Have you been with your partner so long that you’ve exhausted almost every romantic option come Valentine’s Day? We know the feeling – whether you’re shopping for a lady love or the man in your life, it can be tricky coming up with unique, thoughtful and romantic gift ideas! So, we’ve curated this collection of 8 surprising ways to surprise your long-term lover this V-Day…
Stuck in a relationship gift rut?
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Say it in song
When it’s less about how much you spend, and more about showing how much you care, you can’t go past a romantic trip down memory lane. So, track down the music charts for the week you began your relationship and purchase the single or album that sits nestled in the number-one spot during that time. It’s the Valentine’s Day gift that is the soundtrack that kicked off your relationship — whether you knew it or not!
Recreate your first date
Where did it all begin? A date at a local restaurant? Over drinks at a bar? At a family BBQ, in the office, at a dinner party with friends, or shouting and screaming and dancing at a concert hall or football ground? However the seeds of your romance were planted, try your best to recreate the moments that comprised your first few dates. It’s a gesture as romantic and sentimental as it is unexpected.
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Adorn with meaning
Give the Valentine’s gift that cares with this set of two super-chic bangles — it’s not only sophisticated and elegant, it’s also part of a collection by Raven + Lilly that features pieces handmade by marginalised women in Northern India. The bangles are crafted from local woods and metallic leathers, and proceeds of all sales go towards funding literacy programs for the women artisans and their children in the community. (Raven + Lilly, $22)
The gift of Hugh Jackman
Granted, it’s not quite possible to arrange access to the legendary actor himself — but you can gift a piece of Jackman’s delicious fair-trade coffee co, Laughing Man. Founded by the Wolverine star after he pledged to put his money where his mouth is (“I realised it was time to act on a practical level, not just talk about or drink fair trade coffee, but to enter the marketplace to trigger change from within,” he says), his range includes coffees, teas and hot chocolate blends at a range of price-points to suit your darling. (Laughing Man coffee, from $12)
Spend
The Hobo bag
It may be dubbed the hobo style, but there ain’t anything shabby about this gorgeous bag! Handmade from genuine, super-soft sheepskin and lined with unique African fabric, this Sseko Hobo bag is handmade in Ethiopia. It’s exquisitely stylish and comes in a range of prints and colours, making it the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for the ethically-minded girl in your life. (Sseko, from $150)
A sound to behold
LSTN headphones pack a powerful and seriously-stylish punch, but they’re about much more than good sound and good looks. For every pair of headphones sold, LSTN helps restore hearing to a person in need through the Starkey Hearing Foundation, so it truly is the gift that gives twice! These cherry LSTN Troubadours are individually handcrafted from real, reclaimed wood, which means no two pairs are ever the same. (LSTN, $150)
Splurge
The ultimate date night in
From start to finish, this Valentine’s date is all about treating your loved one to a night of relaxing, unwinding and being treated like a king or queen! If you have children, your first step is to sort out babysitting. Next, set the scene — here is your step-by-step guide:
- Run… your partner a deliciously-warm bath filled with fresh rose petals and organic bubble bath.
- Chill… some sparkling wine — Yellowglen Vintage Bella pink moscato is a perfectly sweet and affordable drop — and arrange it in an ice bucket alongside a couple of new magazines.
- Dim… the lights and set alight a cluster of fragrant candles: Voyager candles, hand-poured in Melbourne using ethically-sourced natural beeswax, soy and coconut waxes, set the perfect mood with their naturally-uplifting fragrances (and, as a bonus, their distinctive double-walled glasses can be repurposed as mini-vases or display glassware).
- Prepare… some food. While your partner melts into a relaxing bath, you can prepare dinner: If you’re a whiz in the kitchen, create your own culinary treat; or if cooking is not your forte, order in their favourite meal.
- Snuggle… your lover after they’ve finished luxuriating in their bath in a decadent soft and warm bathrobe, like these hooded robes from Kassatex. Transport the candles from the bathroom to the dining table and enjoy a delicious and distraction-free meal by candlelight, finished with a box of their favourite chocolates.
Tangy Tangerine organic bubble bath, $20
Yellowglen Vintage Bella pink moscato, $17
Voyager candles, $50
Babylon collection by Kassatex hooded bathrobes, $90
The grand gesture
What could be more romantic on Valentine’s Day than renewing your vows — except, perhaps, renewing your vows on a tropical island?! Okay, so organising a wedding isn’t exactly easy to do on the down-low, so you may have to loop your lover in on this one — but if you lock in a package at a beautiful resort, they’ll do all the heavy lifting for you. For instance, The Outrigger on the Lagoon in Fiji offers a dream wedding package from $6,000: For that amount, you, your partner and up to 50 guests can celebrate in style, with food, drinks, a full reception, flowers, a celebrant and a wedding planner all included.
More Valentine’s Day tips
Top romantic dining ideas for Valentine’s Day
Extravagant ways to say “I love you”
10 Valentine’s gifts for him (that are secretly for you)
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