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 Tammy Severino is the President of RPC Development, a business and development consulting firm for local businesses and not-for-profit organizations. She has more than 20 years of experience in writing, from business writing to journalism to creative writing. In her spare time, this fashionista follows and writes about fashion trends and styles. |
| If you are like me, you are in love with love. It brings a smile to my face to think of Valentine’s Day as a day dedicated to telling/showing people that you love them. Author’s note: I believe that little signs of love and affection are needed all year long, but Valentine’s Day is, clearly, a ‘must do’ for those who’ve been a little lax in doing so throughout the year. If you are without an idea of what to get your love this year, I hope to light a spark or two with the suggestions provided. Valentine’s Day is synonymous with flowers, chocolate, and jewelry. Though each is a fine, tried-and-true choice, consider one of the many other options out there. When it comes to giving a gift, I strongly suggest looking at the likes and tastes of the recipient. In doing so, you will likely put together a gift that’ll be remembered always. A wine lover, for example, might love a bottle of a favorite wine paired with chocolates or even a gift certificate for an evening of wine/chocolate tasting. For a woman (or man) who has been under a lot of stress is likely to swoon at a basket of spa products – lotions, oils, soaps, and bath bombs in either a special holiday scent or a stress melting aromatherapy scent. A certificate for a his and her spa day is another way to de-stress while sharing a wonderful experience you will both remember far into the future. Gift baskets are a great way to go – whether you are shopping for husband, wife, mother, friend – you can select items that are truly personal. The best part is that you can scale it to as large or as modest as your budget permits. The personal touch will say all you need to about your love for the recipient. This year, why not consider a gift that gives back? Several jewelers offer charitable donations with a holiday purchase. One example is CZ by Kenneth Jay Lane (www.czbykennethjaylane.com). This Valentine’s Day, these generous jewelry specialists have made the commitment to donate to the Michael Magro Foundation to help children battling cancer and other catastrophic diseases when you use code magro2018. Not only can you select a beautiful, sparkly item for your special someone, you will help seriously ill children. That’s a win-win for every chamber of your heart! If your budget is small but you want to make a big impact, or, perhaps, you have several people for whom you need a little something, there are some fun ways to make a statement. Lush, the body and skin care retailer with a huge line of all-natural products, has created a giant rose bombshell. Filled with real rose petals, the fizzy bath bomb erupts with a great scent and screams V-Day. Or, print out templated gift tags (they are easy to find online) and tie them to the neck of bottles of red nail polish or after shave. You are bound to be the hero (or heroine) of the office when you show up with these personal little holiday treats. If you want to ‘do’ rather than give, add some romance to the day with a lovely breakfast in bed. No worries if you aren’t a chef in the making. A simple bowl of fruit cut into heart shapes (melons works best and a cookie cutter will do the trick), heart shaped toast and a mimosa. Add a flower in a bud vase and a card to complete the tray, then head over to wake your loved one with your special treat. If a special meal is waiting on the table, lead your love to the plate with rose petals. Try writing a love letter – there’s nothing better than hearing how much your love loves you, or take a stab at homemade coupons good for a hug, kiss, massage, home cooked meal or night on the town. If your love loves sweets, try your hand at heart shaped linzer tarts. Filled with raspberry (or strawberry) preserves, these cookies scream “LOVE”. Ok, giving is your thing. Remember that your selected gift need not be heart shaped or red. Selecting a book by a favorite author, a CD (or download) by a favorite band or a small collection of DVDs/blue rays featuring a favorite actor will let your love know you pay attention. If, however, you want to stick to the heart/love/red theme, you will not need to look far. There are websites, shops, and stores galore that are featuring Valentine’s Day gift ideas. From UncommonGooods.com to Nordstroms.com to your local mall, you can walk or scroll your way through an array of options. Again, put yourself in your loved one’s shoes and try to envision if you’ve selected that perfect option. This year, go with a gift that is clearly straight from the heart. Good luck in making this your best Valentine’s Day together! |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 