]

I usually get him a card, sometimes he gets me flowers, we dont normally go out to dinner, but this year we are arguing as usual, lol, so I dont think there will much valentine stuff in my house

 

[Circe]

We do gifts - by which I think I mean, he humors me but I have the harder time of it buying gifts.

Our usual MO is that, since I'm hella picky about jewelry, I find something I like (usually a combo v-day/b-day gift, since my birthday is exactly a week later), and then run around like a chicken with its head cut off figuring out what he might like. This year, I have an awesome idea - the makings for mojitos, which he loves.

The only problem is, the only "mojito kits" I've found online are cheesy and cheap and awful. So, come Friday, I'm going on the hunt for good rum and fresh mint and a muddler and a pitcher and all that. William Sonoma should have that stuff ... right?

 

[JulieN]

Circe, you can use a wooden spoon or ladle or something. A pitcher of the stuff, wow! I'd be knocked flat on my face. I like Ron Matusalem Platino for white rum. http://www.bevmo.com/Shop/ProductDetail.aspx?ProductID=15010

 

[suchende]

Instead of a date, he's going to cook and I'm going to bake. I will probably get him a scarf or tie though.

 

[junebug17]

I don't like celebrating Valentine's day - so much so, that I've forbidden my husband to get me flowers/candy! I also hate going out for dinner because there are so many silly kids running around town - boys looking all silly and girls with single roses swooning over their teenage love. I guess I'm just not a lovey-dovey kinda person. Ugggghhhhhhh!!

I do, however, break my own rule and make little packages of candy for my husband and brother. I used to actually make it for my little brother, but then started making one for my hubby too - just so he wouldn't feel left out!

That said, on the first Valentine's Day my husband and I were together (now this is going back some 7 years), we were both still in school and dating long distance. My hubby (then bf) sent me a cute care package with a box of quality street chocolates (I used to love quality street growing up - but you can't find them as easily here) which he hunted high and low for, and a card with a picture of pink lillies because he was unable to send me real pink lillies. It honestly came out of no where and was truly not expected. He caught me off-guard and I spent the whole day sitting in the lecture hall day-dreaming. Essentially, turning into one of those kids I was kvetching about earlier

I really like that story kama. It really captures the true essence of Valentine's Day.

My husband and I don't exchange gifts or do anything special for Valentine's Day...but I remember being a teen-ager and having flowers delivered to the house from him. It was such a special thing at the time, my mother and I made such a big deal out of it, and I even took pictures of them. Sigh, sweet memories!

 

[Lauren8211]

We don't exchange gifts. We use it as an excuse to go out to dinner, though!