Furthermore, not all women are dangerously hooked to rosé, and not all males live in the woods
It doesn't matter what you think about Valentine's Day. "But it's a made-up holiday!" " you sob. "All holidays are made up," I respond quietly. "We are part of a society."
Valentine's Day is almost approaching, whether you like it or not. Whatever you want to say to the Hallmark industrial complex, and no matter how much your loved one assures you that they "truly don't want gifts," the reality is that we've all been conditioned to feel the need to meet a minimal minimum for romantic gift-giving every Feb. 14. And, no, you won't be able to overcome a lifetime of Valentine's Day marketing by opting to shortchange your sweetheart on the gift front. Hallmark will never find out about your act of defiance, but your loved one will.
So, do you want roses? Again, what do the various colors represent? Are lilies as romantic as roses, or will they be a blunder? I've got the solution to all your bouquet-related problems: Valentine's Day flowers are overrated. Seriously. Even if you choose a dozen red flowers, you will still require another present on top of them—ideally, something far more thoughtful and far less cliché.
To make matters worse, every gift guide on the internet appears to believe that all women are dangerously addicted to rosé and that all males live in the woods. That's why I've broken down the most critical aspects of romantic gift-giving—so you can figure out the right gesture in the next few days. Here's why you should forego Valentine's Day flowers in favor of these more innovative, cost-effective, and meaningful alternatives.
Flowers are a sad metaphor for love
Vases might just as well be flower coffins. You could spend roughly $50 on a nice arrangement, only to see the flowers wither away in front of your eyes over the next few weeks. Do you really want to give someone a present that screams, "Hey, these flowers are fleeting—just like our love?" " Just a thought.
More significantly, the flower business has a negative influence on both the environment and the employees. Valentine's Day flowers cultivated in Colombia and shipped to U.S. airports contributed around 360,000 metric tons of CO2 in 2018, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation. That is about comparable to driving 78,000 autos for a year. Not to mention the amount of plastic waste generated by individually packaged bouquets.
I'm not going to go so far as to suggest you're doing something bad by sending flowers to someone. The gesture will be remembered fondly by many people! However, if you are unsure how your sweetheart feels about flowers, here are some recommendations to show them you care with more unique gift choices.
Capture a specific moment
Take a trip down memory lane to express your affection. Framing might be costly, but unlike flowers, it represents permanency. When we're accustomed to having all of our images on our phones, taking the time to print and frame one is a considerate approach to demonstrate how much your memories matter to you.
Other memories-related options include a personalized notebook, a scrapbook of love letters, and even an iMovie montage tailored to your favorite tunes.
Look for a way to say "Reward Yourself"
Self-care is always appreciated, especially if you can splurge on something your lover would never buy themselves. The key here is to mix and match different things to create a selected "treat yourself" bundle. A candle on its own is sufficient. A bath bomb candle, slippers, and whiskey cubes? You've just made your own DIY day of indulgence.
Here's the most heteronormative thing I'll say today: Don't get your girl lotion. She knows what sort of lotion she like, and she has plenty of it.
Promise a memorable experience
If you're planning to invest in a shared experience in the future, attempt to locate a tangible symbol of it to wrap up right now. A new game for game night, a couple's bucket list, or printed out surprise concert tickets are some options.
Demonstrate that you've been paying attention
Remember that your Valentine's Day gift does not have to be romantic in nature. The most crucial factor here is personalization. Is there a special spicy sauce that they only buy at a local restaurant? Is there a demand for fresh merchandise for their favorite sports team? Have they been in desperate need of new earbuds for months? This presupposes you have been paying attention to your special someone for some time. Otherwise, from now until February 14th, wring every syllable they say for present ideas.
Make a gourmet meal (alone or with others!)
My advice here is to make home cooking a dating night. To boost the at-home fine dining experience, you might make a show of gifting all of the individual items, or you could print up a bespoke menu. Cooking a meal together, even if you're not a master chef, speaks to almost every love language:
- Time well spent. Put on some music and cook together.
- Volunteering. You're essentially feeding them.
- Receiving presents. A plate of spaghetti is always a welcome present.
- Brush your hands together while swirling the marinara sauce.
- Affirmation: "You're such a terrific chef!"
- "No, you!"
- "Let's be together forever," you see?
Customize Valentine's Day classics
What about succulents instead of flowers? Or any alternative plant that can become a more permanent, less stereotypical presence in their home? (Perhaps not any other plant, but I believe a ficus can be rather romantic.)
Instead buying costly Valentine's chocolates, why not get sweets that are genuinely your valentine's favorites? Maybe it's one of those massive canisters of flavored popcorn, or maybe it's individually creating a bouquet of beef jerky. However, if you really don't know what to acquire, most folks will be delighted to receive that heart-shaped box.
At the end of the day, it is the notion that is important. If your thoughts are about how much you care about this person, the present you choose should reflect that emotion. And if that present is flowers, I won't stop you. From one cynical bastard to another, happy Valentine's Day.
#ValentinesDay #HearthsDay #Flowers
SOURCE: lifehacker
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